Abstract

The first single molecule detection, by Moerner and colleagues [1] in the system pentacene in p-terphenyl crystal via absorption, has been extremely difficult due to photon noise. In our paper [2], we demonstrated for the first time single molecule lines in fluorescence excitation spectra of the same system. This much simpler method provides a dramatic improvement of the signal/noise ratio. It opened the way for a true single molecule spectroscopy (SMS). Since then, several experiments performed using this technique [3-8] have shown the power and promise of this new spectroscopic method. In this report, we want to apply SMS to obtain detailed information about individual molecules and the differences in some spectroscopic properties due to their local surroundings. We also report on preliminary results on electric field effects on single molecule lines.

© 1992 Optical Society of America