Single Molecule spectroscopy laboratory

SMS Lab

SMS Lab occupies a one room and contains laser spectroscopy and optical microscopy equipment. The main purpose of the lab it to archive optical spectroscopy with spatial resolution using optical microscopy.

Several lasers (pulsed and CW): Ar-ion laser, laser diode lasers (CW and 100 ps pulses, PicoQuant), pulsed continuum laser (“white” light, NKT photonics). Three epi-fluorescence microscopes where fluorescence can be excited by one of the laser sources and detected either by EM CCD cameras or by an avalanche photodiode. In the latter case fluorescence kinetics can be measured by time-correlated single photon counting. The sensitivity of the setup allows working with individual fluorescent molecules or luminescent nano-particles.
Especially design light polarization equipment allows for so-called 2-dimensional polarization imaging. This method is original and allows for detailed characterization of anisotropic molecules, films, biological samples.
One of the microscopes is coupled to a femtosecond laser and a streak camera (physically located in the Fluorescence Lab, next door) where luminescence decays with 1 ps time-resolution can be measured. All experiments can be carried out at low temperature down to 5K using a micro cryostat.

Connection to nitrogen and vacuum lines. Internet.

Lab responsible: Prof. Ivan Scheblykin