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Microscope Technology Can Now Measure Mesoscale Molecules
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Microscope Technology
Scientists, for decades, had been seeking ways to enhance microscopes and spectrometers so they could identify and study mesoscale molecules, those that range from 10 to 1000 nanometers in size. Through the assistance of broadband infrared lights, a technique has been perfected that allows researchers into this never before seen realm of study.
The technology, called a peptoid nanosheet is less than eight nanometers thick and allows the researchers to view spectroscopic images through the combination of the atomic force of the microscopy coupled with the infrared lights. The newly developed technology, dubbed synchrotron infrared nano spectroscopy (SINS) allows researchers to do in depth studies of complex molecular systems. SINS “demonstrates the nanoscope’s ability to capture broadband spectroscopic data over a variety of samples, including a semiconductor-insulator system, a mollusk shell, proteins, and a peptoid nanosheet.”
This microscope technology uses custom designed microscope objectives and eyepieces for microscopy. The technologies had existed previously but had only recently been combined with another technology called the infrared scattering scanning near field microscope. It was the melding of the two tools, and the addition of the infrared light, that provided researchers the ability to view molecules as small as 40 nanometers.
The light emitted from a low energy infrared device is considered minimally invasive and non-harmful to specimens and ideal for molecular and chemical identification. A low energy infrared light is shined onto a molecular sample, which then absorbs the light and outputs a natural vibration. The output is a spectrum that shows peaks and dips in the sample.
Infrared spectroscopy has its limitations in that it performs well for bulk samples but has difficulty in distinguishing at compositions lower than 2000 nanometers. Using SINS can be useful in the study of meteorites, stardust and lunar rocks, among other materials.