We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Conformational heterogeneity of molecules physisorbed on a gold surface at room temperature.
- Authors
Kang, Mingu; Kim, Hyunwoo; Oleiki, Elham; Koo, Yeonjeong; Lee, Hyeongwoo; Joo, Huitae; Choi, Jinseong; Eom, Taeyong; Lee, Geunsik; Suh, Yung Doug; Park, Kyoung-Duck
- 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 hyperspectral TERS imaging of single or a few brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) molecules at room temperature, along with quantitative spectral analyses. Robust chemical imaging is enabled by the freeze-frame approach using a thin Al2O3 capping layer, which suppresses spectral diffusions and inhibits chemical reactions and contamination in air. 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 studies. Tip-enhanced vibrational spectroscopy at room temperature is complicated by molecular conformational dynamics, photobleaching, contaminations, and chemical reactions in air. This study demonstrates that a sub-nm protective layer of Al2O3 provides robust conditions for probing single-molecule conformations.
- Subjects
SURFACE temperature; MOLECULAR dynamics; RAMAN spectroscopy; STRUCTURAL dynamics; HETEROGENEITY; SPECTRAL imaging; GOLD
- Publication
Nature Communications, 2022, Vol 13, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
2041-1723
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/s41467-022-31576-x