Single Molecules Observed by Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy
Abstract
Individual carbocyanine dye molecules in a sub-monolayer spread have been imaged with near-field scanning optical microscopy. Molecules can be repeatedly detected and spatially localized (to ~λ/50 where λ is the wavelength of light) with a sensitivity of at least 0.005 molecules/(Hz)1/2 and the orientation of each molecular dipole can be determined. This information is exploited to map the electric field distribution in the near-field aperture with molecular spatial resolution.
- Publication:
-
Science
- Pub Date:
- November 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1126/science.262.5138.1422
- Bibcode:
- 1993Sci...262.1422B