IR NEAR FIELD MICROSCOPY FOR SUB-CELLULAR APPLICATIONS

描述(由申请人提供)：迫切需要分析 以及监测细胞和亚细胞生物学功能，特别是 了解药理和疾病过程。光学显微镜 以前用于生物样本表征，但具有 λ/2的衍射极限分辨率。然而，扫描近场 光学显微镜可以用来实现数量级的纳米级分辨率 Lambda/30和更好的。这项技术结合了原子力的特性 光学显微镜的非接触模式下的显微镜，通过利用 在样品表面上同时扫描的光纤探头尖端 获取剪切力和光学信号，以产生地形和光学 图像。石英光纤制作的光纤微尖 已经被用于在具有AT的可见波长区域中的这种技术 分辨率至少为100 nm。然而，这些纤维不能用于红外线 因为它们的传输波长不会超过2微米。我们 建议发展利用红外传输光纤的技术 能够访问2-10微米范围内的“指纹”区域的微尖 米，在那里分子物种可以很容易地通过它们的 特有的振动吸收带。 该计划的目标是： 开发扫描近场红外显微镜新技术 NRL拥有最先进的低光损红外传输光纤 专为各种应用而开发。NRL将制造红外透射器 能够探测2-10微米红外波长区域的微尖 之前无法获得。NRL将与范德比尔特的科学家合作 用近场显微镜实现了微尖。 在红外波段展示至少100 nm的纳米级光学分辨率 使用红外光纤微尖的SNIM系统。 利用扫描近场红外显微镜(SNIM)在2-10微米 研究生物光谱成像的波长区 水溶液中分辨率为100 nm的活细胞等结构 环境。 光学和地形分辨率以及光谱成像 探针的能力将在生物细胞中进行评估 来分析细胞的功能，如膜运输和 生物样品中的分子识别过程。这项新功能 将对理解多种药理作用至关重要 和疾病过程。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): There is a critical need for analysis and monitoring of cellular and sub-cellular biological functions, especially for understanding pharmacological and disease processes. Optical microscopy has been previously used for biological sample characterization but has a diffraction limited resolution of lambda/2. However, scanning near-field optical microscopy can be used to achieve nanoscale resolution on the order of lambda/30 and better. The technique combines the properties of atomic force microscopy in the non-contact mode with optical microscopy, by utilizing a fiber optic probe tip that scans over a sample surface and simultaneously acquires shear force and optical signals to produce topographical and optical images, respectively. Optical fiber microtips fabricated from silica fibers have been used for this technique in the visible wavelength region with at least 100 nm resolution. However, these fibers cannot be used in the infrared because they do not transmit at wavelengths longer than 2 micro meters. We propose to develop the technique using infrared-transmitting optical fiber microtips capable of accessing the "fingerprint" region from 2-10 micro meters, where molecular species can be readily identified by their characteristic vibrational absorption bands. The goals of this program are: Develop the new technique of Scanning Near Field Infrared Microscopy using state-of-the-art low optical loss IR transmitting optical fibers which NRL has developed for a variety of applications. NRL will fabricate IR-transmitting microtips capable of probing the 2-10 um infrared wavelength region that has previously been unavailable. NRL will collaborate with Vanderbilt scientists in the implementation of the microtips with a Near Field Microscope. Demonstrate nanoscale optical resolution of at least 100 nm in the infrared with the SNIM system using the IR fiber microtips. Utilize the scanning near-field infrared microscopy (SNIM) in the 2-10 um wavelength region to investigate spectroscopic imaging of biological structures such as living cells at <100 nm resolution in an aqueous environment. The optical and topographical resolution as well as spectroscopic imaging capability of the probes will be evaluated in a biological cellular environment, to analyze cellular functions such as membrane transport and molecular recognition processes in biological samples. This new capability will be critical for the understanding of a wide variety of pharmacological and disease processes.