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Shifting molecular localization by plasmonic coupling in a single-molecule mirage.
Mario Raab1, Carolin Vietz1, Fernando Daniel Stefani2,3
1Institute for Physical &Theoretical Chemistry, and Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology (BRICS), and Laboratory for Emerging Nanometrology (LENA), Braunschweig University of Technology, Rebenring 56, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
Nature Communications
|January 12, 2017
Summary
Plasmonics and fluorescence nanoscopy can be combined for high-resolution imaging. However, plasmonic coupling can cause significant errors, creating a "single-molecule mirage" in super-resolution microscopy.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Nanotechnology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Plasmonics and fluorescence nanoscopy are key areas in sub-diffraction photonics.
- Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) enables nanometre-resolution studies of plasmonic interactions.
- SMLM can potentially yield inaccurate positional data in plasmonic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the accuracy of SMLM in the presence of plasmonic coupling.
- To quantify the positional shifts introduced by plasmonic effects in SMLM.
- To utilize DNA origami for precise control and super-resolution imaging of emitter-nanoparticle interactions.
Main Methods:
- Employing DNA origami to precisely control nanometre-scale separations between fluorescent emitters and gold nanoparticles.
- Utilizing DNA origami as a platform for super-resolution imaging via SMLM.
- Comparing SMLM-retrieved positions with true emitter positions and full-field simulations.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that plasmonic coupling causes significant shifts in molecular localizations obtained via SMLM.
- Observed positional shifts up to 30 nanometres due to plasmonic interactions.
- Identified and characterized the phenomenon as a "single-molecule mirage".
Conclusions:
- Plasmonic coupling in SMLM can lead to substantial positional inaccuracies.
- Precise control using DNA origami is crucial for validating SMLM accuracy in nanophotonics.
- The "single-molecule mirage" effect must be considered for reliable super-resolution imaging in plasmonic environments.
