KEYWORDS: Atomic force microscopy, Silicon, Semiconductor lasers, Near field optics, Mode locking, Waveguides, Near field, Mirrors, Active optics, Raman spectroscopy
Optical characterization at the nanoscale currently requires instruments such as NSOM/TERS, or hybrid AFM with specialized far-field optical microscopes that are quite complicated and do not provide any time-resolved data. We have demonstrated a novel class of probes for Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) - an Ultrafast Pulsed Atomic Force Microscopy Optical Probe (UFP AAOP) that will enhance characterization capabilities at the nanoscale and provide an exciting opportunity for obtaining both space- and time-resolved chemical information simultaneously. In the UFP AAOP design, a two-section quantum-dot mode-locked laser is monolithically integrated with an SPM probe fabricated from GaAs, with a nanoscale opening at the apex of the tip as the output aperture. With UFP AAOP, the light is supplied through the tip; hence, there is no scattered far-field light and thus significantly reduced background. Furthermore, the difficulties associated with laser alignment onto the tip and with imaging the signal onto a detector are avoided with the UFP AAOP. The UFP AAOP provides pulses with less than 4 ps duration and spatial resolution better than 300 nm at 1240 nm wavelength. It is potentially possible to reduce the pulse width to ~ 0.3 ps and to improve lateral resolution to ~ 1 nm. These unique optical probes will perform the functions of conventional AFM probes and simultaneously provide information about chemical properties of the sample at the nanoscale together with time-resolved spectroscopy. UFP AAOP will facilitate the creation of a new microscopy/spectroscopy instrument with combined single-molecule spatial resolution and ultrafast time-resolved capability.
Actoprobe team had developed custom Tip Enhancement Raman Spectroscopy System (TERS) with specially developed Ultra High Aspect Ratio probes for AFM and TERS measurements for small pixel infrared FPA sidewall characterization. Using this system, we report on stimulated Raman scattering observed in a standard tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) experiment on GaSb materials excited by 637-nm pump laser light. We explain our results by TERS-inherent mechanisms of enormous local field enhancement and by the special design and geometry of the ultrahigh-aspect-ratio tips that enabled conditions for stimulated Raman scattering in the sample with greatly enhanced resonance Raman gain when aided by a microcavity to provide feedback mechanism for the Raman emission. The approach has great potential for further, orders-of-magnitude, progress in TERS enhancement by significantly increasing its nonlinear component. We report development of novel class of probes for atomic force microscopy (AFM active optical probe - AAOP) by integrating a laser source and a photodetector monolithically into the AFM probe. The AAOPs are designed to be used in a conventional AFM and would enhance its functionality to include that of the instruments (NSOM, TERS, hybrid AFM).
We propose to utilize confocal Raman spectroscopy combined with high resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) for nondestructive characterisation of the sidewalls of etched and passivated small pixel (24 μm×24 μm) focal plane arrays (FPA) fabricated using LW/LWIR InAs/GaSb type-II strained layer superlattice (T2SL) detector material. Special high aspect ratio Si and GaAs AFM probes, with tip length of 13 μm and tip aperture less than 7°, allow characterisation of the sidewall morphology. Confocal microscopy enables imaging of the sidewall profile through optical sectioning. Raman spectra measured on etched T2SL FPA single pixels enable us to quantify the non-uniformity of the mesa delineation process.
Optical characteristics are investigated and compared of nanostructure semiconductor lasers with quantum dots and quantum dashes. Spectra of optical gain and of linewidth enhancement factor are obtained. Optical anisotropy in quantum dash structures is investigated.
Fluorescence lifetime-based sensors are well-suited for chemical and biological applications since they are relatively insensitive to background light intensity, fluctuations and bleaching of fluorophores. Examples of applications include biosensing strategies where binding or a target analyte to an immobilized biological receptor molecule results in a change in the fluorescence lifetime of a fluorescent reporter group. It is desirable in many instances to have a sensor array to monitor the simultaneous binding of several analytes. We have designed a multichannel system using LEDs (or laser diodes) to excite fluorescence, multiple photodetectors, and a multichannel computer algorithm-based phase meter. The multichannel phase meter utilizes a PC and multichannel digital acquisition board. The resolution of each channel in the multichannel phase meter has been estimated at approximately 0.05 degrees. The eigen-phase fluctuations for each channel of the system are approximately 0.15 degrees, which allow us to estimate the lifetime resolution as better than 10 ps. We estimate the processing time of phase measurements for each channel as less than 200 ms. The usefulness of the system has been demonstrated in several operational examples, including a multichannnel pH meter and a fluoresphore competitive immunoassay-based chemical sensor.
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