title: Information theoretical approach to single-molecule experimental design and interpretation.
abstract: We use Shannon's definition of information to develop a theory to predict a photon-counting-based single-molecule experiment's ability to measure the desired property. We treat three phenomena that are commonly measured on single molecules: spectral fluctuations of a solvatochromic dye; assignment of the azimuthal dipole angle; determination of a distance by fluorescence resonant energy transfer using Förster's theory. We consider the effect of background and other "imperfections" on the measurement through the decrease in information.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and BIOMAPS Institute, 610 Taylor Road, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. talaga@rutgers.edu
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Talaga
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D003374:Coumarins / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D015394:Molecular Structure; D017785:Photons; D012107:Research Design; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
chemical_list: D003374:Coumarins; C488877:coumarin 153