SBIR Phase I: Atomic Force Microscope Active Optical Probe for Single Molecular Imaging and Optical Spectroscopy

SBIR 第一阶段：用于单分子成像和光谱学的原子力显微镜主动光学探针

• 批准号: 1416552
• 负责人: Alexander Ukhanov
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: ACTOPROBE LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2015-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1416552&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Atomic; Force; Microscope

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is focused on proving the feasibility of atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes that enable nanoscale optical spectroscopy simultaneously with AFM imaging. The resulting product - an AFM Active Optical Probe (AAOP) - represents a cost-effective blend of two technologies: AFM probes and diode lasers. Current near-field scanning optical microscopes (NSOMs) and hybrid AFMs with specialized far-field optical microscopes have limited usefulness because of high cost and difficulty of use. Though AFM for surface characterization is highly developed, optical imaging at the nanoscale lags far behind. The envisioned AAOPs will be manufacturable at sale and will facilitate a cost reduction of 10 to 100 times as compared with competing instruments, while outperforming them in image quality and ease of use. The initial market focus of this effort will be on the AFM market (currently $110 million), with a later expansion into the combined spectroscopy and nanotools market of $9.7 billion. As one example of the expected impact of this product, the AAOP technology will be used by researchers and industrial scientists for single molecule studies, biomedical sample analysis, and for microlenses and nanophotonic devices?all at a substantially lower cost than competing technologies. The AAOP product will combine a micrometer-sized diode laser, an optical photo detector, and an AFM probe on a single semiconductor chip. These unique optical probes will perform the functions of conventional AFM probes and will simultaneously provide specimen information about optical properties at the nanoscale. This represents a cost-effective alternative to expensive NSOM tools, and to hybrids of AFMs with specialized far-field optical methods such as confocal, Raman, fluorescence, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The AAOP will address the technical challenges of current NSOMs; namely, background noise and low sensitivity. This effort will demonstrate the technical and economic feasibility of the AAOP, fitting it onto a conventional AFM, an instrument that is widely used in both academia and industry. The anticipated technical results will provide AFM users the ability to carry out nanoscale optical studies and characterization with better resolution and higher sensitivity, at much lower cost, and more quickly than is possible with conventional NSOM and Raman AFMs.

这个小企业创新研究第一阶段项目的重点是证明原子力显微镜（AFM）探针的可行性，使纳米级光学光谱与AFM成像同时进行。 由此产生的产品-原子力显微镜主动光学探针（AAOP）-代表了两种技术的成本效益的混合：原子力显微镜探针和二极管激光器。 目前的近场扫描光学显微镜（NSOM）和混合AFM与专门的远场光学显微镜，由于成本高，使用困难，有用性有限。 虽然AFM的表面表征是高度发达的，在纳米尺度上的光学成像远远落后。设想的AAOP将在销售时可制造，与竞争工具相比，将有助于降低10至100倍的成本，同时在图像质量和易用性方面优于它们。 这项工作的最初市场重点将是AFM市场（目前为1.1亿美元），随后将扩展到97亿美元的光谱学和纳米工具市场。 作为该产品预期影响的一个例子，AAOP技术将被研究人员和工业科学家用于单分子研究、生物医学样品分析以及微透镜和纳米光子器件。所有这些都比竞争技术的成本低得多。AAOP产品将在单个半导体芯片上联合收割机微米尺寸的二极管激光器、光学光电探测器和AFM探针。 这些独特的光学探针将执行传统的AFM探针的功能，并将同时提供样品的光学性质在纳米级的信息。 这代表了昂贵的NSOM工具和AFM与专门的远场光学方法（例如共焦、拉曼、荧光和傅里叶变换红外光谱）的混合物的具有成本效益的替代方案。 AAOP将解决当前国家统计机制的技术挑战，即背景噪声和低灵敏度。这项工作将证明AAOP的技术和经济可行性，将其安装到传统的AFM上，这是一种在学术界和工业界广泛使用的仪器。预期的技术成果将为AFM用户提供进行纳米级光学研究和表征的能力，具有更好的分辨率和更高的灵敏度，成本低得多，比传统的NSOM和拉曼AFM更快。