Optical detection of heterogeneous single molecule diffusion in thin liquid crystal films

• DOI: 10.1039/c004042h
• Publication Date: 2010-08-02T10:30:13Z
• Authors: B. Schulz; D. Täuber; F. Friedriszik; H. Graaf; J. Schuster; C. von Borczyskowski
• Keywords: Micrometer; Molecular diffusion

Lateral diffusion of three different dye molecules (terrylene and two perylene diimides) in 4 to 225 nm thin films 8CB liquid crystals the smectic-A phase has been investigated on a single molecule level. The influence film thickness tracer can be qualitatively modeled by hydrodynamic approach. Molecular tracking experiments as well fluorescence correlation (FCS) studies reveal presence dynamics which span range at least more than one order magnitude time, is much larger reported anisotropic self-diffusion observed for bulk samples. We tentatively assign heterogeneity formation limiting domains micrometer scale within or interfaces.