Single Molecule Chemistry And Physics

Single-molecule studies constitute a distinguishable category of focused - search in nanoscience and nanotechnology. This book is dedicated to the - troduction of recent advances on single-molecule studies. It will be illustrated that studying single molecules is both intellectually and technologically ch- lenging, and also o?ers vast potential in opening up new scienti?c frontiers. We wish to present the readers with several di?erent techniques for studying single molecules, such as electron-tunneling methods, interaction-force m- surement techniques, optical spectroscopy, plus a number of directions where further progress could be pursued. We hope the work may assist the readers, especially graduate students and those who wish to explore single molecules, to become familiarized with the pace of the progress in this ?eld and the relevant primary techniques. Due to limitation of space, we are not able to elaborate on the technical details of all of the experimental methods that are vital in single molecule studies, so introductions to only selected experimental methods are touched in the context. Since the technical details and theoretical analysis of these techniqueshavealreadybeenthoroughlycoveredinmanyliteratures,weonly provide introductions to the basic principles of the detection techniques here, and focus on their experimental achievements in the area of single-molecule studies. These techniques have proven to be highly e?ective when indep- dently used. The combinationof those techniques could lead to further - vances in the detection capabilities.

The observation and manipulation of individual molecules is one of the most exciting developments in modern molecular science. Single Molecule Science: Physical Principles and Models provides an introduction to the mathematical tools and physical theories needed to understand, explain, and model single-molecule observations. This book explains the physical principles underlying the major classes of single-molecule experiments such as fluorescence measurements, force-probe spectroscopy, and nanopore experiments. It provides the framework needed to understand single-molecule phenomena by introducing all the relevant mathematical and physical concepts, and then discussing various approaches to the problem of interpreting single-molecule data. The essential concepts used throughout this book are explained in the appendices and the text does not assume any background beyond undergraduate chemistry, physics, and calculus. Every effort has been made to keep the presentation self-contained and derive results starting from a limited set of fundamentals, such as several simple models of molecular dynamics and the laws of probability. The result is a book that develops essential concepts in a simple yet rigorous way and in a manner that is accessible to a broad audience.

The topics range from single molecule experiments in quantum optics and solid-state physics to analogous investigations in physical chemistry and biophysics.

Discover the experimental and theoretical developments in optical single-molecule spectroscopy that are changing the ways we think about molecules and atoms The Advances in Chemical Physics series provides the chemical physics field with a forum for critical, authoritative evaluations of advances in every area of the discipline. This latest volume explores the advent of optical single-molecule spectroscopy, and how atomic force microscopy has empowered novel experiments on individual biomolecules, opening up new frontiers in molecular and cell biology and leading to new theoretical approaches and insights. Organized into two parts—one experimental, the other theoretical—this volume explores advances across the field of single-molecule biophysics, presenting new perspectives on the theoretical properties of atoms and molecules. Single-molecule experiments have provided fresh perspectives on questions such as how proteins fold to specific conformations from highly heterogeneous structures, how signal transductions take place on the molecular level, and how proteins behave in membranes and living cells.This volume is designed to further contribute to the rapid development of single-molecule biophysics research. Filled with cutting-edge research reported in a cohesive manner not found elsewhere in the literature, each volume of the Advances in Chemical Physics series serves as the perfect supplement to any advanced graduate class devoted to the study of chemical physics.

Written by the leading experts in the field, this book describes the development and current state of the art in single molecule spectroscopy. The application of this technique, which started 1989, in physics, chemistry and biosciences is displayed.

This book reviews recently developed theoretical and numerical approaches to deal with optical and mechanical signals from individual molecules. The character of data generated by single molecules, and more generally by single nano-objects, qualitatively differs from those obtained in conventional experiments on large ensembles of molecules. Fluctuations, randomness and irreproducibility are central to single-molecule measurements, and the specific methods required to extract reliable and statistically relevant information from them are presented here. With contributions mainly from participants of the ?Theory, Modeling and Evaluation of Single-Molecule Measurements? workshop held in Leiden, the Netherlands, on April 16-20, 2007, this book is an authoritative compendium on the subject.

Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Single Molecules: Methods and Applications reviews the most recent developments in spectroscopic methods and applications. Spectroscopic techniques are the chief experimental methods for testing theoretical models and research in this area plays an important role in stimulating new theoretical developments in physical chemistry. This book provides an authoritative insight into the latest advances in the field, highlighting new techniques, current applications, and potential future developments An ideal reference for chemists and physicists alike, Spectroscopy and Dynamics of Single Molecules: Methods and Applications is a useful guide for all those working in the research, design, or application of spectroscopic tools and techniques across a wide range of fields. Includes the latest research on ultrafast vibrational and electronic dynamics, nonlinear spectroscopies, and single-molecule methods Makes the content accessible to researchers in chemistry, biophysics, and chemical physics through a rigorous multi-disciplinary approach Provides content edited by a world-renowned chemist with more than 30 years of experience in research and instruction

This thesis presents a novel single-molecule spectroscopy method that, for the first time, allows the dipole orientations and fluorescence lifetimes of individual molecules to be measured simultaneously. These two parameters are needed to determine the position of individual molecules with nanometer accuracy near a metallic structure. Proof-of-principle experiments demonstrating the value of this new single-molecule localization concept are also presented. Lastly, the book highlights potential applications of the method in biophysics, molecular physics, soft matter and structural biology.