My research is focused on solid-state quantum optics. In the past few years I have, for example, investigated methods to collect single photons with near-unity efficiency. Another emphasis is on techniques which can be used to enhance the interaction of a single photon with a single emitter.
High-Resolution Cryogenic Spectroscopy of Single Molecules in Nanoprinted Crystals
Mohammad Musavinezhad,
Jan Renger,
Johannes Zirkelbach,
Tobias Utikal,
Claudio U. Hail,
Thomas Basché,
Dimos Poulikakos,
Stephan Götzinger,
Vahid Sandoghdar
We perform laser spectroscopy at liquid helium temperatures (T = 2 K) to investigate single dibenzoterrylene (DBT) molecules doped in anthracene crystals of nanoscopic height fabricated by electrohydrodynamic dripping. Using high-resolution fluorescence excitation spectroscopy, we show that zero-phonon lines of single molecules in printed nanocrystals are nearly as narrow as the Fourier-limited transitions observed for the same guest–host system in the bulk. Moreover, the spectral instabilities are comparable to or less than one line width. By recording super-resolution images of DBT molecules and varying the polarization of the excitation beam, we determine the dimensions of the printed crystals and the orientation of the crystals’ axes. Electrohydrodynamic printing of organic nano- and microcrystals is of interest for a series of applications, where controlled positioning of quantum emitters with narrow optical transitions is desirable.
An optofluidic antenna for enhancing the sensitivity of single-emitter measurements
Luis Morales-Inostroza,
Julian Folz,
Ralf Kühnemuth,
Suren Felekyan,
Franz Wieser,
Claus A.M. Seidel,
Stephan Götzinger,
Vahid Sandoghdar
Nature Communications
15
2545
(2024)
| Journal
| PDF
Many single-molecule investigations are performed in fluidic environments, e.g., to avoid unwanted consequences of contact with surfaces. Diffusion of molecules in this arrangement limits the observation time and the number of collected photons, thus, compromising studies of processes with fast or slow dynamics. Here, we introduce a planar optofluidic antenna (OFA), which enhances the fluorescence signal from molecules by about 5 times per passage, leads to about 7-fold more frequent returns to the observation volume, and significantly lengthens the diffusion time within one passage. We use single-molecule multi-parameter fluorescence detection (sm-MFD), fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements to characterize our OFAs. The antenna advantages are showcased by examining both the slow (ms) and fast (50μs) dynamics of DNA four-way (Holliday) junctions with real-time resolution. The FRET trajectories provide evidence for the absence of an intermediate conformational state and introduce an upper bound for its lifetime. The ease of implementation and compatibility with various microscopy modalities make OFAs broadly applicable to a diverse range of studies.
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