Photothermal Microscopy and
Spectroscopy Webinar

Optical microresonators allow the enhancement of light–matter interactions by confining light to micro- and nanoscale geometries. I will describe how we can use optical microresonators as platforms for performing single-molecule photothermal spectroscopy, including the resolution of attometer shifts of resonance wavelength. We will then apply this spectrometer to a variety of target systems. First, we will examine the conductive polymer, PEDOT:PSS, to understand how the properties of the film derive from the properties of the individual polymer molecules. In particular, we will show how our single-particle spectroscopy allows us to reveal long-range ordering that serves to enhance conduction and the mechanism of solvent annealing. In the second story, I will describe how interfacing plasmonic materials with optical microresonators allows access to even greater enhancements by taking advantage of the small mode volumes of the plasmonic resonators. Finally, I will describe how microresonators can be used to study solution-phase chemical reaction dynamics by using a microbubble resontor, allowing us to watch the plasmon-assisted etching of a single nanorod.