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Main Menu - Block
- Overview
- Anatomy and Histology
- Cryo-Electron Microscopy
- Electron Microscopy
- Flow Cytometry
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- Immortalized Cell Line Culture
- Integrative Imaging
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- Molecular Genomics
- Primary & iPS Cell Culture
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Note: Research in this publication was not performed at Janelia.
Abstract
Recent advances in developing sum frequency generation (SFG) as a novel spectroscopic probe for molecular chirality are reviewed. The basic principle underlying the technique is briefly described, in comparison with circular dichroism (CD). The significantly better sensitivity of the technique than CD is pointed out, and the reason is discussed. Bi-naphthol (BN) and amino acids are used as representatives for two different types of chiral molecules; the measured chirality in their electronic transitions can be understood by two different molecular models, respectively, that are extensions of models developed earlier for CD. Optically active or chiral SFG from vibrational transitions are weaker, but with the help of electronic-vibrational double resonance, the vibrational spectrum of a monolayer of BN has been obtained. Generally, optically active SFG is sufficiently sensitive to be employed to probe in-situ chirality of chiral monolayers and thin films.