Applications of single-molecule microscopy to problems in dyed composite materials

Recent progress in single-molecule spectroscopy of dyed composite materials is reviewed. In particular, single-molecule studies of dyed polymer films and dye inclusion crystals are described that seek to understand local guest-host interactions and environmental heterogeneity. Single-molecule orientational studies of chromophores in polymer films and mixed crystals are discussed with particular relevance to materials and device applications. Studies of single-molecular reorientational dynamics in polymers in the presence of an electric field designed to establish alignment are described. Static orientational measurements in mixed crystals, wherein alignment is a consequence of crystal growth, reveal a surprisingly wide distribution of molecular orientations. Moreover, the complex photophysics of single molecule in anisomorphous mixed crystals are explored and described in the context of environmental heterogeneity and distributed kinetics. The emerging literature regarding dispersed kinetics observed for individual emitters (e.g. quantum dots, single molecules in polymers, etc.) is reviewed. Finally, the outlook of single-molecule spectroscopy in dye-doped materials is outlined.