Influence of Spectral Diffusion on Single-Molecule Photon Statistics

Abstract

We investigate the distribution of the number of photons emitted by a single molecule undergoing a spectral diffusion process and interacting with a continuous wave field. Using a generating function formalism an exact analytical formula for Mandel's Q parameter is obtained. The solution, which is valid for weak and strong excitation fields, exhibits transitions between (i) quantum sub-Poissonian and classical super-Poissonian behaviors, and (ii) fast to slow modulation limits.