Gating Single-Molecule Fluorescence with Electrons
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Tip-enhanced photoluminescence (TEPL) measurements are performed with subnanometer spatial resolution on individual molecules decoupled from a metallic substrate by a thin NaCl layer. TEPL spectra reveal progressive fluorescence quenching with decreasing tip-molecule distance when electrons tunneling from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope are injected at resonance with the molecular states. Rate equations based on a many-body model reveal that the luminescence quenching is due to a progressive population inversion between the ground neutral (S_{0}) and the ground charge (D_{0}^{-}) states of the molecule occurring when the current is raised. We demonstrate that the bias voltage and the lateral tip position can be used to gate the molecular emission. Our approach can be applied to any molecular system, providing unprecedented control over the fluorescence of a single molecule.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,750
Funders: European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, H2020 European Research Council
Awards: G1949054838, Par-delà les frontières, l'Université de Strasbourg, G2255650664, G2659019386, G2694206344, G2729097322, Façonner les talents en formation et en recherche à l'Université de Strasbourg, G3357951378, G434337789, G4388790765, G4779185514, Quantum Science and Nanomaterials, G6276897512, G6718037057, G6803667113, Combining high-resolution atomic force microscopy and tip-enhanced optical spectroscopy on single molecules, Untersuchung von Lichtsammelmechanismen in natürlichen und künstlichen Systemen mit atomarer Präzision
OpenAlex ID: W4403204279