Terrylene in p-terphenyl: single-molecule experiments at room temperature

This paper reports on fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy of single te rrylene molecules embedded in p-terphenyl at room temperature. The basic ph otophysical parameters of this crystalline host/guest system such as photos tability, single-molecule emission rates and the properties of dispersed fl uorescence spectra are reported. The stability of the single-molecule signa ls allowed the direct observation of singlet-triplet quantum jumps at room temperature, by means of which the underlying intersystem crossing rates ca n be investigated. The results of earlier investigations at Liquid-helium t emperatures an reviewed briefly where appropriate. The properties of terryl ene in p-terphenyl are also compared to those of other host/guest systems a t room temperature. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.