Single pentacene molecules detected by fluorescence excitation in a p-terphenyl crystal
Abstract
Experiments clearly prove that narrow peaks in the fluorescence-excitation spectrum of a pentacene-doped p-terphenyl crystal stem from single molecules. This claim is supported by the distribution, width, and height of the peaks, as well as by the correlation of the emitted light and the sudden drops and surges of the emission of certain peaks. We attribute these to the hole burning of a single molecule. These results show the feasibility of the optical study of a single molecule and its local environment.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- November 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.65.2716
- Bibcode:
- 1990PhRvL..65.2716O
- Keywords:
-
- 78.55.Kz;
- 42.50.-p;
- 61.70.Rj;
- Solid organic materials;
- Quantum optics