Tutorials in vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopy. II. Designing a broadband vibrational sum frequency generation spectrometer

Abstract

In this Tutorial series, we aim to provide an accessible introduction to vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy, targeted toward people entering the VSFG world without a rigorous formal background in optical physics or nonlinear spectroscopy. In this article, we describe in depth how a broadband VSFG spectrometer is designed and constructed, using the instrument in SurfLab, Aarhus University, as an illustrative case. Detailed information about specific instrumentation (together with reasons why things are the way they are) is given throughout. This information is often omitted in other descriptions of such instrumentation and so will be invaluable to people new to the field.

SynDLP is a dynamin-like protein of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 with eukaryotic features

“…All SFG experiments were performed according to established procedures 59 , 86 using SFGTools ( https://github.com/james-d-pickering/SFGTools ) and Matlab (version 2022a). Briefly, two laser beams (one visible and one tunable laser) overlap at the sample to generate light at their sum-frequency (ω VIS + ω IR = ω SFG ).…”

Theoretical Sum Frequency Generation Spectra of Protein Amide with Surface-Specific Velocity–Velocity Correlation Functions

“…The peptide was dissolved in D 2 O-based phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at a concentration of 0.125 mg/mL. The SFG experiments were conducted in a standard reflection geometry . The samples were placed in a stainless-steel trough with a quartz window at the bottom, and the water level was held constant during the experiment by a syringe pump (New Era Pump Systems Inc.) with a cannula submerged to the bottom of the trough.…”

“…The samples were placed in a stainless-steel trough with a quartz window at the bottom, and the water level was held constant during the experiment by a syringe pump (New Era Pump Systems Inc.) with a cannula submerged to the bottom of the trough. For excitation, a 35 fs laser system with pulses centered at 804 nm and a repetition rate of 1 kHz (Astrella, Coherent) was used to generate narrowband visible and broadband IR pulses that were temporally and spatially overlapped on the surface of the sample using a custom-made SFG setup described previously. , Briefly, IR pulses at ∼6 μm were produced by pumping an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) with a noncollinear difference frequency generation (NDFG) extension (TOPAS Prime, Light Conversion). The visible beam at 804 nm was generated by guiding 1 mJ of the fundamental through a Fabry–Perot etalon.…”

“…The SFG experiments were conducted in a standard reflection geometry. 41 The samples were placed in a stainless-steel trough with a quartz window at the bottom, and the water level was held constant during the experiment by a syringe pump (New Era Pump Systems Inc.) with a cannula submerged to the bottom of the trough. For excitation, a 35 fs laser system with pulses centered at 804 nm and a repetition rate of 1 kHz (Astrella, Coherent) was used to generate narrowband visible and broadband IR pulses that were temporally and spatially overlapped on the surface of the sample using a custom-made SFG setup described pre-viously.…”

Peptide Mimic of the Marine Sponge Protein Silicatein Fabricates Ultrathin Nanosheets of Silicon Dioxide and Titanium Dioxide

“…SFG experiments and the laser setup have been described elsewhere. 31 SFG was generated in reflection at an angle of 60°(IR) and 55°(VIS) with respect to the surface normal. All data were acquired at 22 °C in D 2 O as solvent.…”