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Ultrafast Single-Molecule Spectroscopy

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Ultrafast Biophotonics

Part of the book series: Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering ((BIOMEDICAL))

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Abstract

The detection and spectroscopic studies of individual molecules has begun to find widespread applications in the life sciences. While conventional time-resolved experiments continue to provide useful information about ensemble-averaged properties, ultrafast single molecule techniques are able to track the photodynamics of single molecules, revealing their unique transient intermediates. This chapter presents an overview of single molecule techniques like surface enhanced coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, Förster resonance energy transfer, pump-probe spectroscopy, and pulse-shaping. These techniques can not only identify but also provide information about electronic/vibrational wavepacket interferences and relaxation mechanisms at the level of individual molecules. As an illustration of their relevance in ultrafast biophotonics, a study of persistence of coherence in an individual photosynthetic complex under physiological conditions is presented.

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  1. Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai, India

    P. Vasa

  2. Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India

    D. Mathur

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Vasa, P., Mathur, D. (2016). Ultrafast Single-Molecule Spectroscopy. In: Ultrafast Biophotonics. Biological and Medical Physics, Biomedical Engineering. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39614-9_4

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