title: Optical signal comparison of single fluorescent molecules and Raman active gold nanostars.
abstract: The relevant photophysical properties of single fluorescent molecules and single SERS active surface-coated gold nanostars tagged with the Raman reporter molecule 4-mercaptopyridine are compared for imaging purposes. Mean count rate distributions are built from the single molecule/single probe level. The individually observed variance and count rates of both systems are compared as well as the behavior over multiple image acquisitions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA.
authors.forename: Edward S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Allgeyer
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pongan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Browne
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mason