| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/M49717/01 |
| Title: |
TIR-RSNOM (RAMAN SCANNING NEAR-FIELD OPTICAL MICROSCOPY WITH ILLUMINATION BY TOTAL INTERNAL REFLECT |
| Principal Investigator: |
Smith, Professor D A M |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Physics and Astronomy |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 July 1999 |
Ends: |
30 November 2002 |
Value (£): |
277,348
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Biological & Medicinal Chem. |
Instrumentation Eng. & Dev. |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Chemicals |
Environment |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The aim of this project is the development of new instrumentation that can be used by Raman and fluorescence spectroscopic characterisation of molecular samples with ~100 nm spatial resolution. Existing scanning probe microscopes will be adapted so that thin-film samples can be illuminated by a total internal reflection arrangement. An efficient optical spectrometer with appropriate collection optics will be used to carry out near-field (and, where appropriate, far-field) Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. The spectrometer will be synchronised with the motion of the scanning probe so that simultaneous height and spectroscopic images can be obtained. The near-field scattering of Raman or fluorescent radiation will be induced by three different types of probe: a tapered and/or etched optical fibre, a probe from an atomic force microscope (AFM) with a reflecting coating and an AFM probe that has been coated with silver or other metal that could, upon close contact with the sample, induce surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). This is a speculative version of the instrumentation that could greatly enhance the sensitivity. SERS has recently been demonstrated to provide such large enhancement of the Raman signal that under the right conditions, single molecule vibrational spectra can be obtained.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |