Structure and dynamics of fluorescently labeled complex fluids by Fourier imaging correlation spectroscopy

We present a method of Fourier imaging correlation spectroscopy (FICS) that performs phase-sensitive measurements of modulated optical signals from fluorescently labeled complex fluids. FICS experiments probe the time-dependent trajectory of a spatial Fourier component of the fluid particle density at a specified wave number k, and provide a direct route to the intermediate scattering function. The FICS approach overcomes signal sensitivity problems associated with dynamic light scattering, while offering a means to acquire time-dependent information about spatial distributions of fluorescent particles, superior in efficiency to direct imaging methods. We describe the instrumental setup necessary to perform FICS experiments, and outline the theory that establishes the connection between FICS observables and statistical mechanical quantities describing liquid state dynamics. Test measurements on monolayer suspensions of rhodamine labeled polystyrene spheres are detailed.