Low Temperature Single Molecule Spectroscopy: From small molecules to light harvesting complexes

Robert J. Silbey, Dean of Science & Class of '42 Professor of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In one of singular advances in physical chemistry of the last few years, experimentalists (Moerner and Orrit) determined how to measure the spectrum of a single molecule embedded in a condensed phase, such as a crystal or glass. Since the original experiments, this technique has become ubiquitous in chemistry and other disciplines. One of the fascinating aspects of the results is that the spectrum of a molecule is often time dependent. That is, as fluctuations occur in the environment of the molecule under study, the spectrum changes, often in a complex manner. Can these be understood theoretically and what does this teach us about the molecule and its surroundings? After discussing a simple model for the effects of the environmental fluctuations on a single molecular optical transition, I will briefly talk about the spectrum of more complex single molecular systems, such as quantum dots and the light harvesting complex, LH2.

The P/T Colloquium is
typically held each
Thursday, 3:45–5:00 PM.
Refreshments are served
at 3:15 PM.