Development of Innovative Approaches to Entangled Photon Imaging and Microscopy for Chemical and Biological Systems

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With this award, The Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, with co-funding from the Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics – Experiment Program in the Division of Physics, is funding Dr. Theodore Goodson III of the University of Michigan to investigate the limits of sensitivity of a new imaging technique known as entangled two-photon absorption microscopy. Interesting and new ways to take advantage of the complex nature of light, such as making use of its fundamental basic unit – the quantum- to image molecules in biological systems has rapidly progressed over the last decade. Microscopy-based imaging of materials and biologicals, and chemical sensing have benefitted from advances exploiting non-linear interactions of light with matter. By taking advantage of the quantum and non-linear interactions of light that occur in a novel microscope, Dr. Theodore Goodson III at the University of Michigan utilizes a new approach that circumvents shortcomings with current microscopy-imaging methods. The new measurement approach, labeled entangled two-photon absorption microscopy, offers imaging of a wide array of chemical and biological systems with high sensitivity and little risk of damaging the sample. This new capability is expected to find wide application in molecular sensing, from small moleculars to complex materials to biological systems. Integrated educational activities provide professional training to undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists in chemistry, optics, and materials science. The program provides opportunities for students interested in quantum information science and provides for broad participation in frontline experimental methods development in imaging. This project sets out to investigate the limits of sensitivity of the entangled two-photon absorption microscopy method. In the past, the optical arrangement to probe the entangled two-photon absorption microscope effect has been a limiting factor in the process of illustrating the full utility of the microscope. Dr. Goodson is addressing this challenge by testing a two-beam configuration at very low input flux of the entangled two-photon absorption microscope. Dr. Goodson is also addressing the ability of the entangled two-photon absorption microscope to image biochemically endogenous materials without the use of an external dye or chemical probe. The project provides the foundation for a new microscopy approach that the chemical and imaging community may utilize for chemical imaging. The research objectives are integrated with educational objectives and involve the engagement of diverse undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists in experimental physical chemistry research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.