Single Molecules Observed by Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy

Single Molecules Observed by Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy

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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 262; no. 5138; pp. 1422 - 1425
Main Authors: Betzig, Eric, Chichester, Robert J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Washington, DC American Society for the Advancement of Science 26-11-1993
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Subjects:
Analytical chemistry
Chemistry
Chromophores
Dyes
Electric fields
Exact sciences and technology
Fluorescence
Innovations
Microscope and microscopy
Microscopes
Microscopy
Molecular excitation
Molecular probes
Molecules
Optical microscopy
Shot noise
Spectrometric and optical methods
Trace analysis
Near field
Molecules
Optical microscopy
Detection limit
Measurement method
Scanning mode
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Description
Summary: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.
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content type line 23
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.262.5138.1422