Developing surfAce enhaNCEd infrared absorption photonics Quantum Devices for multiple vibrational modes imaging (DANCE-QD)

现有的原位纳米生物医学成像技术是高度劳动和时间密集型的，通常需要专业培训（例如冷冻显微镜），并且由于细胞内或细胞外微观结构（例如囊泡）的稀缺性和纳米尺度，主要集中在大量样品的分析上。细胞和蛋白质在脱水状态下无法维持其结构也增加了进一步的挑战，并经常导致人工制品。因此，需要一种原位和快速的技术来深入分析生物组织的自然状态。最近，光致力显微镜（PiFM）提供了一个外部电磁场作为驱动力来绘制三维化学和地形特征，作为声子能量的函数，被认为是快速原位生物医学成像的关键解决方案（社会期望）。然而，环境声子分布在液体产生高背景噪声由于水分子的振动。可以使用定制的微结构选择性地增强振动模式，这些微结构作为天线来产生局部电场增强和近场耦合，以显着增加近红外信号。本研究的目的是发展微加工天线，作为原位水成像和图像重建算法开发的基板。我们将使用胶体半导体纳米晶体、量子材料、二维材料、金属、光刻和电子束光刻来制造微纳米光子结构，通过卡迪夫的PiFM成像系统增强红外信号（英国唯一的）。申请人应持有或期望获得电子工程，物理和计算机科学的一等或高二等英国荣誉学位（或同等学历），并应对纳米和微制造，洁净室处理和计算机视觉感兴趣。硕士以上学历，在电子显微镜、计算机视觉、图像处理和重建方面有较强的教育和研究背景/经验者优先。

Existing in situ nano biomedical imaging techniques are highly labour and time intensive, often requiring specialist training (e.g. cryo-microscopy), and focus on the analysis of bulk samples due to the scarcity and nanometre scale of intra- or extracellular cell microstructures (e.g. vesicles). The inability of cells and proteins to maintain their structure in dehydrated states also adds further challenges and often results in artefacts. An in situ and rapid technology is therefore required for the in- depth analysis of biological tissues in their native state. Recently, photo-induced force microscopy (PiFM), which provides an external electromagnetic field as a driving force to map 3D chemical and topographical characterisation as a function of phonon energies, has been suggested as a turn-key solution for rapid in situ bio-medical imaging (socially desirable). However, the environmental phonon distribution in liquids creates high background noise due to water molecule vibrations. Vibrational modes can be selectively enhanced using tailored micro-structures, that act as antennas to create local electric field enhancements and near-field coupling to significantly increase near infrared signals. The aim of this studentship is to develop microfabricated antennas as a substrate for in situ aqueous imaging and image reconstruction algorithm development. We will use colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals, quantum materials, two-dimensional materials, metals and photo and electron beam lithography to fabricate micro and nano-photonic structures to enhance IR signals via a PiFM imaging system at Cardiff (unique in UK). Applicants should hold, or expect to receive, a First Class or high Upper Second Class UK Honours degree (or the equivalent) in Electronic Engineering, Physics, and computer science and should have an interest in nano and micro fabrication, clean room processing, and computer vision. A master's level qualification with strong education and research background/experience in electron microscopy, computer vision and image processing and reconstruction would be advantageous.