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Thomas Basché

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas Basché.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Flexibility of phenylene oligomers revealed by single molecule spectroscopy.

The rigidity of a p-phenylene oligomer (p-terphenyl) has been investigated by single molecule confocal fluorescence microscopy. Two different rylene diimide dyes attached to the terminal positions of the oligomer allowed for wavelength selective excitation of the two chromophores. In combination with polarization modulation the spatial orientation of the transition dipoles of both end groups could be determined independently. We have analyzed 597 single molecules in two different polymer hosts, polymethylmethacrylate and Zeonex. On average we find a 22 degrees deviation from the linear gas phase geometry (T = 0 K), indicating a rather high flexibility of the p-phenylene oligomer independent of the matrix. To substantiate our experimental results, we have performed quantum chemical calculations at the density functional theory level for the molecular geometry and the electronic excitations. Our findings are in agreement with former experiments on the persistence length of poly(p-phenylenes).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Detection of single oxygen molecules with fluorescence-labeled hemocyanins.

This study introduces a method to detect individual oxygen molecules by fluorescence microscopy of single hemocyanins. These respiratory proteins from a tarantula bind oxygen with high affinity. A spectrometric signature of the oxygenated protein is transferred to an attached fluorescence label, which can be detected at the single-molecule level. This technique opens new perspectives for the development of small and sensitive oxygen sensors as well as for the investigation of cooperative oxygen binding in respiratory proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Synthesis and characterization of highly luminescent CdSe-core CdS/Zn0.5Cd0.5S/ZnS multishell nanocrystals.

We report on the preparation and structural characterization of CdSe nanocrystals, which are covered by a multishell structure from CdS and ZnS. By using the newly developed successive ion layer adhesion and reaction (SILAR) technique, we could gradually change the shell composition from CdS to ZnS in the radial direction. Because of the stepwise adjustment of the lattice parameters in the radial direction, the resulting nanocrystals show a high crystallinity and are almost perfectly spherical, as was investigated by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Also, due to the radial increase of the respective valence- and conduction-band offsets, the nanocrystals are well electronically passivated. This leads to a high fluorescence quantum yield of 70-85% for the amine terminated multishell particles in organic solvents and a quantum yield of up to 50% for mercapto propionic acid-covered particles in water. Finally, we present experimental results that substantiate the superior photochemical and colloidal stability of the multishell particles.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Fluorescence labels as sensors for oxygen binding of arthropod hemocyanins.

The molecular basis of high cooperativity in multi-subunit proteins is still unknown in most cases. Oxygen binding by multi-subunit hemocyanins produces two intrinsic spectroscopic signals which are, however, either limited to the UV or are very weak. Here we demonstrate that fluorescence labels emitting in the visible can be used as sensors for cooperative oxygen binding of hemocyanins. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer to the oxygenated active sites quenches the emission of the labels by roughly 50% upon oxygenation of the protein. The labels give strong and photo-stable emission, allowing imaging of single hemocyanin molecules. Therefore, this study opens up a new perspective for investigating the molecular basis of cooperative oxygen binding at the single-molecule level. In addition, another novel application is provided by these labels, i.e., the investigation of the influence of effectors by recording simultaneously the binding of oxygen in the visible and of effectors in the UV.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Energy transfer rates and pathways of single donor chromophores in a multichromophoric dendrimer built around a central acceptor core.

An artificial light-harvesting dendrimer showing highly efficient electronic excitation energy transfer from four peripheral donors to one central acceptor has been investigated by single-molecule spectroscopy at low temperatures. Confocal imaging in combination with frequency selective excitation spectroscopy gives direct access to energy transfer rates of individual donors and allows the determination of energy transfer pathways within a single multichromophoric aggregate.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Coherent electronic coupling versus localization in individual molecular dimers.

We have investigated electronic excitation transfer in individual molecular dimers by time and spectrally resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy. The single molecule measurements allow for directly probing the distribution of the electronic coupling strengths due to static disorder in the polymer host. We find dimers where the excitation is delocalized (superradiant emission) while for others emission originates from a localized state. Transitions between delocalized and localized states as observed for a given dimer are attributed to structural fluctuations of the guest-host system.

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PubMed2004

Toward oxygen binding curves of single respiratory proteins.

Oxygen binding curves of single molecules promise to discriminate between different models describing cooperativity because load distributions are accessible. Individual tarantula hemocyanins could be detected by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy using intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence as sensor of bound oxygen. However, imaging of immobilized proteins was not possible due to fast photo-bleaching. It is shown that tetra-methyl-carboxy-rhodamine (TAMRA), commonly used as a fluorescence label in single-molecule spectroscopy, can also be applied to monitor bound oxygen. The dye's fluorescence is quenched due to Förster energy transfer to the oxygenated active sites of hemocyanin.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Photon antibunching and collective effects in the fluorescence of single bichromophoric molecules.

The fluorescence of individual pairs of perylenemonoimide chromophores coupled via a short rigid linker is investigated. Photon antibunching is reported, indicating collective effects in the fluorescence, which are further substantiated by the observation of collective triplet off times and triplet lifetime shortening. The experimental findings are analyzed in terms of singlet-singlet and singlet-triplet annihilation based on Förster type energy transfer. The results reported here demonstrate that the statistical properties of the emission light of isolated single quantum systems can serve as a hallmark of intermolecular interactions.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Semiconductor nanocrystals with multifunctional polymer ligands.

In this letter, we describe the preparation of a versatile polymer ligand, which can be attached to CdSe/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals via a phase transfer reaction. The ligand is based on a chain of reactive esters, which can, in principle, be substituted by any compound containing amino-functionalities. The polymer/nanocrystal complexes are characterized in terms of structure and photostability.

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