Award Abstract #0619418
Acquisition of a Confocal Microscopy Facility for Single Molecule Spectroscopy and Dynamics

NSF Org:	CHE Division of Chemistry
Initial Amendment Date:	July 25, 2006
Latest Amendment Date:	July 25, 2006
Award Number:	0619418
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	Carlos A. Murillo CHE Division of Chemistry MPS Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Start Date:	September 1, 2006
Expires:	August 31, 2009 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$437617
Investigator(s):	Todd Krauss krauss@chem.rochester.edu (Principal Investigator) Kara Bren (Co-Principal Investigator) Lewis Rothberg (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Rochester 515 HYLAN, RIVER CAMPUSBOX 27014 ROCHESTER, NY 14627 585/275-4031
NSF Program(s):	MAJOR RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION
Field Application(s):
Program Reference Code(s):	OTHR,7237,0000
Program Element Code(s):	1189

ABSTRACT

With support from the Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Acquisition Program, the Department of Chemistry at the Unversity of Rochester will construct a confocal optical microscope facility. This will enable the study of single molecules in the near-infrared and by Raman spectroscopy. Transient photoluminescence experiments (picosecond time scale) and fluorescence blinking phenomenon (millisecond to kilosecond) will be investigated. Experiments will be performed on PbSe quantum dots, single polymer chains, proteins in cytochrome c (cyt c), and single carbon nanotubes. This will provide insights on spectral blinking of single molecules and polymer chains, protein folding at the single molecule level, and the photophysics of single carbon nanotubes.

The microscope will allow the study of single molecules and nanoparticles under conditions where it is possible to disentangle effects that are ordinarily masked in investigations involving larger numbers of particles. This has the potential to provide important scientific insights that could impact areas in materials science, device fabrication, telecommunications and molecular biology. The instrument will be made available beyond the Chemistry Department with links from the department web pages that will advertise the capabilities of the facility and encourage outside users. The instrument will be available to graduate and undergraduate research students and the Raman set up will be used in undergraduate laboratory classes.

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