Development of a Plasmon Microscope

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Funds are provided to construct novel, light-based microscopes with a resolution which is not limited by the wavelength of light and which are sensitive to both the local dielectric constant and the local Raman spectrum. The instrument exploits the properties of plasmons (resonant oscillations of the electrons in a metal) to enhance the local electric field of a plane, line, or point-like metallic structure to a level far above that of the applied light field. The enhancement of the field heightens the radiated Raman intensity through the well-known surface- enhanced Raman scattering effect. An image is formed by scanning a probe; the probe is either: i) a point-like structure which results in surface plasmon radiated light or ii) a small dipole plasmon resonator (e.g. a silver sphere). The instrument has a wide range of applications for examining: 1) nanostructured materials, 2) patterns in integrated circuits, and 3) three dimensional imaging of the internal structure of a biological or other soft samples which are robust enough to survive "piercing" by a probe. In all cases, the contrast of the images will be controlled by the local dielectric constant and Raman spectrum. Thus, information on the location, structure and chemical nature of the materials can be identified and mapped. The development of this project will involve the participation of students and postdoctoral fellows. It is anticipated that the microscope eventually will be licensed to companies for marketinq and sales.