Supercontinuum spatial modulation spectroscopy: Detection and noise limitations
Supercontinuum spatial modulation spectroscopy is a facile tool for conducting single molecule/particle extinction spectroscopy throughout the visible and near infrared (420–1100 nm). The technique's capabilities are benchmarked using individual Au nanoparticles (NPs) as a standard since they are well studied and display a prominent plasmon resonance in the visible. Extinction spectra of individual Au NPs with diameters (d) ranging from d ∼ 8 to 40 nm are resolved with extinction cross sections (σ{sub ext}) of σ{sub ext} ∼1 × 10{sup −13}–1 ×10{sup −11} cm{sup 2}. Corresponding signal-to-noise ratios range from ∼30 to ∼1400. The technique's limit of detection is determined to be 4.3 × 10{sup −14} cm{sup 2} (4.3 nm{sup 2}). To showcase supercontinuum spatial modulation spectroscopy's broader applicability, extinction spectra are acquired for other model systems, such as individual single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and CdSe nanowires. We show for the first time extinction spectra of individual (8,3) and (6,5) SWCNTs. For both chiralities, their E{sub 11} [(8,3) 1.30 eV (952 nm); (6,5) 1.26 eV (986 nm)] and E{sub 22} [(8,3) 1.86 eV (667 nm); (6,5) 2.19 eV (567 nm)] excitonic resonances are seen with corresponding cross sections of σ{sub ext} ∼ 10{sup −13} cm{sup 2} μm{sup −1}.