We present a new concept for measuring distance values of single molecules from a surface with nanometer accuracy using the energy transfer from the excited molecule to surface plasmons of a metal film [1]. We measure the fluorescence lifetime of individual dye molecules deposited on a dielectric spacer as a function of a spacer thickness. By using our theoretical model [2], we convert the lifetime values into the axial distance of individual molecules. Similar to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), this allows emitters to be localized with nanometer accuracy, but in contrast to FRET the distance range at which efficient energy transfer takes place is an order of magnitude larger. Together with orientation measurements [3], one can potentially use smMIET to localize single emitters with a nanometer precision isotropically, which will facilitate intra- and intermolecular distance measurements in biomolecules and complexes, circumventing the requirement of the knowledge of mutual orientations between two dipole emitters which severely limits the quantification of such distances from a conventional single-pair FRET (spFRET) experiment. [1] Karedla, N., Chizhik, A.I., Gregor, I., Chizhik, A.M., Schulz, O., Enderlein, J., ChemPhysChem, 15, 705-711 (2014). [2] Enderlein J., Biophyical Journal, 78, 2151-8 (2000). [3] Karedla, N., Stein, S. C., Hähnel, D., Gregor, I., Chizhik, A., and Enderlein, J., Physical Review Letters, 115, 173002 (2015).

Date Published: 24 April 2017
PDF: 1 pages
Proc. SPIE 10071, Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Superresolution Imaging X, 1007106 (24 April 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2255744

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10071:
Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Superresolution Imaging X
Jörg Enderlein; Ingo Gregor; Zygmunt Karol Gryczynski; Rainer Erdmann; Felix Koberling, Editor(s)