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10 results (View BibTeX file of all listed publications)

2006

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Chiral molecules split light: Reflection and refraction in a chiral liquid

Ghosh, A., Fischer, P.

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 97(17), 2006, Featured highlight ‘Fundamental optical physics: Refraction’ Nature Photonics, Nov. 2006. (article)

Abstract
A light beam changes direction as it enters a liquid at an angle from another medium, such as air. Should the liquid contain molecules that lack mirror symmetry, then it has been predicted by Fresnel that the light beam will not only change direction, but will actually split into two separate beams with a small difference in the respective angles of refraction. Here we report the observation of this phenomenon. We also demonstrate that the angle of reflection does not equal the angle of incidence in a chiral medium. Unlike conventional optical rotation, which depends on the path-length through the sample, the reported reflection and refraction phenomena arise within a few wavelengths at the interface and thereby suggest a new approach to polarimetry that can be used in microfluidic volumes.

Featured highlight ‘Fundamental optical physics: Refraction’ Nature Photonics, Nov. 2006.

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DOI [BibTex]

2006

pf Ghosh, A., Fischer, P. Chiral molecules split light: Reflection and refraction in a chiral liquid PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 97(17), 2006, Featured highlight ‘Fundamental optical physics: Refraction’ Nature Photonics, Nov. 2006. (article)

DOI [BibTex]

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Direct chiral discrimination in NMR spectroscopy

Buckingham, A., Fischer, P.

CHEMICAL PHYSICS, 324(1):111-116, 2006 (article)

Abstract
Conventional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy is unable to distinguish between the two mirror-image forms (enantiomers) of a chiral molecule. This is because the NMR spectrum is determined by the chemical shifts and spin-spin coupling constants which - in the absence of a chiral solvent - are identical for the two enantiomers. We discuss how chirality may nevertheless be directly detected in liquid-state NMR spectroscopy: In a chiral molecule, the rotating nuclear magnetic moment induces an electric dipole moment in the direction perpendicular to itself and to the permanent magnetic field of the spectrometer. We present computations of the precessing electric polarization following a pi/2 pulse. Our estimates indicate that the electric polarization should be detectable in favourable cases. We also predict that application of an electrostatic field induces a chirally sensitive magnetization oscillating in the direction of the permanent magnetic field. We show that the electric-field-perturbed chemical shift tensor, the nuclear magnetic shielding polarizability, underlies these chiral NMR effects. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Buckingham, A., Fischer, P. Direct chiral discrimination in NMR spectroscopy CHEMICAL PHYSICS, 324(1):111-116, 2006 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

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Ring-resonator-based frequency-domain optical activity measurements of a chiral liquid

Vollmer, F., Fischer, P.

OPTICS LETTERS, 31(4):453-455, 2006 (article)

Abstract
Chiral liquids rotate the plane of polarization of linearly polarized light and are therefore optically active. Here we show that optical rotation can be observed in the frequency domain. A chiral liquid introduced in a fiber-loop ring resonator that supports left and right circularly polarized modes gives rise to relative frequency shifts that are a direct measure of the liquid's circular birefringence and hence of its optical activity. The effect is in principle not diminished if the circumference of the ring is reduced. The technique is similarly applicable to refractive index and linear birefringence measurements. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

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DOI [BibTex]

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Sign of the refractive index in a gain medium with negative permittivity and permeability

Chen, Y., Fischer, P., Wise, F.

JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS, 23(1):45-50, 2006 (article)

Abstract
We show how the sign of the refractive index in any medium may be derived using a rigorous analysis based on Einstein causality. In particular, we consider left-handed materials, i.e., media that have negative permittivities and permeabilities at the frequency of interest. We find that the consideration of gain in such media can give rise to a positive refractive index. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Chen, Y., Fischer, P., Wise, F. Sign of the refractive index in a gain medium with negative permittivity and permeability JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS, 23(1):45-50, 2006 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

2003

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New electro-optic effect: Sum-frequency generation from optically active liquids in the presence of a dc electric field

Fischer, P., Buckingham, A., Beckwitt, K., Wiersma, D., Wise, F.

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 91(17), 2003 (article)

Abstract
We report the observation of sum-frequency signals that depend linearly on an applied electrostatic field and that change sign with the handedness of an optically active solute. This recently predicted chiral electro-optic effect exists in the electric-dipole approximation. The static electric field gives rise to an electric-field-induced sum-frequency signal (an achiral third-order process) that interferes with the chirality-specific sum-frequency at second order. The cross-terms linear in the electrostatic field constitute the effect and may be used to determine the absolute sign of second- and third-order nonlinear-optical susceptibilities in isotropic media.

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DOI [BibTex]

2003

pf Fischer, P., Buckingham, A., Beckwitt, K., Wiersma, D., Wise, F. New electro-optic effect: Sum-frequency generation from optically active liquids in the presence of a dc electric field PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, 91(17), 2003 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

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Chiral and achiral contributions to sum-frequency generation from optically active solutions of binaphthol

Fischer, P., Wise, F., Albrecht, A.

JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, 107(40):8232-8238, 2003 (article)

Abstract
The nonlinear sum- and difference-frequency generation spectroscopies can be probes of molecular chirality in optically active systems. We present a tensorial analysis of the chirality-specific electric-dipolar sum-frequency-generation susceptibility and the achiral electric-quadrupolar and magnetic-dipolar nonlinearities at second order in isotropic media. The chiral and achiral contributions to the sum-frequency signal from the bulk of optically active solutions of 1,1'-bi-2-naphthol (2,2'-dehydroxy-1,1'-binaphthyl) can be distinguished, and the former dominates. Ab initio computations reveal the dramatic resonance enhancement that the isotropic component of the electric-dipolar three-wave mixing hyperpolarizability experiences. Away from resonance its magnitude rapidly decreases, as-unlike the vector component-it is zero in the static limit. The dispersion of the first hyperpolarizability is computed by a configuration interaction singles sum-over-states approach with explicit regard to the Franck-Condon active vibrational substructure for all resonant electronic states.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Fischer, P., Wise, F., Albrecht, A. Chiral and achiral contributions to sum-frequency generation from optically active solutions of binaphthol JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY A, 107(40):8232-8238, 2003 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

1998

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Surface second-order nonlinear optical activity

Fischer, P., Buckingham, A.

JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS, 15(12):2951-2957, 1998 (article)

Abstract
Following the recent observation of a large second-harmonic intensity difference from a monolayer of chiral molecules with left and right circularly polarized light, the scattering theory is generalized and extended to predict linear and circular intensity differences for the more Versatile sum-frequency spectroscopy. Estimates indicate that intensity differences should be detectable for a typical experimental arrangement. The second-order nonlinear surface susceptibility tensor is given for different surface point groups in the electric dipole approximation; it is shown that nonlinear optical activity phenomena unambiguously probe molecular chirality only for molecular monolayers that are symmetric about the normal. Other surface symmetries can give rise to intensity differences from monolayers composed of achiral molecules. A water surface is predicted to show Linear and nonlinear optical activity in the presence of an electric field parallel to the surface. (C) 1998 Optical Society of America {[}S0740-3224(98)01311-3] OCIS codes: 190.0190, 190.4350, 240.6490.

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DOI [BibTex]

1998

pf Fischer, P., Buckingham, A. Surface second-order nonlinear optical activity JOURNAL OF THE OPTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA B-OPTICAL PHYSICS, 15(12):2951-2957, 1998 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

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Linear electro-optic effect in optically active liquids

Buckingham, A., Fischer, P.

CHEMICAL PHYSICS LETTERS, 297(3-4):239-246, 1998 (article)

Abstract
A linear effect of an electrostatic field F on the intensity of sum- and difference-frequency generation in a chiral liquid is predicted. It arises in the electric dipole approximation. The effect changes sign with the enantiomer and on reversing the direction of the electrostatic field. The sum-frequency generator chi(alpha beta gamma)((2)) (-omega(3);omega(1),omega(2)), where omega(3) = omega(1) + omega(2), and the electric field-induced sum-frequency generator chi(alpha beta gamma delta)((3))(-omega(3);omega(1),omega(2),0)F-delta interfere and their contributions to the scattering power can be distinguished. Encouraging predictions are given for a typical experimental arrangement. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Buckingham, A., Fischer, P. Linear electro-optic effect in optically active liquids CHEMICAL PHYSICS LETTERS, 297(3-4):239-246, 1998 (article)

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Monolayers of hexadecyltrimethylammonium p-tosylate at the air-water interface. 1. Sum-frequency spectroscopy

Bell, G., Li, Z., Bain, C., Fischer, P., Duffy, D.

JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, 102(47):9461-9472, 1998 (article)

Abstract
Sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy has been used to determine the structure of monolayers of the cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium p-tosylate (C(16)TA(+)Ts(-)), at the surface of water. Selective deuteration of the cation or the anion allowed the separate detection of sum-frequency spectra of the surfactant and of counterions that are bound to the monolayer. The p-tosylate ions an oriented with their methyl groups pointing away from the aqueous subphase and with the C-2 axis tilted, on average, by 30-40 degrees from the surface normal. The vibrational spectra of C(16)TA(+) indicate that the number of gauche defects in the monolayer does not change dramatically when bromide counterions are replaced by p-tosylate. The ends of the hydrocarbon chains of C16TA+ are, however, tilted much further from the surface normal in the presence of p-tosylate than in the presence of bromide. A quantitative analysis of the sum-frequency spectra requires a knowledge of the molecular hyperpolarizability tensor: the role of ab initio calculations and Raman spectroscopy in determining the components of this tensor is discussed.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Bell, G., Li, Z., Bain, C., Fischer, P., Duffy, D. Monolayers of hexadecyltrimethylammonium p-tosylate at the air-water interface. 1. Sum-frequency spectroscopy JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY B, 102(47):9461-9472, 1998 (article)

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Ultraviolet resonance Raman study of drug binding in dihydrofolate reductase, gyrase, and catechol O-methyltransferase

Couling, V., Fischer, P., Klenerman, D., Huber, W.

BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 75(2):1097-1106, 1998 (article)

Abstract
This paper presents a study of the use of ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) spectroscopic methods as a means of elucidating aspects of drug-protein interactions. Some of the RR vibrational bands of the aromatic amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan are sensitive to the microenvironment, and the use of UV excitation radiation allows selective enhancement of the spectral features of the aromatic amino acids, enabling observation specifically of their change in microenvironment upon drug binding. The three drug-protein systems investigated in this study are dihydrofolate reductase with its inhibitor trimethoprim, gyrase with novobiocin, and catechol O-methyltransferase with dinitrocatechol. It is demonstrated that UVRR spectroscopy has adequate sensitivity to be a useful means of detecting drug-protein interactions in those systems for which the electronic absorption of the aromatic amino acids changes because of hydrogen bonding and/or possible dipole-dipole and dipole-polarizability interactions with the ligand.

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DOI [BibTex]

pf Couling, V., Fischer, P., Klenerman, D., Huber, W. Ultraviolet resonance Raman study of drug binding in dihydrofolate reductase, gyrase, and catechol O-methyltransferase BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 75(2):1097-1106, 1998 (article)

DOI [BibTex]