Direct imaging of single-molecule electronic states in chemical reactions

Abstract

Current single-molecule imaging techniques are incapable of providing stochastic information of individual chemical reactions. We have developed an optical imaging method for stochastic analysis of individual electrochemical reactions. The method bypasses diffraction limits and allows for the direct imaging of the electronic states of single molecules in electrochemical reactions. It involves using surface plasmon resonance and electrode potential modulation to reduce electron density background on macroelectrode surfaces, thus making it possible to measure individual redox reactions, identify different redox states of single molecules, and analyze reaction probability fluctuations under different conditions. The technique enables the acquisition of electron transfer and stochastic information in chemical processes, providing unique insights into single-molecule reactions with broad applications in biology, materials, computational science, and other scientific communities.