Spatially-resolved infrared absorption spectroscopy of individual semiconductor nanostructures

在这个由化学系大分子、超分子和纳米化学项目资助的项目中，圣母大学的Masaru Kuno教授正在开发一种仪器和相关技术来进行化学特定的单颗粒红外吸收测量。 单粒子中红外吸收显微镜的发展推进了样品的超灵敏定量鉴定。 潜在的用途包括检测单个病毒颗粒，这是一个重要的研究课题，因为它与人类健康和国土安全密切相关。 Masaru Kuno教授为地区中学开发的一个推广计划允许学生和教师使用现在可用于智能手机的低成本热成像仪探索红外成像。 通过这款智能手机应用程序，学生们可以探索并了解黑体辐射（根据体温而发出的光）的实际用途。久野教授要解决的基本科学问题包括研究单个半导体纳米结构的带内和子带间跃迁。 本研究的重点是使用单粒子红外吸收测量。 这种方法不同于现有的单颗粒显微镜，因为它们在中红外指纹区操作，并超过光学衍射极限。 红外技术是多模态的，能够进行可见光和红外单粒子吸收测量。 该技术具有固有的快速性，可以快速获取大面积红外图像（厘米）以及光谱。 红外吸收测量最终可以应用于自然条件下的样品，而不需要额外的样品富集或纯化。 鉴于这些材料在红外光检测中的潜在应用，这项研究非常重要。 潜在的用途包括检测单个病毒颗粒，这是一个重要的研究课题，因为它与人类健康和国土安全密切相关。

In this project, funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry Program of the Division of Chemistry, Professor Masaru Kuno of the University of Notre Dame is developing an instrument and related techniques to conduct chemically-specific single particle infrared absorption measurements. The development of a single particle mid-infrared absorption microscope advances the ultrasensitive quantitative identification of samples. Potential uses include the detection of single virus particles, which is an important research topic given its close connection to human health and homeland security. An outreach program developed by Professor Masaru Kuno for area middle schools allows students and teachers to explore infrared imaging using low cost heat imagers now available for smartphones. This smartphone application enables the students to explore and see the practical uses of blackbody radiation (light that is emitted depending on a body's temperature).Basic science problems to be addressed by Professor Kuno include investigating the intraband and intersubband transitions of individual semiconductor nanostructures. This research focuses on the use of Single-particle infrared absorption measurements. Such meansurements are distinguished from existing single particle microscopies in that they operate in the mid-infrared fingerprint region and exceed the optical diffraction limit. The infrared technique is multimodal and enables both visible and infrared single particle absorption measurements. The technique is inherently fast and can rapidly acquire large area infrared images (centimeters) as well as spectra. The infrared absorption measurements can ultimately be applied to specimens under native conditions without the need for additional sample enrichment or purification. This research is an important given the potential applications of the materials in infrared photodection. Potential uses include the detection of single virus particles, which is an important research topic given its close connection to human health and homeland security.