Probing single molecules in microcavities

摘要

We describe recent results of experiments probing single molecules in the surface of spherical microcavities. Effects of spatial photoselection have been recently observed through changes in the single-molecule fluorescence photon statistics. In addition to being a sensitive probe of the highly interesting boundary region between classical and quantum mechanics, cavity-modified spontaneous emission and the possibility of single-molecule stimulated emission hold exciting promise as a means of exceeding sensitivity limitations such as photobleaching and absorption saturation in single molecule fluorescence detection. Ongoing efforts such as fluorescence imaging of single molecules on the surface of microspheres and attempts to observe single- molecule stimulated emission will also be described.