Purdue Research Foundation

Other

Augustine Michael Urbas

Chi Hwan Lee

Zahyun Ku

Bongjoong Kim

Vasily N Astratov

Nicholaos I Limberopoulos

Nanoassembly methods for producing quasi-3D plasmonic films with periodic nanoarrays of nano-sized surface features. A sacrificial layer is deposited on a surface of a donor substrate having periodic nanoarrays of nanopattern features formed thereon. A plasmon film is deposited onto the sacrificial layer and a dielectric spacer is deposited on the plasmon film. The donor substrate having the sacrificial layer, plasmon film, and dielectric spacer thereon is immersed in a bath of etchant to selectively remove the sacrificial layer such that the plasmon film and the dielectric spacer thereon adhere to the surface of the donor substrate. The dielectric spacer and the plasmon film are mechanically separated from the donor substrate to define a quasi-three dimensional (3D) plasmonic film having periodic nanoarrays of nano-sized surface features defined by the nanopattern features of the donor substrate surface. The quasi-3D plasmonic film is then applied to a receiver substrate.

Nanoassembly methods for producing quasi-three-dimensional nanoarrays

Methods and systems for the super-resolution imaging can make visible strongly subwavelength feature sizes (even below 100 nm) in the optical images of biomedical or any nanoscale structures. The main application of the proposed methods and systems is related to label-free imaging where biological or other objects are not stained with fluorescent dye molecules or with fluorophores. This label-free microscopy is more challenging as compared to fluorescent microscopy because of the poor optical contrast of images of objects with subwavelength dimensions. However, these methods and systems are also applicable to fluorescent imaging. Their use is extremely simple, and it is based on application of the microspheres or microcylinders or, alternatively, elastomeric slabs with embedded microspheres or microcylinders to the objects which are deposited on the surfaces covered with thin metallic layers or metallic nanostructures. The mechanism of imaging involved use of the plasmonic near-fields for illuminating the objects and virtual imaging of these objects through microspheres or microcylinders. These methods and systems do not require use of fragile probe tips and slow point-by-point scanning techniques. These methods and systems can be used in conjunction with any types of microscopes including upright, inverted, fluorescence, confocal, phase-contrast, total internal reflection and others. Scanning the samples can be performed using micromanipulation with individual spheres or cylinders or using translation of the slabs. These methods and systems are applicable to dry, wet and totally liquid-immersed samples and structures.

Super-resolution microscopy methods and systems enhanced by dielectric microspheres or microcylinders used in combination with metallic nanostructures

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Oakwood, OH, United States of America

Augustine Michael Urbas