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

化学系的化学测量和成像项目与物理系的原子、分子和光学物理实验项目共同资助，资助密歇根大学的西奥多·古德森三世博士研究一种名为纠缠双光子吸收显微镜的新成像技术的灵敏度极限。利用光的复杂性质的有趣和新的方法，例如利用它的基本单位-量子-在生物系统中成像分子在过去十年中取得了迅速的进展。材料和生物制品的基于显微镜的成像以及化学传感都受益于利用光与物质的非线性相互作用的进展。通过利用新型显微镜中光的量子和非线性相互作用，密歇根大学的西奥多·古德森三世博士利用了一种新的方法，绕过了当前显微镜成像方法的缺点。这种新的测量方法被标记为纠缠双光子吸收显微镜，提供了一系列高灵敏度的化学和生物系统的成像，并且几乎没有损坏样品的风险。这种新的能力有望在分子传感中得到广泛的应用，从小分子到复杂材料再到生物系统。综合教育活动为化学、光学和材料科学方面的本科生、研究生和博士后科学家提供专业培训。该项目为对量子信息科学感兴趣的学生提供了机会，并提供了广泛参与成像一线实验方法开发的机会。本项目旨在研究纠缠双光子吸收显微镜方法的灵敏度极限。在过去，探测纠缠双光子吸收显微镜效应的光学布置一直是说明该显微镜的充分利用的限制因素。古德森博士正在通过测试纠缠双光子吸收显微镜在非常低的输入通量下的双光束配置来应对这一挑战。古德森博士还介绍了纠缠双光子吸收显微镜在不使用外部染料或化学探针的情况下对生物化学内源材料成像的能力。该项目为化学和成像界可用于化学成像的一种新的显微镜方法提供了基础。研究目标与教育目标相结合，涉及不同的本科生、研究生和博士后科学家参与实验物理化学研究。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.