Orientation Imaging and Reorientation Dynamics of Single Dye Molecules

Published

May 1, 2001

Author(s)

K D. Weston, Lori S. Goldner

Abstract

Polarization modulation is used with confocal microscopy to measure the absorption dipole orientation and reorientation dynamics of individual dye molecules embedded in thin, spin-cast polymer films under ambient conditions. Both discrete and continuous changes in dipole orientation were observed. We find that for all samples tested a significant fraction of the molecules show spontaneous absorption dipole reorientations. Data analysis techniques are developed for quantifying the reorientation dynamics for a population of molecules, and these are used to describe the orientation dynamics ofr single molecules in a variety of sample types. A dependence of the reorientation dynamics on film thickness is identified; DiIC₁₈ molecules reorient with higher frequency in progressively thinner polymer films. In addition, we demonstrate a method for imaging the absorption dipole orientation of each molecule in a scan field during a scan.

Citation

Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B Condensed Matter, Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces & Biophysical

Volume

105

Issue

No. 17

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

absorption dipole, dipole orientation, microscopy, orientation imaging, polarization anisotropy, re-orientation dynamics, single molecule, thin film

Citation

Weston, K. and Goldner, L. (2001), Orientation Imaging and Reorientation Dynamics of Single Dye Molecules, Journal of Physical Chemistry Part B Condensed Matter, Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces & Biophysical (Accessed October 11, 2025)