Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Nano-FTIR - A new era in modern analytical chemistry

Abstract:
Researchers from the nanoscience research center NanoGUNE (San Sebastian, Spain), the university of Munich (LMU, Germany) and Neaspec GmbH (Martinsried, Germany) present a new instrumental development that solves a prime question of materials science and nanotechnology: how to chemically identify materials at the nanometer scale (F. Huth et al., Nano Letters, 2012, DOI: 10.1021/nl301159v).

Nano-FTIR - A new era in modern analytical chemistry

San Sebastian, Spain | Posted on July 27th, 2012

An ultimate goal in modern chemistry and materials science is the non-invasive chemical mapping of materials with nanometer scale resolution. A variety of high-resolution imaging techniques exist (e.g. electron microscopy or scanning probe microscopy), however, their chemical sensitivity cannot meet the demands of modern chemical nano-analytics. Optical spectroscopy, on the other hand, offers high chemical sensitivity but its resolution is limited by diffraction to about half the wavelength, thus preventing nanoscale resolved chemical mapping.

Nanoscale chemical identification and mapping of materials now becomes possible with nano-FTIR, an optical technique that combines scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. By illuminating the metalized tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) with a broadband infrared laser, and analyzing the backscattered light with a specially designed Fourier Transform spectrometer, the researchers could demonstrate local infrared spectroscopy with a spatial resolution of less than 20 nm. "Nano-FTIR thus allows for fast and reliable chemical identification of virtually any infrared-active material on the nanometer scale", says Florian Huth, who performed the experiments.

An important aspect of enormous practical relevance is that the nano-FTIR spectra match extremely well with conventional FTIR spectra, while the spatial resolution is increased by more than a factor of 300 compared to conventional infrared spectroscopy. "The high sensitivity to chemical composition combined with ultra-high resolution makes nano-FTIR a unique tool for research, development and quality control in polymer chemistry, biomedicine and pharmaceutical industry" concludes Rainer Hillenbrand, leader of the Nanooptics group at nanoGUNE.

For example, nano-FTIR can be applied for the chemical identification of nanoscale sample contaminations. Fig. 1 shows AFM images of a PMMA film on a Si surface. While the AFM phase contrast indicates the presence of a 100 nm size contamination, the determination of its chemical identity remains elusive from these images. Using nano-FTIR to record a local infrared spectrum in the center of the particle and comparing it with standard FTIR database spectra, the contamination can be identified as a PDMS particle.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Rainer Hillenbrand


Enrique Zarate
CIC nanoGUNE
Contact details:

(+34) 943574024

Copyright © Elhuyar Fundazioa

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

New organic molecule shatters phosphorescence efficiency records and paves way for rare metal-free applications July 5th, 2024

Single atoms show their true color July 5th, 2024

New method cracked for high-capacity, secure quantum communication July 5th, 2024

Searching for dark matter with the coldest quantum detectors in the world July 5th, 2024

Imaging

Single atoms show their true color July 5th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Chemistry

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Discoveries

Efficient and stable hybrid perovskite-organic light-emitting diodes with external quantum efficiency exceeding 40 per cent July 5th, 2024

A New Blue: Mysterious origin of the ribbontail ray’s electric blue spots revealed July 5th, 2024

New organic molecule shatters phosphorescence efficiency records and paves way for rare metal-free applications July 5th, 2024

Single atoms show their true color July 5th, 2024

Announcements

New organic molecule shatters phosphorescence efficiency records and paves way for rare metal-free applications July 5th, 2024

Single atoms show their true color July 5th, 2024

New method cracked for high-capacity, secure quantum communication July 5th, 2024

Searching for dark matter with the coldest quantum detectors in the world July 5th, 2024

Tools

Single atoms show their true color July 5th, 2024

Atomic force microscopy in 3D July 5th, 2024

Hitachi’s holography electron microscope attains unprecedented resolution:Image acquisition and defocusing correction techniques enable observations of atomic-scale magnetic fields at never-before-seen resolution July 5th, 2024

First direct imaging of small noble gas clusters at room temperature: Novel opportunities in quantum technology and condensed matter physics opened by noble gas atoms confined between graphene layers January 12th, 2024

Research partnerships

Gene therapy relieves back pain, repairs damaged disc in mice: Study suggests nanocarriers loaded with DNA could replace opioids May 17th, 2024

Discovery points path to flash-like memory for storing qubits: Rice find could hasten development of nonvolatile quantum memory April 5th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project