Stimulated low-frequency Raman scattering in a suspension of tobacco mosaic virus

Abstract

The interaction of laser pulses with tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in Tris-HCl pH7.5 buffer and in water has been investigated. Ruby laser pulses of 20 ns duration have been used for excitation. The spectrum of the light passing through the sample was registered with the help of a Fabry–Perot interferometer. In the case of TMV in water we observed in the spectrum only one line of the exciting laser light, but for TMV in Tris-HCl pH7.5 buffer a second line appeared, corresponding to stimulated low-frequency Raman scattering (SLFRS) on the breathing radial mode of TMV. The frequency shift of the SLFRS by 2 cm−1 (60 GHz), the conversion efficiency and the threshold are measured for the first time to the best of our knowledge.