Berlin 2014 – scientific programme
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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik
MO 7: Experimental Techniques 1
MO 7.3: Talk
Tuesday, March 18, 2014, 11:00–11:15, BEBEL SR144
Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering Spectroscopy for the Chemical Analysis of Solutions from Miller-Urey Experiments — •Stefan Gomes da Costa1, Sabrina Scherer2, Albrecht Ott2, and Andreas Volkmer1 — 13. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart — 2Biologische Experimentalphysik, Universität des Saarlandes, Saarbrücken
Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectroscopy has been demonstrated as a highly sensitive and chemically specific technique that enables the extraction of molecular components based on their intrinsic vibrational properties. Compared to spontaneous Raman or infrared spectroscopies, CARS offers higher detection sensitivity and is free of intrinsic background fluorescence. By exploiting these beneficial characteristics of CARS, here we demonstrate the chemical analysis of solutions from Miller-Urey (MU) experiments, where low concentrations of unknown chemical constituents in the presence of strong auto-fluorescence background are to be analysed. Using a single-laser, broadband CARS excitation source, we demonstrate simultaneous acquisition of Raman signatures over a spectral range of more than 4000 cm-1. Chemical species in the so-called fingerprint, the silent, and the CH-stretch regions were observed and classified. Furthermore, multi-photon induced fluorescence and UV absorption spectroscopies have been performed, and their results have been correlated with those of CARS spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate the high potential of CARS spectroscopy for the analysis of complex organic mixtures like MU primordial soups in the quest of the origin of life.