Abstract
Advancements in near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) tip design as well as an interferometric feedback mechanism are presented for the common goal of imaging living biological samples under physiological conditions. The ability of a cantilevered tip to track the subtle topography changes of a fragile lipid film in an aqueous environment is demonstrated. In order to further the imaging capabilities, the probes have been chemically etched to reduce the spring constants of the tips, thereby lowering the forces imparted on the sample. An optical feedback mechanism used as an alternative to the conventional force feedback is also described. Utilizing this optical feedback mechanism, images have been obtained of fixed cells underwater. Finally, progress towards modifying the NSOM tip for chemical sensor applications is discussed in the context of eventually measuring ion fluxes through single protein channels. Together these advancements demonstrate the potential of NSOM for studying live cells.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 60-66 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering |
| Volume | 3607 |
| Publication status | Published - 1999 Jan 1 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Proceedings of the 1999 Scanning and Force Microscopies for Biomedical Applications - San Jose, CA, USA Duration: 1999 Jan 24 → 1999 Jan 25 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Computer Science Applications
- Applied Mathematics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering