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arXiv · 1502.00109

Single-molecule spectromicroscopy: the door into sub-diffraction refractometry

T. A. Anikushina·M. G. Gladush·A. A. Gorshelev·A. V. Naumov
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Abstract

We suggest a novel approach for probing of local fluctuations of the refractive index $n$ in solids by means of single-molecule (SM) spectroscopy. It is based on the dependence $T_1(n)$ of the effective radiative lifetime $T_1$ of dye centres in solids on $n$ due to the local field effects. Detection of SM zero-phonon lines at ultra-low temperatures gives the values of SM natural spectral linewidth (which is inverse proportional to $T_1$) and makes it possible to reveal the distribution of the local $n$ values in solids. Here we demonstrate this possibility on the example of amorphous polyethylene and polycrystalline naphthalene doped with terrylene.

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T. A. Anikushina, M. G. Gladush, A. A. Gorshelev, A. V. Naumov. 2015-02-17. Single-molecule spectromicroscopy: the door into sub-diffraction refractometry. https://arxiv.org/abs/1502.00109

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