The single-molecule dye laser

This work explores the feasibility of inducing lasing action in a single dye molecule using an optical microcavity. A single-molecule light source is proposed, in which a microcavity-coupled dye molecule is pumped by multiple energy donors via an intermolecular resonance energy transfer mechanism. A quantitative model based on realistic parameters for microcavities and for organic dyes shows that stimulated emission may become dominant over spontaneous fluorescence under optimal yet technically reachable conditions, suggesting the likelihood of achieving a single-molecule lasing photon source with the proposed device. Lasing of a single dye molecule generates signals much brighter than spontaneous fluorescence, and may find applications in a wide range of fields from physics and chemistry to biology.