title: Placing individual molecules in the center of nanoapertures.
abstract: While nanophotonic devices are unfolding their potential for single-molecule fluorescence studies, metallic quenching and steric hindrance, occurring within these structures, raise the desire for site-specific immobilization of the molecule of interest. Here, we refine the single-molecule cut-and-paste technique by optical superresolution routines to immobilize single fluorescent molecules in the center of nanoapertures. By comparing their fluorescence lifetime and intensity to stochastically immobilized fluorophores, we characterize the electrodynamic environment in these nanoapertures and proof the nanometer precision of our loading method.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanoscience and Department of Physics, University of Munich , Amalienstrasse 54, 80799 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Stephan F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Heucke
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baumann
authors.forename: Guillermo P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Acuna
authors.forename: Philip M D
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Severin
authors.forename: Stefan W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Strackharn
authors.forename: Ingo H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Altpeter
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tinnefeld
authors.forename: Hermann E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gaub