MRI: Development of Nanoscale Probes for Enhanced Vibrational Spectroscopy

摘要本研究的目的是开发一种新型的扫描局部探针显微镜，能够以纳米级分辨率获取化学信息，并将这种显微镜用于莱斯大学不同研究小组所追求的广泛应用。该显微镜将由金属介电纳米粒子组成，安装或集成为原子力显微镜尖端（AFM）。纳米粒子将被设计成在光谱的红外区域（波长2.7 -10微米；1000-3600厘米-1）具有等离子体共振响应。与探针尖端等离子激元激发相关的强电磁场增强将极大地增强尖端-样品结偶极子主动振动模式红外激发的横截面。该项目将产生一种新的独特的纳米尺度光谱工具，它将在非常广泛的技术应用中有用，例如物理和化学科学的基础纳米尺度研究。在生命科学中有价值的新型成像探针，是一种独特的、突破性的环境分析和痕量化学物质检测传感器技术。高度协作的多学科仪器开发团队由电气与计算机工程、化学、物理和生物工程部门的研究人员组成。本项目将开设两门课程，介绍纳米仪器元件设计和制造的理论和实验方面。该仪器的大量用户已在赖斯科学和工程中确定

AbstractThe objective of this research is the development of a new type of a scanning local probe microscope capable of obtaining chemical information with nanoscale resolution and to utilize this microscope in a wide range of applications pursued by different research groups at Rice University. The microscope will consist of a metallodielectric nanoparticle mounted or integrated as an Atomic Force Microscope tip (AFM) tip. The nanoparticle will be designed to have plasmon resonant response in the infrared region of the spectrum (2.7 -10 microns in wavelength; 1000-3600 cm-1). The strong electromagnetic field enhancements associated with the excitations of plasmons in the probe tip will dramatically enhance the cross sections for infrared excitation of dipole active vibrational modes in the tip-sample junction This project will result in a new and unique nanoscale spectroscopic tool that will be useful across a very broad range of technical applications, such as fundamental nanoscale studies in the physical and chemical sciences, a valuable new imaging probe in the life sciences, and a unique, breakthrough sensor technology for environmental analysis and detection of trace chemical species. The highly collaborative multidisciplinary instrument development team consists of researchers in the departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemistry, Physics, and Bioengineering. Two courses will be developed during this project addressing the theoretical and experimental aspects of nanoscale instrument component design and fabrication. A large number of users for this instrument have been identified within the Rice science and enginee