Optical Spectra and Kinetics of Single Impurity Molecules in a Polymer: Spectral Diffusion and Persistent Spectral Hole-Burning
Abstract
Using high efficiency fluorescence excitation techniques, optical spectra of single impurity molecules of perylene in a poly(ethylene) matrix can be obtained at 1.5 K. Analysis of such spectra show a variety of spectral diffusion effects, including fast resonance frequency changes on the 1-100 MHz scale which lead to a range of apparent linewidths, as well as discontinuous jumps in the resonance frequency of 10-1000 MHz on a longer time scale. In addition, light induced changes in resonance frequency of a single molecule (persistent spectral hole-burning) have been conclusively observed by showing that the burning time decreases with increasing laser power. Surprisingly, hole- burned single molecule often spontaneously return to the original frequency in 1-100 s. Measurements of the burning time for a large number of hole-burning events for the same simple molecule yield an exponential burn time distribution, which is the first direct measurement to our knowledge for the stochastic kinetics of a single molecule.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 07, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA243749
Entities
People
- T. Basche
- W. E. Moerner
- W. P. Ambrose
Organizations
- International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)