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Related Experiment Videos

Near-field effects in single molecule emission.

H Gersen1, M F García-Parajó, L Novotny

  • 1Applied Optics Group, Department of Applied Physics and MESA Research Institute, University of Twente, PO Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands. h.gersen@tn.utwente.nl

Journal of Microscopy
|April 20, 2001
PubMed
Summary

We experimentally proved that nearby nano-metal objects alter single-molecule photon emission direction. This finding, observed using a novel detection scheme in a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM), explains previous polarization changes.

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Area of Science:

  • Single-molecule spectroscopy
  • Plasmonics
  • Nanophotonics
  • Near-field optics

Background:

  • Single molecules exhibit unique optical properties.
  • Interactions with nanoscale environments can modify light emission.
  • Previous studies noted polarization alterations in molecular emission, but the cause was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To experimentally demonstrate the influence of nearby nano-sized metal objects on single-molecule angular photon emission.
  • To investigate the relationship between the position of a nano-metal object and the angular emission intensity.
  • To explain previously observed alterations in molecular emission polarization.

Main Methods:

  • Implementation of a novel angular-sensitive detection scheme within a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM).

Related Experiment Videos

  • High-precision positioning (approx. 1 nm accuracy) of the NSOM probe relative to a single molecule.
  • Systematic measurement of the intensity ratio between emission half-spaces as a function of probe-emitter distance.

    • Main Results:

    • Demonstrated significant influence of a nearby nano-metal object on the angular photon emission pattern of a single molecule.
    • Observed particularly strong effects for molecules excited below the rims of the NSOM aperture.
    • Achieved excellent agreement between experimental results and numerical simulations for affected molecules.

    Conclusions:

    • The proximity of nano-sized metal objects can significantly alter the directional photon emission of single molecules.
    • This angular redistribution of emission provides a mechanism to explain previously observed changes in molecular emission polarization.
    • The study validates the use of advanced NSOM techniques for probing nanoscale light-matter interactions.