Geochemical Insight from Nonlinear Optical Studies of Mineral-Water Interfaces

The physics and chemistry of mineral-water interfaces are complex, even in idealized systems. Our need to understand this complexity is driven by both pure and applied sciences, that is, by the need for basic understanding of earth systems and for the knowledge to mitigate our influences upon them. The second-order nonlinear optical techniques of second-harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation spectroscopy have proven adept at probing these types of interfaces. This review focuses on the contributions to geochemistry made by nonlinear optical methods. The types of questions probed have included a basic description of the structure adopted by water molecules at the mineral interface, how flow and porosity affect this structure, adsorption of trace metal and organic species, and dissolution mechanisms. We also discuss directions and challenges that lie ahead and the outlook for the continued use of nonlinear optical methods for studies of mineral-water boundaries.

Noninvasive Experimental Evidence of the Linear Pore Size Dependence of Water Diffusion in Nanoconfinement

We show that nuclear magnetic relaxation experiments at variable magnetic fields (NMRD) provide noninvasive means for probing the spatial dependence of liquid diffusion close to solid interfaces. These experiments performed on samples of cylindrical and spherical nanopore geometries demonstrate that the average diffusion coefficient parallel to the interface is proportional to the pore radii in different dynamics regimes. A master curve method allows extraction of gradients of diffusion coefficients in proximity of the pore surfaces, indicative of the efficiency of coupling between liquid layers. Due to their selectivity in frequency, NMRD experiments are able to differentiate the different water dynamical events induced by heterogeneous surfaces or composed dynamical processes. This analysis relevant in physical and biological confinements highlights the interplay between the molecular and continuous description of fluid dynamics near interfaces.

Interfacial Surfactant Ordering in Thin Films of SDS-Encapsulated Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The molecular self-assembly of surfactants on the surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) is currently a common strategy for the tuning of nanotube properties and the stabilization of carbon nanotube dispersions. Here, we report direct measurements of the degree of interfacial ordering for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactants adsorbed on colloidal, single-chirality enriched, SWCNTs within a solid film and investigate the dependence of surface alkyl chain order on the surfactant concentration in the precursor solution. The degree of order for the SWCNT-bound SDS molecules, is probed by vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. We find concrete evidence for the presence of highly ordered surface structures at sufficiently high SDS concentrations, attributed here to cylindrical-like micelle assemblies with the SWCNT at the core. As the SDS concentration decreases, the interfacial order is found to decrease as well, generating a more disordered or random adsorption of surfactants on the nanotube surfaces.

Surface-Enhanced Spectroscopy for Higher-Order Light Scattering: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study of Second Hyper-Raman Scattering

Motivated to explore the ultimate limits of surface-enhanced nonlinear spectroscopies, we report on the first observation of molecular second hyper-Raman scattering with the aid of surface enhancement and provide a new theoretical framework for first-principles calculations of the second hyper-Raman effect. Second hyper-Raman enhancement factors, determined to be a minimum of 10(5) times stronger than those in Raman scattering, demonstrate a clear trend toward larger enhancements for nonlinear phenomena, and the nearly quantitative agreement between simulation and experiment provides a unique spectroscopic window into higher-order molecular responses.

Hyper-Rayleigh scattering in centrosymmetric systems

Hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) is an incoherent mechanism for optical second harmonic generation. The frequency-doubled light that emerges from this mechanism is not emitted in a laser-like manner, in the forward direction; it is scattered in all directions. The underlying theory for this effect involves terms that are quadratic in the incident field and involves an even-order optical susceptibility (for a molecule, its associated hyperpolarizability). In consequence, HRS is often regarded as formally forbidden in centrosymmetric media. However, for the fundamental three-photon interaction, theory based on the standard electric dipole approximation, representable as E1(3), does not account for all experimental observations. The relevant results emerge upon extending the theory to include E1(2)M1 and E1(2)E2 contributions, incorporating one magnetic dipolar or electric quadrupolar interaction, respectively, to a consistent level of multipolar expansion. Both additional interactions require the deployment of higher orders in the multipole expansion, with the E1(2)E2 interaction analogous in rank and parity to a four-wave susceptibility. To elicit the correct form of response from fluid or disordered media invites a tensor representation which does not oversimplify the molecular components, yet which can produce results to facilitate the interpretation of experimental observations. The detailed derivation in this work leads to results which are summarized for the following: perpendicular detection of polarization components both parallel and perpendicular to the pump radiation, leading to distinct polarization ratio results, as well as a reversal ratio for forward scattered circular polarizations. The results provide a route to handling data with direct physical interpretation, to enable the more sophisticated design of molecules with sought nonlinear optical properties.

Monitoring the Photocleaving Dynamics of Colloidal MicroRNA-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles Using Second Harmonic Generation

Photoactivated drug delivery systems using gold nanoparticles provide the promise of spatiotemporal control of delivery that is crucial for applications ranging from regenerative medicine to cancer therapy. In this study, we use second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy to monitor the light-activated controlled release of oligonucleotides from the surface of colloidal gold nanoparticles. MicroRNA is functionalized to spherical gold nanoparticles using a nitrobenzyl linker that undergoes photocleaving upon ultraviolet irradiation. The SHG signal generated from the colloidal nanoparticle sample is shown to be a sensitive probe for monitoring the photocleaving dynamics in real time. The photocleaving irradiation wavelength is scanned to show maximum efficiency on resonance at 365 nm, and the kinetics are investigated at varying irradiation powers to demonstrate that the nitrobenzyl photocleaving is a one-photon process. Additional characterization methods including electrophoretic mobility measurements, extinction spectroscopy, and fluorimetry are used to verify the SHG results, leading to a better understanding of the photocleaving dynamics for this model oligonucleotide therapeutic delivery system.

Three Dimensional Nano "Langmuir Trough" for Lipid Studies

A three-dimensional-phospholipid monolayer with tunable molecular structure was created on the surface of oil nanodroplets from a mixture of phospholipids, oil, and water. This simple nanoemulsion preparation technique generates an in situ prepared membrane model system with controllable molecular surface properties that resembles a lipid droplet. The molecular interfacial structure of such a nanoscopic system composed of hexadecane, 1,2-dihexadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and water was determined using vibrational sum frequency scattering and second harmonic scattering techniques. The droplet surface structure of DPPC can be tuned from a tightly packed liquid condensed phase like monolayer to a more dilute one that resembles the liquid condensed/liquid expanded coexistence phase by varying the DPPC/oil/water ratio. The tunability of the chemical structure, the high surface-to-volume ratio, and the small sample volume make this system an ideal model membrane for biochemical research.

M, Wu Y, Spahr C, Gonella G, Xu B, Dai HL. Gram's Stain Does Not Cross the Bacterial Cytoplasmic Membrane

For well over a century, Hans Christian Gram's famous staining protocol has been the standard go-to diagnostic for characterizing unknown bacteria. Despite continuous and ubiquitous use, we now demonstrate that the current understanding of the molecular mechanism for this differential stain is largely incorrect. Using the fully complementary time-resolved methods: second-harmonic light-scattering and bright-field transmission microscopy, we present a real-time and membrane specific quantitative characterization of the bacterial uptake of crystal-violet (CV), the dye used in Gram's protocol. Our observations contradict the currently accepted mechanism which depicts that, for both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, CV readily traverses the peptidoglycan mesh (PM) and cytoplasmic membrane (CM) before equilibrating within the cytosol. We find that not only is CV unable to traverse the CM but, on the time-scale of the Gram-stain procedure, CV is kinetically trapped within the PM. Our results indicate that CV, rather than dyes which rapidly traverse the PM, is uniquely suited as the Gram stain.

Surface vibrational structure of colloidal silica and its direct correlation with surface charge density

We show that attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy can be used to determine the surface charge density (SCD) of colloidal silica nanoparticles (NPs) in aqueous solution. We identify the Si-O stretch vibrations of neutral surface bound silanol, ≡Si-OH, and of the deprotonated group, ≡Si-O(-). The position of the Si-(OH) stretch vibration is shown to directly correlate with the NPs SCD as determined by traditional potentiometric titrations, shifting to lower wavenumber (cm(-1)) with increasing density of ≡Si-O(-). The origin of this shift is discussed in terms of inductive effects that reduce the ionic character of the Si-(OH) bond after delocalization of the negative charge left on a terminal ≡Si-O(-) group across the atoms within ∼1 nm of the charged site. Using this new methodology, we quantitatively determine the SCD of 9, 14, and 25 nm diameter colloidal silica in varying concentrations of NaCl electrolyte at different bulk pH. This novel spectroscopic approach to investigate SCDs provides several opportunities for in situ coupling, for example, in microfluidic channels or with liquid microjets, and requires only very little sample—all potential advantages over a traditional potentiometric titration.

Probing the relative orientation of molecules bound to DNA by second-harmonic generation

We develop a model to probe the relative orientation of two second-order polarizable daunomycin molecules that are intercalated into a DNA duplex using optical second-harmonic (SH) generation. The SH field generated by the daunomycin molecules interfere with each other. Because the interference depends on the relative orientation of the daunomycin molecules, we can control the interference by changing the number of base pairs separating them. The relative orientation changes as the number of base pairs separating them, multiplied by 36°, which is the twist angle between neighboring base pairs. In this paper, we derive a set of relationships between the relative angle of the molecules and the nonlinear susceptibility elements, and we calculate the SH field generated by the DNA/molecular-pair complex attached to an isotropic dielectric sphere. Calculations reveal that the SH intensity varies periodically with the relative orientation of the two chromophores in the plane perpendicular to the helical axis. The predicted periodicity is in close agreement with experimental results. Structural changes induced by foreign molecules binding to DNA will change the relative orientation of the two chromophores and thereby change the SH interference pattern. We discuss the potential of this SH interference method in providing a new way to probe structural changes induced by the formation of biomolecule complexes. An important feature of the method is that it is label-free, that is, the binding molecule, in this case, daunomycin, is not tagged.

Vibrational sum-frequency scattering for detailed studies of collagen fibers in aqueous environments

Protein fibers play a crucial role in many disease related phenomena and biological systems. A structural analysis of fibrous proteins often requires labeling approaches or disruptive sample preparation while it lacks chemical specificity. Here we demonstrate that the technique of vibrational sum-frequency scattering (SFS) provides a label-free pathway for the chemical and structural analysis of protein fibers in solution. By examining collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, we demonstrate that the SFS signal of fibers can be detected in the NH, CH stretching and bending, and amide I regions. SFS spectra were found to depend on the scattering angle, which implies the possibility to selectively probe various features of the fibers. The fitting of the data and maximum entropy method analysis revealed a different phase for side-chains and carbonyl contributions, which helps to identify these otherwise overlapping spectral peaks and provides the possibility to perform orientational analysis. Our findings suggest that SFS allows for the greater understanding of protein fibers in solution, which is important when, for example, designing scaffolds in tissue engineering or developing cures for diseases associated with protein fibers.

Second harmonic light scattering from the surface of colloidal objects: theory and applications

Because properties of colloids containing micro- and nano-particles are much influenced by the structure of, and interactions occurring at, the particle surface, it is important to be able to characterize the particle surface in situ and nondestructively. Nonlinear light scattering from colloidal particles has been developed into a powerful and versatile technique for characterizing particle surfaces since the first demonstration of the detection of second harmonic generation from molecules adsorbed on micrometer-sized colloidal particles by Eisenthal and co-workers (Wang, H.; Yan, E. C. Y.; Borguet, E.; Eisenthal, K. B. Second Harmonic Generation from the Surface of Centrosymmetric Particles in Bulk Solution. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1996, 259, 15-20). At present, second harmonic light scattering from the particle surface can be quantitatively described by theoretical models and used to measure the adsorption kinetics, molecular structure, and reaction rates at the surfaces of a variety of micrometer- to nanometer-sized particles, including biological cells.

Characterization of the nonlinear optical properties of nanocrystals by Hyper Rayleigh Scattering

BACKGROUND

Harmonic Nanoparticles are a new family of exogenous markers for multiphoton imaging exerting optical contrast by second harmonic (SH) generation. In this tutorial, we present the application of Hyper-Rayleigh Scattering (HRS) for a quantitative assessment of the nonlinear optical properties of these particles and discuss the underlying theory and some crucial experimental aspects.

METHODS

The second harmonic properties of BaTiO3, KNbO3, KiTiOPO4 (KTP), LiNbO3 and ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) are investigated by HRS measurements after careful preparation and characterization of colloidal suspensions.

RESULTS

A detailed analysis of the experimental results is presented with emphasis on the theoretical background and on the influence of some experimental parameters including the accurate determination of the nanocrystal size and concentration. The SH generation efficiency and averaged nonlinear optical coefficients are then derived and compared for six different types of NCs.

CONCLUSIONS

After preparation of colloidal NC suspensions and careful examination of their size, concentration and possible aggregation state, HRS appears as a valuable tool to quantitatively assess the SH efficiency of noncentrosymmetric NCs. All the investigated nanomaterials show high SH conversion efficiencies, demonstrating a good potential for bio-labelling applications.

Plasmonic enhancement of second harmonic generation on metal coated nanoparticles

Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) is a widely used tool to study surfaces. Here we investigate SHG from spherical nanoparticles consisting of a dielectric core (radius 100 nm) and a metallic shell of variable thickness. Plasmonic resonances occur that depend on the thickness of the nanoshells and boost the intensity of the Second Harmonic (SH) signal. The origin of the resonances is studied for the fundamental harmonic and the second harmonic frequencies. Mie resonances at the fundamental harmonic frequency dominate resonant effects of the SH-signal at low shell thickness. Resonances excited by a dipole emitting at SH frequency close to the surface explain the enhancement of the SHG-process at a larger shell thickness. All resonances are caused by surface plasmon polaritons, which run on the surface of the spherical particle and are in resonance with the circumference of the sphere. Because their wavelength critically depends on the properties of the metallic layer SHG resonances of core-shell nanoparticles can be easily tuned by varying the thickness of the shell.

Deep ultraviolet plasmon resonance in aluminum nanoparticle arrays

Small aluminum nanoparticles have the potential to exhibit localized surface plasmon resonances in the deep ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, however technical and scientific challenges make it difficult to attain this limit. We report the fabrication of arrays of Al/Al2O3 core/shell nanoparticles with a metallic-core diameter between 12 and 25 nm that display sharp plasmonic resonances at very high energies, up to 5.8 eV (down to λ = 215 nm). The arrays were fabricated by means of a straightforward self-organization approach. The experimental spectra were compared with theoretical calculations that allow the correlation of each feature to the corresponding plasmon modes.

Second-harmonic generation of single BaTiO3 nanoparticles down to 22 nm diameter

We investigate the second-harmonic generation (SHG) signal from single BaTiO3 nanoparticles of diameters varying from 70 nm down to 22 nm with a far-field optical microscope coupled to an infrared femtosecond laser. An atomic force microscope is first used to localize the individual particles and to accurately determine their sizes. Power and polarization-dependent measurements on the individual nanoparticles reveal a diameter range between 30 and 20 nm, where deviations from bulk nonlinear optical properties occur. For 22 nm diameter particles, the tetragonal crystal structure is not applicable anymore and competing effects due to the surface to volume ratio or crystallographic modifications are taking place. The demonstration of SHG from such small nanoparticles opens up the possibilities of using them as bright coherent biomarkers. Moreover, our work shows that measuring the SHG of individual nanoparticles reveals critical material properties, opening up new possibilities to investigate ferroelectricity at the nanoscale.

Augmenting second harmonic generation using Fano resonances in plasmonic systems

Significant augmentation of second harmonic generation using Fano resonances in plasmonic heptamers made of silver is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated. The geometry is engineered to simultaneously produce a Fano resonance at the fundamental wavelength, resulting in a strong localization of the fundamental field close to the system, and a higher order scattering peak at the second harmonic wavelength. These results illustrate the versatility of Fano resonant structures to engineer specific optical responses both in the linear and nonlinear regimes thus paving the way for future investigations on the role of dark modes in nonlinear and quantum optics.

Label-free second harmonic and hyper Rayleigh scattering with high efficiency

We present a method to perform hyper Rayleigh scattering from aqueous solutions and second harmonic scattering measurements from unlabeled interfaces of liposomes and nanoparticles in dilute solutions. The water and interfacial response can be measured on a millisecond timescale, thus opening up the possibility to measure label-free time dependent transport processes in biological (membrane) systems.

Spatiotemporal focusing in opaque scattering media by wave front shaping with nonlinear feedback

We experimentally demonstrate spatiotemporal focusing of light on single nanocrystals embedded inside a strongly scattering medium. Our approach is based on spatial wave front shaping of short pulses, using second harmonic generation inside the target nanocrystals as the feedback signal. We successfully develop a model both for the achieved pulse duration as well as the observed enhancement of the feedback signal. The approach enables exciting opportunities for studies of light propagation in the presence of strong scattering as well as for applications in imaging, micro- and nanomanipulation, coherent control and spectroscopy in complex media.

Biomolecular imaging with coherent nonlinear vibrational microscopy

Optical imaging with spectroscopic vibrational contrast is a label-free solution for visualizing, identifying, and quantifying a wide range of biomolecular compounds in biological materials. Both linear and nonlinear vibrational microscopy techniques derive their imaging contrast from infrared active or Raman allowed molecular transitions, which provide a rich palette for interrogating chemical and structural details of the sample. Yet nonlinear optical methods, which include both second-order sum-frequency generation (SFG) and third-order coherent Raman scattering (CRS) techniques, offer several improved imaging capabilities over their linear precursors. Nonlinear vibrational microscopy features unprecedented vibrational imaging speeds, provides strategies for higher spatial resolution, and gives access to additional molecular parameters. These advances have turned vibrational microscopy into a premier tool for chemically dissecting live cells and tissues. This review discusses the molecular contrast of SFG and CRS microscopy and highlights several of the advanced imaging capabilities that have impacted biological and biomedical research.

Surface impurities are not responsible for the charge on the oil/water interface: a comment

The origin of the charge on oil/water interfaces that can be found from electrokinetic mobility measurements is a long-standing issue that has invoked different explanations. Sum frequency scattering (SFS) shows that impurities are likely not a general cause for the charge.

Multiresonant broadband optical antennas as efficient tunable nanosources of second harmonic light

We report the experimental realization of efficient tunable nanosources of second harmonic light with individual multiresonant log-periodic optical antennas. By designing the nanoantenna with a bandwidth of several octaves, simultaneous enhancement of fundamental and harmonic fields is observed over a broad range of frequencies, leading to a high second harmonic conversion efficiency, together with an effective second order susceptibility within the range of values provided by widespread inorganic crystals. Moreover, the geometrical configuration of the nanoantenna makes the generated second harmonic signal independent from the polarization of the fundamental excitation. These results open new possibilities for the development of efficient integrated nonlinear nanodevices with high frequency tunability.

Enhanced second-harmonic generation from double resonant plasmonic antennae

We present a novel plasmonic antenna geometry - the double resonant antenna (DRA) - that is optimized for second-harmonic generation (SHG). This antenna is based on two gaps coupled to each other so that a resonance at the fundamental and at the doubled frequency is obtained. Furthermore, the proximity of the localized hot spots allows for a coupling and spatial overlap between the two field enhancements at both frequencies. Using such a structure, both the generation of the second-harmonic and its re-emission into the far-field are significantly increased when compared with a standard plasmonic dipole antenna. Such DRA are fabricated in aluminium using electron beam lithography and their linear and nonlinear responses are studied experimentally and theoretically.