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Updated: May 23, 2026

Fluorescence detection methods for microfluidic droplet platforms
Published on: December 10, 2011
Note: A method to isolate and detect a large number of single molecules by microdroplet fluorescence spectroscopy
K C Ng1, K H Heredia, D Kliewer
1Department of Chemistry, 2555 East San Ramon Ave., M/S SB70, California State University, Fresno, California 93740-8034, USA. kinn@csufresno.edu
Abstract:
A laser induced fluorescence system, in combination with a glass-frit nebulizer and a photo-voltaic cell detector, is described for single molecule detection. The glass-frit nebulizer continuously generates a large number of droplets with an average droplet size of three micrometers in diameter. Rhodamine 6G molecules were detected at the 10(-12) M level. Concentrations 10(-12)-10(-10) M would provide mostly single molecules (0, 1, 2, 3, ...) in the individual droplets, as determined by Poisson distribution.
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