Research Projects
NANOSPECTROSCOPY USING LASERS
Faculty Mentor: Prof. A. Shulte
Research Description 
Optical
experiments in the study of matter on the nanometer scale have reached
the single molecule regime and form the basis of nanospectroscopy. Single
molecule detection of fluorescent labeled immunoglobulin G in gel
(see Figure A and B). In our research micro-instrumentation for ultrasensitive
detection is developed to characterize nano-particles and to follow
chemical reactions on a single molecule scale. We have extensively
employed Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies to probe the micro-structure
of diamond and GaN thin films, chalcogenide waveguide materials, and
biological assemblies. This will be extended to train the undergraduates
in the program.
- Undergraduates will learn the RAMAN instrument.
- To carry out experiments with fluorescein and rhodamine dyes to test the sensitivity of the single photon detection system.
- Will be involved in a new experiment to probe molecular layers on chalcogenide device structures by the evanescent tail of waveguide Raman excitation.