Freeze-frame approach for robust single-molecule tip-enhnaced Raman spectroscopy at room temperature
Abstract
A quantitative single-molecule tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) study at room temperature remained a challenge due to the rapid structural dynamics of molecules exposed to air. Here, we demonstrate the single-molecule level hyperspectral TERS imaging of brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) at room temperature for the first time, along with quantitative spectral analyses. Freeze-frame approach using a thin Al2O3 capping layer, which suppresses spectral diffusions and inhibits chemical reactions and contaminations in air, enabled reliable and robust chemical imaging. For the molecules resolved spatially in the TERS image, a clear Raman peak variation up to 7.5 cm-1 is observed, which cannot be found in molecular ensembles. From density functional theory-based quantitative analyses of the varied TERS peaks, we reveal the conformational heterogeneity at the single-molecule level. This work provides a facile way to investigate the single-molecule properties in interacting media, expanding the scope of single-molecule vibrational spectroscopy.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2110.12641,
title = {Freeze-frame approach for robust single-molecule tip-enhnaced Raman spectroscopy at room temperature},
author = {Mingu Kang and Hyunwoo Kim and Elham Oleiki and Yeonjeong Koo and Hyeongwoo Lee and Jinseong Choi and Taeyong Eom and Geunsik Lee and Yung Doug Suh and Kyoung-Duck Park},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2110.12641},
year = {2022}
}
Comments
I submitted a new article instead of replace the previous article (2102.02408) as I misunderstood the arXiv submission system. I updated the previous article, 2102.02408, hence the article, 2110.12641, is no longer valid