Estimation of optical rotation of chiral molecules with weak measurements

Abstract

From its beginning, the measurement of optical rotation (OR) is crucial for the analysis of chiral molecules in many fields. However, the precision measurement of a weak OR signal with conventional setup remains elusive. In this Letter, we experimentally propose a precision method to determine the OR of glucose and fructose based on weak measurements. By using the spin Hall effect of light (SHEL) as a probe, a nonlinear weak measurements model is established that is applicable beyond the Aharonov–Albert–Vaidman (AAV) limit. Due to the high sensitivity of weak measurements amplification with respect to the OR, a tremendous variation of the amplified beam displacement of the SHEL is observed, while the concentration of glucose and fructose is slightly changed.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

Weak value amplified optical activity measurements

Marcel Pfeifer and Peer Fischer
Opt. Express 19(17) 16508-16517 (2011)

Mueller matrix approach for determination of optical rotation in chiral turbid media in backscattering geometry

S. Manhas, M. K. Swami, P. Buddhiwant, N. Ghosh, P. K. Gupta, and K. Singh
Opt. Express 14(1) 190-202 (2006)

Optical method for measuring optical rotation angle and refractive index of chiral solution

Jiun-You Lin, Kun-Huang Chen, and Jing-Heng Chen
Appl. Opt. 46(33) 8134-8139 (2007)

Experimental configurations using optical phase modulation to measure chiral asymmetries in light specularly reflected from a naturally gyrotropic medium

M. P. Silverman, N. Ritchie, G. M. Cushman, and B. Fisher
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 5(11) 1852-1862 (1988)

Measurement of Weak Absorption by Molecules*

O. Oldenberg, D. G. Bills, and N. P. Carleton
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 51(5) 526-530 (1961)