微纳结构光纤光谱学

微纳结构光纤光谱学是指以空芯微结构或微纳光纤为样品池,光和物质在纤芯内部或表面进行相互作用的光谱学技术。本文回顾空芯和微纳光纤导光的基本原理,介绍气体、液体样品池构建的理论和方法,综述基于光谱吸收、光热、光声、荧光、拉曼等效应的微纳结构光纤光谱学的最新进展及今后可能的发展方向。微纳结构光纤对光场的束缚能力强、模场能量在空气中的比例高,可实现光和物质在其中的高效、长距离相互作用。微纳结构光纤样品池的采用,可提升传统光谱学系统的性能或构建新型的光谱学系统;应用传输光纤与其他光学元器件进行柔性连接,可促进光谱学仪器和传感器的小型化和实用化。     

Electroless nickel plating on optical fiber probe

As a component of near-field scanning optical microscope （NSOM）, optical fiber probe is an important factor influncing the equipment resolution. Electroless nickel plating is introduced to metallize the optical fiber probe. The optical fibers are etched by 40% HF with Turner etching method. Through pretreatment, the optical fiber probe is coated with Ni-P film by electroless plating in a constant temperature water tank. Atomic absorption spectrometry （AAS）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry （EDXS） are carried out to characterize the deposition on fiber probe. We have reproducibly fabricated two kinds of fiber probes with a Ni-P film： aperture probe and apertureless probe. In addition, reductive particle transportation on the surface of fiber probe is proposed to explain the cause of these probes.     

Reducing Background Light Interaction in Near-Field Optical Microscopy Using Lateral and Vertical Probe-Dithering

We investigate the effectiveness of differential detection, which is a combination of probe-dithering and synchronous detection, in discriminating near-field light interaction from background light interaction in apertureless near-field optical microscopy (NSOM). The lateral differential NSOM with a photocantilever is more effective than the vertical differential detection, which does not always provide sufficient discrimination. The V-dithering-based lateral differential detection provides apertureless NSOM that can image the optical coupling between sample and probe dipoles, which is an interaction through near-field light.This paper was originally presented at the 5th International Conference on NEAR FIELD OPTICS and RELATED TECHNOLOGIES (NFO-5), which was held on December 6–10, 1998 at Coganoi Bay Hotel, Shirahama, Japan, in cooperation with the Japan Society of Applied Physics and Mombusho Grant-in Aid for Scientific Research on Priority Areas “Near-field Nano-optics” Project, sponsored by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.     

A polarizing situation: Taking an in-plane perspective for next-generation near-field studies

By enabling the probing of light–matter interactions at the functionally relevant length scales of most materials, near-field optical imaging and spectroscopy accesses information that is unobtainable with other methods. The advent of apertureless techniques, which exploit the ultralocalized and enhanced near-fields created by sharp metallic tips or plasmonic nanoparticles, has resulted in rapid adoption of near-field approaches for studying novel materials and phenomena, with spatial resolution approaching sub-molecular levels. However, these approaches are generally limited by the dominant out-of-plane polarization response of apertureless tips, restricting the exploration and discovery of many material properties. This has led to recent design and fabrication breakthroughs in near-field tips engineered specifically for enhancing in-plane interactions with near-field light components. This mini-review provides a perspective on recent progress and emerging directions aimed at utilizing and controlling in-plane optical polarization, highlighting key application spaces where in-plane near-field tip responses have enabled recent advancements in the understanding and development of new nanostructured materials and devices.     

Field enhancement analysis of an apertureless near field scanning optical microscope probe with finite element method

Plasmonic field enhancement in a fully coated dielectric near field scanning optical microscope (NSOM)probe under radial polarization illumination is analyzed using an axially symmetric three-dimensional (3D)finite element method (FEM) model. The enhancement factor strongly depends on the illumination spot size, taper angle of the probe, and the metal film thickness. The tolerance of the alignment angle is investigated. Probe designs with different metal coatings and their enhancement performance are studied as well. The nanometric spot size at the tip apex and high field enhancement of the apertureless NSOM probe have important potential application in semiconductor metrology.     

Cloaking apertureless near-field scanning optical microscopy tips

We numerically demonstrate that properly designed plasmonic covers can be used to enhance the performance of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) systems based on the employment of apertureless metallic tip probes. The covering material, exhibiting a near-zero value of the real permittivity at the working frequency, is designed in such a way to dramatically reduce the undesired scattering due to the strongly plasmonic behavior of the tip. Though the light scattering by the tip end is necessary for the correct operation of NSOMs, the additional scattering due to the whole probe affects the signal-to-noise ratio and thus the resolution of the acquired image. By covering the whole probe but not the very tip, we show that unwanted scattering can be effectively reduced. A realistic setup, working at mid-IR frequencies and employing silicon carbide covers, has been designed and simulated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach.     

Tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy evidence for amorphous carbon contamination on gold surfaces

We show that the origin of the spectral fluctuations frequently observed in tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) experiments can be mainly related to the presence of surface-contaminating amorphous carbon-based species. We have monitored the spectral fluctuations originating from the sharp metallic tips used as apertureless near field probes, as well as from commonly used noble metal substrates. A correlation between the tip surface roughness and the carbon-based spectral fluctuations has been revealed. An Au-(1 1 1) bare substrate has been mapped with sub-wavelength resolution by TERS, evidencing the localization of the carbon contaminants on the surface steps and grain boundaries.     

Recent progress on the application of LIBS for metallurgical online analysis in China

Recent progress on the application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for metallurgical analysis particularly achieved by Chinese research community is briefly reviewed in this article. The content is mainly focused on the progress in experimental research and calibration methods toward LIBS applications for metallurgical online analysis over the past few years. Different experiment setups such as single-pulse and double-pulses LIBS schematics are introduced. Various calibration methods for different metallic samples are presented. Quantitative results reported in the literature and obtained in the analysis of various samples with different calibration methods are summarized. At the last section of this article, the difficulties of LIBS application for molten metal analysis in a furnace are discussed.     

碳纳米管拉曼光谱研究新进展

本文介绍碳纳米管拉曼光谱研究的最新进展。重点介绍金属性和半导体性碳纳米管的共振拉曼效应、表面增强拉曼效应和偏振拉曼效应。同时也介绍了碳纳米管的温度效应、压力效应和杨氏模量的拉曼光谱研究     

A resonance tracking method for stable operation of a near-field scanning optical microscope in liquid environment

We report on the novel design of the near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) which operates in liquid environment. A resonance tracking digital scanning method is applied to compensate the resonance shift due to the evaporation of the liquid in the atmospheric pressure. By this method, stable operation of NSOM system is demonstrated by showing topographic images of the metallic grating embedded in liquid environment.     

Single-molecule surface- and tip-enhanced raman spectroscopy

A review is given on single-molecule surface- and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS and TERS). It sketches the historical development along different routes toward huge near-field enhancements, the basis of single-molecule enhanced Raman spectroscopy; from SNOM to apertureless SNOM to tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and microscopy; from SERS to single-molecule SERS to single-molecule TERS. The claim of extremely high enhancement factors of 10¹⁴ in single-molecule SERS is critically discussed, in particular in the view of recent experimental and theoretical results that limits the electromagnetic enhancement to ? 10¹¹. In the field of TERS only very few reports on single-molecule TERS exist: single-molecule TERS on dyes and on a protein (cytochrome c). In the latter case, TERS ‘sees’ even subunits of this protein, either amino-acids or the heme, depending on the orientation of the protein relative to the tip. The former case concerns the dye brilliant cresyl blue adsorbed either on a Au surface under ambient conditions or on a Au(111) surface in ultra high vacuum. These results indicate that significant progress is to be expected for TERS in general and for single-molecule TERS in particular.     

Near-field optical microscope with a multiheight scanning imaging mode

A near-field scanning optical microscope has been developed to yield optical images with various gap distances between the probe and the sample surface. The microscope uses an apertureless metallic probe, the position of which is controlled by regulation of the tunneling-electron current from the probe to the sample and by computer-generated bias voltage. Experimental results of near-field optical imaging with the developed microscope at different gap distances are shown. Thirteen images at gap distances of 0 to 500nm demonstrate that the near-field image depends strongly on the gap distance. The imaging characteristics of a near-field imaging system are shown with the spatial-frequency spectra of images. Future investigation of the developed microscope is also discussed.     

Is there an optimal topographical surface in nanoscale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors?

With the development of nanotechnology, nano-structured surfaces exhibit superior biological activities to the smooth or micro-structured surfaces. To study whether or not there is an optimal topographical surface in nano-scale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors, aluminum oxide membranes with different topographical structures in nano-scale were prepared by anodic oxidation technique. The surface morphology, topography, and wettability were analyzed by atomic force microscopy and water contact angle measurement, respectively. These membranes surfaces were dominated by hill-shaped grains with different diameters ranging from 20 to 120 nm. With the increase of diameters, the average surface roughness and mean square roughness of membranes surfaces varied from 1.1 ± 0.1 to 12.6 ± 0.9 nm and from 4.4 ± 0.3 to 16.5 ± 1.2 nm, respectively. A dynamic albumin adsorption analysis indicated that the membrane containing grains with 40 nm in diameter had a weaker ability of protein adsorption at the early stage; but the final amount of adsorbed protein had no significant differences compared with other membranes. Additionally, the morphological, metabolic and cell counting methods showed no significant effects of the aluminum oxide membranes on the viability and proliferation of rat mesenchymal stem cells.     

Investigation of growth, coverage and effectiveness of plasma assisted nano-films of fluorocarbon

Plasma-assisted functional films have significant potential in various engineering applications. They can be tailored to impart desired properties by bonding specific molecular groups to the substrate surface. The aim of this investigation was to develop a fundamental understanding of the atomic level growth, coverage and functional effectiveness of plasma nano-films on flat surfaces and to explore their application-potential for complex and uneven shaped nano-materials. In this paper, results on plasma-assisted nano-scale fluorocarbon films, which are known for imparting inertness or hydrophobicity to the surface, will be discussed. The film deposition was studied as a function of time on flat single crystal surfaces of silicon, sapphire and graphite, using microwave plasma. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used for detailed study of composition and chemistry of the substrate and coating atoms, at all stages of deposition. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was performed in parallel to study the coverage and growth morphology of these films at each stage. Combined XPS and AFM results indicated complete coverage of all the substrates at the nanometer scale. It was also shown that these films grew in a layer-by-layer fashion. The nano-films were also applied to complex and uneven shaped nano-structured and porous materials, such as microcellular porous foam and nano fibers. It was seen that these nano-films can be a viable approach for effective surface modification of complex or uneven shaped nano-materials.     

微波模拟近场光学显微镜实验

介绍了近场光学显微镜的基本原理，并利用微波代替可见光模拟了近场光学显微镜实验．     

Is there an optimal topographical surface in nano-scale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors? Part II

Although nano-structured surfaces exhibit superior biological activities to the smooth or micro-structured surfaces, whether there is an optimal topographical surface in nano-scale affecting protein adsorption and cell behaviors is still controversial. In this study, porous aluminum oxide membranes with different pore sizes ranging from 25 to 120 nm were prepared by the anodic oxidation technique. The surface morphology, topography and wettability were analyzed by scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope and water contact angle measurement, respectively. The results indicated that the synergistic action of the nano-topography structure and hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties resulted in a highest protein adsorption on the aluminum oxide membrane with 80 nm pore size. Additionally, the morphological, metabolic and cell counting methods showed that cells had different sensitivity to porous aluminum oxide membranes with different surface features. Furthermore, this sensitivity was cell type dependent. The optimal pore size of aluminum oxide membranes for cell growth was 80 nm for PC12 cells and 50 nm for NIH 3T3 cells.     

Investigation of Novel Quantum Dots/Proteins/Cellulose Bioconjugate Using NSOM and Fluorescence

We investigated the engineered bioconjugate of cadmium selenide core/zinc sulfide shell, (CdSe)ZnS, quantum dots (QDs) with genetically modified proteins using fluorescence spectroscopy, near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) and spectroscopy (NSOS). The protein polymer was allowed to self-assemble to the bacterial microcrystalline cellulose surface through the cellulosic binding domain. Results from the sample containing the QDs/protein/cellulose assemblies suggest that QDs were arrayed along the cellulose surface. The spectroscopic change of spectroscopic properties of the QDs upon bioconjugation, indicating the interaction among the immobilized QDs and between the constructed protein and QDs.     

Hydrophobic optical elements for near-field optical analysis (NOA) in liquid environment--a preliminary study.

Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) in liquid environment is expected to allow time resolved morphological mappings on cellular surfaces on the nanoscale level. Near-field Optical Analysis (NOA) via NSOM exploits the energy transfer from the tip of an optical element (tip diameter > or = 20nm), oscillating within the range of the characteristic length of the energy transfer ( approximately 10nm) in the near-field of the surface to be analysed. In NOA, a molecular assembly is monitored by visible light with a resolution far below the wavelength of visible light. Actually, NOA is successfully applied in mapping local optical contrasts, for instance in photonic crystals with dielectric periodicities on the nanoscale. NSOM could in principle be performed in two different modes: tapping mode, with tip-oscillations perpendicular, or shear force mode, with tip-oscillations parallel to the substrate. Both basic modes have specific advantages and disadvantages. In biological systems (e.g. in cell cultures), where scanning in liquids is prevalent, elongated optical elements non-invasively operated in the shear force modus could have some specific advantages when compared to contact modus systems. While tapping mode NSOM provides satisfactory nanoscale images even on solid surfaces covered with millimetres of liquids, the performance of shear force mode NSOM is presently largely confined to operations on dry samples. This is due to the inability of conventional shear force mode NSOM systems to provide sharp topographic images of sample surfaces substantially covered with liquids. By equipping a conventional NSOM system with hydrophobic optical elements, shear force mode based topographic images could be obtained on biological samples in dry as well as in aqueous environment, and with resolutions on the nanoscale level.     

近场光学显微技术

本文在介绍近场光学显微镜原理的基础上，对近场光学显微技术进行了一定深度的探讨，并着重研究了纳米级探针的制作和纳米级样品与探针间距的控制这两个近场光学显微技术中的关键问题，说明了近场光学显微探针的工作方式，阐述了近场光学成像的衬度类型，介绍了近场光学显微技术在多个领域的应用。在参考大量国内外最新研究成果的基础上，提出了一些个人的见解。     

用激光超声评估复合材料

本文对应用激光超声方法检测金属基碳纤维增强复合材料,纳米陶瓷复合材料的声学和力学性质的进展,作了简要的介绍和讨论。