WorldWideScience

Sample records for force microscope images

  1. Differential magnetic force microscope imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ying; Wang, Zuobin; Liu, Jinyun; Hou, Liwei

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a method for differential magnetic force microscope imaging based on a two-pass scanning procedure to extract differential magnetic forces and eliminate or significantly reduce background forces with reversed tip magnetization. In the work, the difference of two scanned images with reversed tip magnetization was used to express the local magnetic forces. The magnetic sample was first scanned with a low lift distance between the MFM tip and the sample surface, and the magnetization direction of the probe was then changed after the first scan to perform the second scan. The differential magnetic force image was obtained through the subtraction of the two images from the two scans. The theoretical and experimental results have shown that the proposed method for differential magnetic force microscope imaging is able to reduce the effect of background or environment interference forces, and offers an improved image contrast and signal to noise ratio (SNR). © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Stitching Grid-wise Atomic Force Microscope Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Mathias Zacho; Bengtson, Stefan Hein; Pedersen, Malte

    2016-01-01

    Atomic Force Microscopes (AFM) are able to capture images with a resolution in the nano metre scale. Due to this high resolution, the covered area per image is relatively small, which can be problematic when surveying a sample. A system able to stitch AFM images has been developed to solve this p...

  3. Atomic Force Microscope for Imaging and Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pike, W. T.; Hecht, M. H.; Anderson, M. S.; Akiyama, T.; Gautsch, S.; deRooij, N. F.; Staufer, U.; Niedermann, Ph.; Howald, L.; Mueller, D.

    2000-01-01

    We have developed, built, and tested an atomic force microscope (AFM) for extraterrestrial applications incorporating a micromachined tip array to allow for probe replacement. It is part of a microscopy station originally intended for NASA's 2001 Mars lander to identify the size, distribution, and shape of Martian dust and soil particles. As well as imaging topographically down to nanometer resolution, this instrument can be used to reveal chemical information and perform infrared and Raman spectroscopy at unprecedented resolution.

  4. Atomic force microscopic imaging of Acanthamoeba castellanii and Balamuthia mandrillaris trophozoites and cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aqeel, Yousuf; Siddiqui, Ruqaiyyah; Ateeq, Muhammad; Raza Shah, Muhammad; Kulsoom, Huma; Khan, Naveed Ahmed

    2015-01-01

    Light microscopy and electron microscopy have been successfully used in the study of microbes, as well as free-living protists. Unlike light microscopy, which enables us to observe living organisms or the electron microscope which provides a two-dimensional image, atomic force microscopy provides a three-dimensional surface profile. Here, we observed two free-living amoebae, Acanthamoeba castellanii and Balamuthia mandrillaris under the phase contrast inverted microscope, transmission electron microscope and atomic force microscope. Although light microscopy was of lower magnification, it revealed functional biology of live amoebae such as motility and osmoregulation using contractile vacuoles of the trophozoite stage, but it is of limited value in defining the cyst stage. In contrast, transmission electron microscopy showed significantly greater magnification and resolution to reveal the ultra-structural features of trophozoites and cysts including intracellular organelles and cyst wall characteristics but it only produced a snapshot in time of a dead amoeba cell. Atomic force microscopy produced three-dimensional images providing detailed topographic description of shape and surface, phase imaging measuring boundary stiffness, and amplitude measurements including width, height and length of A. castellanii and B. mandrillaris trophozoites and cysts. These results demonstrate the importance of the application of various microscopic methods in the biological and structural characterization of the whole cell, ultra-structural features, as well as surface components and cytoskeleton of protist pathogens. © 2014 The Author(s) Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology © 2014 International Society of Protistologists.

  5. Atomic force microscope with integrated optical microscope for biological applications

    OpenAIRE

    Putman, Constant A.J.; Putman, C.A.J.; van der Werf, Kees; de Grooth, B.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Greve, Jan

    1992-01-01

    Since atomic force microscopy (AFM) is capable of imaging nonconducting surfaces, the technique holds great promises for high‐resolution imaging of biological specimens. A disadvantage of most AFMs is the fact that the relatively large sample surface has to be scanned multiple times to pinpoint a specific biological object of interest. Here an AFM is presented which has an incorporated inverted optical microscope. The optical image from the optical microscope is not obscured by the cantilever...

  6. A hybrid scanning force and light microscope for surface imaging and three-dimensional optical sectioning in differential interference contrast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stemmer, A

    1995-04-01

    The design of a scanned-cantilever-type force microscope is presented which is fully integrated into an inverted high-resolution video-enhanced light microscope. This set-up allows us to acquire thin optical sections in differential interference contrast (DIC) or polarization while the force microscope is in place. Such a hybrid microscope provides a unique platform to study how cell surface properties determine, or are affected by, the three-dimensional dynamic organization inside the living cell. The hybrid microscope presented in this paper has proven reliable and versatile for biological applications. It is the only instrument that can image a specimen by force microscopy and high-power DIC without having either to translate the specimen or to remove the force microscope. Adaptation of the design features could greatly enhance the suitability of other force microscopes for biological work.

  7. Atomic force microscope featuring an integrated optical microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putman, C.A.J.; Putman, Constant A.J.; de Grooth, B.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Greve, Jan

    1992-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is used to image the surface of both conductors and nonconductors. Biological specimens constitute a large group of nonconductors. A disadvantage of most AFM's is the fact that relatively large areas of the sample surface have to be scanned to pinpoint a biological

  8. Atomic imaging of an InSe single-crystal surface with atomic force microscope

    OpenAIRE

    Uosaki, Kohei; Koinuma, Michio

    1993-01-01

    The atomic force microscope was employed to observed in air the surface atomic structure of InSe, one of III-VI compound semiconductors with layered structures. Atomic arrangements were observed in both n-type and p-type materials. The observed structures are in good agreement with those expected from bulk crystal structures. The atomic images became less clear by repeating the imaging process. Wide area imaging after the imaging of small area clearly showed that a mound was created at the sp...

  9. z calibration of the atomic force microscope by means of a pyramidal tip

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Flemming

    1993-01-01

    A new method for imaging the probe tip of an atomic force microscope cantilever by the atomic force microscope itself (self-imaging) is presented. The self-imaging is accomplished by scanning the probe tip across a sharper tip on the surface. By using a pyramidal probe tip with a very well......-defined aspect ratio, this technique provides an excellent z-calibration standard for the atomic force microscope....

  10. High-speed atomic force microscope imaging: Adaptive multiloop mode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Juan; Zou, Qingze; Li, Bo; Lin, Zhiqun

    2014-07-01

    In this paper, an imaging mode (called the adaptive multiloop mode) of atomic force microscope (AFM) is proposed to substantially increase the speed of tapping mode (TM) imaging while preserving the advantages of TM imaging over contact mode (CM) imaging. Due to its superior image quality and less sample disturbances over CM imaging, particularly for soft materials such as polymers, TM imaging is currently the most widely used imaging technique. The speed of TM imaging, however, is substantially (over an order of magnitude) lower than that of CM imaging, becoming the major bottleneck of this technique. Increasing the speed of TM imaging is challenging as a stable probe tapping on the sample surface must be maintained to preserve the image quality, whereas the probe tapping is rather sensitive to the sample topography variation. As a result, the increase of imaging speed can quickly lead to loss of the probe-sample contact and/or annihilation of the probe tapping, resulting in image distortion and/or sample deformation. The proposed adaptive multiloop mode (AMLM) imaging overcomes these limitations of TM imaging through the following three efforts integrated together: First, it is proposed to account for the variation of the TM deflection when quantifying the sample topography; second, an inner-outer feedback control loop to regulate the TM deflection is added on top of the tapping-feedback control loop to improve the sample topography tracking; and, third, an online iterative feedforward controller is augmented to the whole control system to further enhance the topography tracking, where the next-line sample topography is predicted and utilized to reduce the tracking error. The added feedback regulation of the TM deflection ensures the probe-sample interaction force remains near the minimum for maintaining a stable probe-sample interaction. The proposed AMLM imaging is tested and demonstrated by imaging a poly(tert-butyl acrylate) sample in experiments. The

  11. Switched capacitor charge pump used for low-distortion imaging in atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Zhang, Lian Sheng; Feng, Zhi Hua

    2015-01-01

    The switched capacitor charge pump (SCCP) is an effective method of linearizing charges on piezoelectric actuators and therefore constitute a significant approach to nano-positioning. In this work, it was for the first time implemented in an atomic force microscope for low-distortion imaging. Experimental results showed that the image quality was improved evidently under the SCCP drive compared with that under traditional linear voltage drive. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. A quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope for electrical property measurements of microscopic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higuchi, Seiji; Kubo, Osamu; Kuramochi, Hiromi; Aono, Masakazu; Nakayama, Tomonobu

    2011-01-01

    Four-terminal electrical measurement is realized on a microscopic structure in air, without a lithographic process, using a home-built quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope (QSPFM). The QSPFM has four probes whose positions are individually controlled by obtaining images of a sample in the manner of atomic force microscopy (AFM), and uses the probes as contacting electrodes for electrical measurements. A specially arranged tuning fork probe (TFP) is used as a self-detection force sensor to operate each probe in a frequency modulation AFM mode, resulting in simultaneous imaging of the same microscopic feature on an insulator using the four TFPs. Four-terminal electrical measurement is then demonstrated in air by placing each probe electrode in contact with a graphene flake exfoliated on a silicon dioxide film, and the sheet resistance of the flake is measured by the van der Pauw method. The present work shows that the QSPFM has the potential to measure the intrinsic electrical properties of a wide range of microscopic materials in situ without electrode fabrication.

  13. Chromosome structure investigated with the atomic force microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Grooth, B.G.; Putman, C.A.J.; Putman, Constant A.; van der Werf, Kees; van Hulst, N.F.; van Oort, G.; van Oort, Geeske; Greve, Jan; Manne, Srinivas

    1992-01-01

    We have developed an atomic force microscope (AFM) with an integrated optical microscope. The optical microscope consists of an inverted epi-illumination system that yields images in reflection or fluorescence of the sample. With this system it is possible to quickly locate an object of interest. A

  14. A multifunctional force microscope for soft matter with in situ imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, Paul; Pilkington, Georgia A.; Wang, Yumo; Frechette, Joelle

    2018-04-01

    We present the multifunctional force microscope (MFM), a normal and lateral force-measuring instrument with in situ imaging. In the MFM, forces are calculated from the normal and lateral deflection of a cantilever as measured via fiber optic sensors. The motion of the cantilever is controlled normally by a linear micro-translation stage and a piezoelectric actuator, while the lateral motion of the sample is controlled by another linear micro-translation stage. The micro-translation stages allow for travel distances that span 25 mm with a minimum step size of 50 nm, while the piezo has a minimum step size of 0.2 nm, but a 100 μm maximum range. Custom-designed cantilevers allow for the forces to be measured over 4 orders of magnitude (from 50 μN to 1 N). We perform probe tack, friction, and hydrodynamic drainage experiments to demonstrate the sensitivity, versatility, and measurable force range of the instrument.

  15. A universal fluid cell for the imaging of biological specimens in the atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasas, Sandor; Radotic, Ksenja; Longo, Giovanni; Saha, Bashkar; Alonso-Sarduy, Livan; Dietler, Giovanni; Roduit, Charles

    2013-04-01

    Recently, atomic force microscope (AFM) manufacturers have begun producing instruments specifically designed to image biological specimens. In most instances, they are integrated with an inverted optical microscope, which permits concurrent optical and AFM imaging. An important component of the set-up is the imaging chamber, whose design determines the nature of the experiments that can be conducted. Many different imaging chamber designs are available, usually designed to optimize a single parameter, such as the dimensions of the substrate or the volume of fluid that can be used throughout the experiment. In this report, we present a universal fluid cell, which simultaneously optimizes all of the parameters that are important for the imaging of biological specimens in the AFM. This novel imaging chamber has been successfully tested using mammalian, plant, and microbial cells. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Simultaneous topography imaging and broadband nanomechanical mapping on atomic force microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Tianwei; Zou, Qingze

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, an approach is proposed to achieve simultaneous imaging and broadband nanomechanical mapping of soft materials in air by using an atomic force microscope. Simultaneous imaging and nanomechanical mapping are needed, for example, to correlate the morphological and mechanical evolutions of the sample during dynamic phenomena such as the cell endocytosis process. Current techniques for nanomechanical mapping, however, are only capable of capturing static elasticity of the material, or the material viscoelasticity in a narrow frequency band around the resonant frequency(ies) of the cantilever used, not competent for broadband nanomechanical mapping, nor acquiring topography image of the sample simultaneously. These limitations are addressed in this work by enabling the augmentation of an excitation force stimuli of rich frequency spectrum for nanomechanical mapping in the imaging process. Kalman-filtering technique is exploited to decouple and split the mixed signals for imaging and mapping, respectively. Then the sample indentation generated is quantified online via a system-inversion method, and the effects of the indentation generated and the topography tracking error on the topography quantification are taken into account. Moreover, a data-driven feedforward-feedback control is utilized to track the sample topography. The proposed approach is illustrated through experimental implementation on a polydimethylsiloxane sample with a pre-fabricated pattern.

  17. Resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantrell, John H. (Inventor); Cantrell, Sean A. (Inventor)

    2010-01-01

    A scanning probe microscope and methodology called resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscopy (RDF-AFUM), employs an ultrasonic wave launched from the bottom of a sample while the cantilever of an atomic force microscope, driven at a frequency differing from the ultrasonic frequency by one of the contact resonance frequencies of the cantilever, engages the sample top surface. The nonlinear mixing of the oscillating cantilever and the ultrasonic wave in the region defined by the cantilever tip-sample surface interaction force generates difference-frequency oscillations at the cantilever contact resonance. The resonance-enhanced difference-frequency signals are used to create images of nanoscale near-surface and subsurface features.

  18. Design of a self-aligned, wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with 10 nm magnetic force microscope resolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karcı, Özgür [NanoMagnetics Instruments Ltd., Hacettepe - İvedik OSB Teknokent, 1368. Cad., No: 61/33, 06370, Yenimahalle, Ankara (Turkey); Department of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine, Hacettepe University, Beytepe, 06800 Ankara (Turkey); Dede, Münir [NanoMagnetics Instruments Ltd., Hacettepe - İvedik OSB Teknokent, 1368. Cad., No: 61/33, 06370, Yenimahalle, Ankara (Turkey); Oral, Ahmet, E-mail: orahmet@metu.edu.tr [Department of Physics, Middle East Technical University, 06800 Ankara (Turkey)

    2014-10-01

    We describe the design of a wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with a self-aligned fibre-cantilever mechanism. An alignment chip with alignment groves and a special mechanical design are used to eliminate tedious and time consuming fibre-cantilever alignment procedure for the entire temperature range. A low noise, Michelson fibre interferometer was integrated into the system for measuring deflection of the cantilever. The spectral noise density of the system was measured to be ~12 fm/√Hz at 4.2 K at 3 mW incident optical power. Abrikosov vortices in BSCCO(2212) single crystal sample and a high density hard disk sample were imaged at 10 nm resolution to demonstrate the performance of the system.

  19. Design of a self-aligned, wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with 10 nm magnetic force microscope resolution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karcı, Özgür; Dede, Münir; Oral, Ahmet

    2014-01-01

    We describe the design of a wide temperature range (300 mK-300 K) atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope with a self-aligned fibre-cantilever mechanism. An alignment chip with alignment groves and a special mechanical design are used to eliminate tedious and time consuming fibre-cantilever alignment procedure for the entire temperature range. A low noise, Michelson fibre interferometer was integrated into the system for measuring deflection of the cantilever. The spectral noise density of the system was measured to be ∼12 fm/√Hz at 4.2 K at 3 mW incident optical power. Abrikosov vortices in BSCCO(2212) single crystal sample and a high density hard disk sample were imaged at 10 nm resolution to demonstrate the performance of the system

  20. PC-based digital feedback control for scanning force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohd Ashhar Khalid

    2002-01-01

    In the past, most digital feedback implementation for scanned-probe microscope were based on a digital signal processor (DSP). At present DSP plug-in card with the input-output interface module is still expensive compared to a fast pentium PC motherboard. For a magnetic force microscope (MFM) digital feedback has an advantage where the magnetic signal can be easily separated from the topographic signal. In this paper, a simple low-cost PC-based digital feedback and imaging system for Scanning Force Microscope (SFM) is presented. (Author)

  1. Atomic Force Microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Day, R.D.; Russell, P.E.

    1988-12-01

    The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a recently developed instrument that has achieved atomic resolution imaging of both conducting and non- conducting surfaces. Because the AFM is in the early stages of development, and because of the difficulty of building the instrument, it is currently in use in fewer than ten laboratories worldwide. It promises to be a valuable tool for obtaining information about engineering surfaces and aiding the .study of precision fabrication processes. This paper gives an overview of AFM technology and presents plans to build an instrument designed to look at engineering surfaces.

  2. Nanoscale imaging of the growth and division of bacterial cells on planar substrates with the atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Van Der Hofstadt, M. [Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), C/ Baldiri i Reixac 11-15, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Hüttener, M.; Juárez, A. [Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), C/ Baldiri i Reixac 11-15, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Departament de Microbiologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Gomila, G., E-mail: ggomila@ibecbarcelona.eu [Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya (IBEC), C/ Baldiri i Reixac 11-15, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Departament d' Electronica, Universitat de Barcelona, C/ Marti i Franqués 1, 08028 Barcelona (Spain)

    2015-07-15

    With the use of the atomic force microscope (AFM), the Nanomicrobiology field has advanced drastically. Due to the complexity of imaging living bacterial processes in their natural growing environments, improvements have come to a standstill. Here we show the in situ nanoscale imaging of the growth and division of single bacterial cells on planar substrates with the atomic force microscope. To achieve this, we minimized the lateral shear forces responsible for the detachment of weakly adsorbed bacteria on planar substrates with the use of the so called dynamic jumping mode with very soft cantilever probes. With this approach, gentle imaging conditions can be maintained for long periods of time, enabling the continuous imaging of the bacterial cell growth and division, even on planar substrates. Present results offer the possibility to observe living processes of untrapped bacteria weakly attached to planar substrates. - Highlights: • Gelatine coatings used to weakly attach bacterial cells onto planar substrates. • Use of the dynamic jumping mode as a non-perturbing bacterial imaging mode. • Nanoscale resolution imaging of unperturbed single living bacterial cells. • Growth and division of single bacteria cells on planar substrates observed.

  3. Surface features on Sahara soil dust particles made visible by atomic force microscope (AFM) phase images

    OpenAIRE

    G. Helas; M. O. Andreae

    2008-01-01

    We show that atomic force microscopy (AFM) phase images can reveal surface features of soil dust particles, which are not evident using other microscopic methods. The non-contact AFM method is able to resolve topographical structures in the nanometer range as well as to uncover repulsive atomic forces and attractive van der Waals' forces, and thus gives insight to surface properties. Though the method does not allow quantitative assignment in terms of chemical compound description, it clearly...

  4. Operation of a scanning near field optical microscope in reflection in combination with a scanning force microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulst, N.F.; Moers, M.H.P.; Moers, M.H.P.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Faulkner, T.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; van der Werf, Kees; de Grooth, B.G.; Bölger, B.; Bölger, B.

    1992-01-01

    Images obtained with a scanning near field optical microscope (SNOM) operating in reflection are presented. We have obtained the first results with a SiN tip as optical probe. The instrument is simultaneously operated as a scanning force microscope (SFM). Moreover, the instrument incorporates an

  5. A combined optical and atomic force microscope for live cell investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Madl, Josef; Rhode, Sebastian; Stangl, Herbert; Stockinger, Hannes; Hinterdorfer, Peter; Schuetz, Gerhard J.; Kada, Gerald

    2006-01-01

    We present an easy-to-use combination of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an epi-fluorescence microscope, which allows live cell imaging under physiological conditions. High-resolution AFM images were acquired while simultaneously monitoring either the fluorescence image of labeled membrane components, or a high-contrast optical image (DIC, differential interference contrast). By applying two complementary techniques at the same time, additional information and correlations between structure and function of living organisms were obtained. The synergy effects between fluorescence imaging and AFM were further demonstrated by probing fluorescence-labeled receptor clusters in the cell membrane via force spectroscopy using antibody-functionalized tips. The binding probability on receptor-containing areas identified with fluorescence microscopy ('receptor-positive sites') was significantly higher than that on sites lacking receptors

  6. MIDAS: Lessons learned from the first spaceborne atomic force microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Mark Stephen; Arends, Herman; Butler, Bart; Gavira, Jose; Jeszenszky, Harald; Mannel, Thurid; Romstedt, Jens; Schmied, Roland; Torkar, Klaus

    2016-08-01

    The Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System (MIDAS) atomic force microscope (AFM) onboard the Rosetta orbiter was the first such instrument launched into space in 2004. Designed only a few years after the technique was invented, MIDAS is currently orbiting comet 67P Churyumov-Gerasimenko and producing the highest resolution 3D images of cometary dust ever made in situ. After more than a year of continuous operation much experience has been gained with this novel instrument. Coupled with operations of the Flight Spare and advances in terrestrial AFM a set of "lessons learned" has been produced, cumulating in recommendations for future spaceborne atomic force microscopes. The majority of the design could be reused as-is, or with incremental upgrades to include more modern components (e.g. the processor). Key additional recommendations are to incorporate an optical microscope to aid the search for particles and image registration, to include a variety of cantilevers (with different spring constants) and a variety of tip geometries.

  7. Seamless stitching of tile scan microscope images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Legesse, F B; Chernavskaia, O; Heuke, S; Bocklitz, T; Meyer, T; Popp, J; Heintzmann, R

    2015-06-01

    For diagnostic purposes, optical imaging techniques need to obtain high-resolution images of extended biological specimens in reasonable time. The field of view of an objective lens, however, is often smaller than the sample size. To image the whole sample, laser scanning microscopes acquire tile scans that are stitched into larger mosaics. The appearance of such image mosaics is affected by visible edge artefacts that arise from various optical aberrations which manifest in grey level jumps across tile boundaries. In this contribution, a technique for stitching tiles into a seamless mosaic is presented. The stitching algorithm operates by equilibrating neighbouring edges and forcing the brightness at corners to a common value. The corrected image mosaics appear to be free from stitching artefacts and are, therefore, suited for further image analysis procedures. The contribution presents a novel method to seamlessly stitch tiles captured by a laser scanning microscope into a large mosaic. The motivation for the work is the failure of currently existing methods for stitching nonlinear, multimodal images captured by our microscopic setups. Our method eliminates the visible edge artefacts that appear between neighbouring tiles by taking into account the overall illumination differences among tiles in such mosaics. The algorithm first corrects the nonuniform brightness that exists within each of the tiles. It then compensates for grey level differences across tile boundaries by equilibrating neighbouring edges and forcing the brightness at the corners to a common value. After these artefacts have been removed further image analysis procedures can be applied on the microscopic images. Even though the solution presented here is tailored for the aforementioned specific case, it could be easily adapted to other contexts where image tiles are assembled into mosaics such as in astronomical or satellite photos. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal

  8. A combined optical and atomic force microscope for live cell investigations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Madl, Josef [Institute for Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Rhode, Sebastian [Institute for Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Stangl, Herbert [Institute for Medical Chemistry, Medical University Vienna, Waehringerstr. 10, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Stockinger, Hannes [Department of Molecular Immunology, Center for Biomolecular Medicine and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Lazarettgasse 19, 1090 Vienna (Austria); Hinterdorfer, Peter [Institute for Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Schuetz, Gerhard J. [Institute for Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Altenbergerstr. 69, 4040 Linz (Austria); Kada, Gerald [Scientec, Mitterbauerweg 4, 4020 Linz (Austria)]. E-mail: gerald_kada@agilent.com

    2006-06-15

    We present an easy-to-use combination of an atomic force microscope (AFM) and an epi-fluorescence microscope, which allows live cell imaging under physiological conditions. High-resolution AFM images were acquired while simultaneously monitoring either the fluorescence image of labeled membrane components, or a high-contrast optical image (DIC, differential interference contrast). By applying two complementary techniques at the same time, additional information and correlations between structure and function of living organisms were obtained. The synergy effects between fluorescence imaging and AFM were further demonstrated by probing fluorescence-labeled receptor clusters in the cell membrane via force spectroscopy using antibody-functionalized tips. The binding probability on receptor-containing areas identified with fluorescence microscopy ('receptor-positive sites') was significantly higher than that on sites lacking receptors.

  9. Photon scanning tunneling microscope in combination with a force microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moers, M.H.P.; Moers, M.H.P.; Tack, R.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Bölger, B.; Bölger, B.

    1994-01-01

    The simultaneous operation of a photon scanning tunneling microscope with an atomic force microscope is presented. The use of standard atomic force silicon nitride cantilevers as near-field optical probes offers the possibility to combine the two methods. Vertical forces and torsion are detected

  10. MIDAS - an atomic force microscope for in-situ imaging of cometary dust particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fehringer, H.M.; Ruedenauer, F.G.; Steiger, W.

    1997-02-01

    Comets are interesting bodies, since they are considered to consist of matter remaining in essentially unchanged chemistry from the presolar nebula. Investigation of cometary matter therefore permits to draw conclusion s with respect to the composition of presolar matter. The atomic force microscope MIDAS will be the first instrument to analyze, within ESA's ROSETTA-mission priestine cometary matter in the form of dust particles emitted by comet WIRTANEN during its perihelion in 2013. Within this project, a dust model has been developed, permitting estimation of dust collection times required for statistically significant imaging of cometary particles. The dynamics of dust collection has been developed and experimental dust collection surfaces have been produced making use of modem nanostructuring techniques. Mechanical properties of 3-dimensional piezo-control elements, which are an essential part of the MIDAS microscope, have been determined. (author)

  11. Atomic force microscope image contrast mechanisms on supported lipid bilayers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schneider, J; Dufrêne, Y F; Barger, W R; Lee, G U

    2000-08-01

    This work presents a methodology to measure and quantitatively interpret force curves on supported lipid bilayers in water. We then use this method to correlate topographic imaging contrast in atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett bilayers with imaging load. Force curves collected on pure monolayers of both distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) and monogalactosylethanolamine (MGDG) and dioleoylethanolamine (DOPE) deposited at similar surface pressures onto a monolayer of DSPE show an abrupt breakthrough event at a repeatable, material-dependent force. The breakthrough force for DSPE and MGDG is sizable, whereas the breakthrough force for DOPE is too small to measure accurately. Contact-mode AFM images on 1:1 mixed monolayers of DSPE/DOPE and MGDG/DOPE have a high topographic contrast at loads between the breakthrough force of each phase, and a low topographic contrast at loads above the breakthrough force of both phases. Frictional contrast is inverted and magnified at loads above the breakthrough force of both phases. These results emphasize the important role that surface forces and mechanics can play in imaging multicomponent biomembranes with AFM.

  12. Low temperature behavior of magnetic domains observed using a magnetic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, S. H.; Shinde, S. R.; Ogale, S. B.; Venkatesan, T.; Greene, R. L.; Dreyer, M.; Gomez, R. D.

    2001-01-01

    A commercial atomic force microscope/magnetic force microscope (MFM) was modified to cool magnetic samples down to around 100 K under a high vacuum while maintaining its routine imaging functionality. MFM images of a 120 nm thick La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 film on a LaAlO 3 substrate at low temperature show the paramagnetic-to-ferromagnetic phase transition. Evolution of magnetic domains and magnetic ripples with decreasing temperature are also observed near the edge of a 20 nm thick patterned Co film on a Si substrate. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

  13. AFM (Atomic force microscope and its use in studying the surface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Škvarla Jiří

    1996-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper summarizes the present knowledge about the use of AFM in the mineral processing research. First, the development and fundamentals of the AFM imaging are presented in relation to other imaging techniques (especially STM, Scanning tunneling microscope. Further, the role of the sensing tip-surface interactions is mentioned. Finally, the surface force measurements in the AFM force calibration mode are diskussed.

  14. Surface features on Sahara soil dust particles made visible by atomic force microscope (AFM phase images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. O. Andreae

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available We show that atomic force microscopy (AFM phase images can reveal surface features of soil dust particles, which are not evident using other microscopic methods. The non-contact AFM method is able to resolve topographical structures in the nanometer range as well as to uncover repulsive atomic forces and attractive van der Waals' forces, and thus gives insight to surface properties. Though the method does not allow quantitative assignment in terms of chemical compound description, it clearly shows deposits of distinguishable material on the surface. We apply this technique to dust aerosol particles from the Sahara collected over the Atlantic Ocean and describe micro-features on the surfaces of such particles.

  15. A new ion sensing deep atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drake, Barney; Randall, Connor; Bridges, Daniel; Hansma, Paul K. [Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

    2014-08-15

    Here we describe a new deep atomic force microscope (AFM) capable of ion sensing. A novel probe assembly incorporates a micropipette that can be used both for sensing ion currents and as the tip for AFM imaging. The key advance of this instrument over previous ion sensing AFMs is that it uses conventional micropipettes in a novel suspension system. This paper focuses on sensing the ion current passively while using force feedback for the operation of the AFM in contact mode. Two images are obtained simultaneously: (1) an AFM topography image and (2) an ion current image. As an example, two images of a MEMS device with a microchannel show peaks in the ion current as the pipette tip goes over the edges of the channel. This ion sensing AFM can also be used in other modes including tapping mode with force feedback as well as in non-contact mode by utilizing the ion current for feedback, as in scanning ion conductance microscopy. The instrument is gentle enough to be used on some biological samples such as plant leaves.

  16. Atomic Force Microscope Image Contrast Mechanisms on Supported Lipid Bilayers

    OpenAIRE

    Schneider, James; Dufrêne, Yves F.; Barger Jr., William R.; Lee, Gil U.

    2000-01-01

    This work presents a methodology to measure and quantitatively interpret force curves on supported lipid bilayers in water. We then use this method to correlate topographic imaging contrast in atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett bilayers with imaging load. Force curves collected on pure monolayers of both distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) and monogalactosylethanolamine (MGDG) and dioleoylethanolamine (DOPE) deposited at similar surface pressures o...

  17. Tapping mode imaging and measurements with an inverted atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, Sandra S F; Green, John-Bruce D

    2006-07-18

    This report demonstrates the successful use of the inverted atomic force microscope (i-AFM) for tapping mode AFM imaging of cantilever-supported samples. i-AFM is a mode of AFM operation in which a sample supported on a tipless cantilever is imaged by one of many tips in a microfabricated tip array. Tapping mode is an intermittent contact mode whereby the cantilever is oscillated at or near its resonance frequency, and the amplitude and/or phase are used to image the sample. In the process of demonstrating that tapping mode images could be obtained in the i-AFM design, it was observed that the amplitude of the cantilever oscillation decreased markedly as the cantilever and tip array were approached. The source of this damping of the cantilever oscillations was identified to be the well-known "squeeze film damping", and the extent of damping was a direct consequence of the relatively shorter tip heights for the tip arrays, as compared to those of commercially available tapping mode cantilevers with integrated tips. The functional form for the distance dependence of the damping coefficient is in excellent agreement with previously published models for squeeze film damping, and the values for the fitting parameters make physical sense. Although the severe damping reduces the cantilever free amplitude substantially, we found that we were still able to access the low-amplitude regime of oscillation necessary for attractive tapping mode imaging of fragile molecules.

  18. Adhesion force imaging in air and liquid by adhesion mode atomic force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Werf, Kees; Putman, C.A.J.; Putman, Constant A.; de Grooth, B.G.; Greve, Jan

    1994-01-01

    A new imaging mode for the atomic force microscope(AFM), yielding images mapping the adhesion force between tip and sample, is introduced. The adhesion mode AFM takes a force curve at each pixel by ramping a piezoactuator, moving the silicon‐nitride tip up and down towards the sample. During the

  19. High-speed imaging upgrade for a standard sample scanning atomic force microscope using small cantilevers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Adams, Jonathan D.; Nievergelt, Adrian; Erickson, Blake W.; Yang, Chen; Dukic, Maja; Fantner, Georg E., E-mail: georg.fantner@epfl.ch [Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2014-09-15

    We present an atomic force microscope (AFM) head for optical beam deflection on small cantilevers. Our AFM head is designed to be small in size, easily integrated into a commercial AFM system, and has a modular architecture facilitating exchange of the optical and electronic assemblies. We present two different designs for both the optical beam deflection and the electronic readout systems, and evaluate their performance. Using small cantilevers with our AFM head on an otherwise unmodified commercial AFM system, we are able to take tapping mode images approximately 5–10 times faster compared to the same AFM system using large cantilevers. By using additional scanner turnaround resonance compensation and a controller designed for high-speed AFM imaging, we show tapping mode imaging of lipid bilayers at line scan rates of 100–500 Hz for scan areas of several micrometers in size.

  20. Immobilization method of yeast cells for intermittent contact mode imaging using the atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De, Tathagata; Chettoor, Antony M.; Agarwal, Pranav; Salapaka, Murti V.; Nettikadan, Saju

    2010-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is widely used for studying the surface morphology and growth of live cells. There are relatively fewer reports on the AFM imaging of yeast cells (Kasas and Ikai, 1995), (Gad and Ikai, 1995). Yeasts have thick and mechanically strong cell walls and are therefore difficult to attach to a solid substrate. In this report, a new immobilization technique for the height mode imaging of living yeast cells in solid media using AFM is presented. The proposed technique allows the cell surface to be almost completely exposed to the environment and studied using AFM. Apart from the new immobilization protocol, for the first time, height mode imaging of live yeast cell surface in intermittent contact mode is presented in this report. Stable and reproducible imaging over a 10-h time span is observed. A significant improvement in operational stability will facilitate the investigation of growth patterns and surface patterns of yeast cells.

  1. Probing Field Distributions on Waveguide Structures with an Atomic Force/Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Borgonjen, E.G.; Borgonjen, E.G.; Moers, M.H.P.; Moers, M.H.P.; Ruiter, A.G.T.; van Hulst, N.F.

    1995-01-01

    A 'stand-alone' Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscope combined with an Atomic force Microscope, using a micro-fabricated silicon-nitride probe, is applied to the imaging of field distribution in integrated optical ridge waveguides. The electric field on the waveguide is locally probed by coupling to

  2. High-speed force mapping on living cells with a small cantilever atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braunsmann, Christoph; Seifert, Jan; Rheinlaender, Johannes; Schäffer, Tilman E.

    2014-01-01

    The imaging speed of the wide-spread force mapping mode for quantitative mechanical measurements on soft samples in liquid with the atomic force microscope (AFM) is limited by the bandwidth of the z-scanner and viscous drag forces on the cantilever. Here, we applied high-speed, large scan-range atomic force microscopy and small cantilevers to increase the speed of force mapping by ≈10−100 times. This allowed resolving dynamic processes on living mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Cytoskeleton reorganization during cell locomotion, growth of individual cytoskeleton fibers, cell blebbing, and the formation of endocytic pits in the cell membrane were observed. Increasing the force curve rate from 2 to 300 Hz increased the measured apparent Young's modulus of the cells by about 10 times, which facilitated force mapping measurements at high speed

  3. High-speed force mapping on living cells with a small cantilever atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Braunsmann, Christoph; Seifert, Jan; Rheinlaender, Johannes; Schäffer, Tilman E., E-mail: Tilman.Schaeffer@uni-tuebingen [Institute of Applied Physics and LISA, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 10, 72076 Tübingen (Germany)

    2014-07-15

    The imaging speed of the wide-spread force mapping mode for quantitative mechanical measurements on soft samples in liquid with the atomic force microscope (AFM) is limited by the bandwidth of the z-scanner and viscous drag forces on the cantilever. Here, we applied high-speed, large scan-range atomic force microscopy and small cantilevers to increase the speed of force mapping by ≈10−100 times. This allowed resolving dynamic processes on living mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Cytoskeleton reorganization during cell locomotion, growth of individual cytoskeleton fibers, cell blebbing, and the formation of endocytic pits in the cell membrane were observed. Increasing the force curve rate from 2 to 300 Hz increased the measured apparent Young's modulus of the cells by about 10 times, which facilitated force mapping measurements at high speed.

  4. A Computer-Controlled Classroom Model of an Atomic Force Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Engstrom, Tyler A.; Johnson, Matthew M.; Eklund, Peter C.; Russin, Timothy J.

    2015-01-01

    The concept of "seeing by feeling" as a way to circumvent limitations on sight is universal on the macroscopic scale--reading Braille, feeling one's way around a dark room, etc. The development of the atomic force microscope (AFM) in 1986 extended this concept to imaging in the nanoscale. While there are classroom demonstrations that use…

  5. Atomic Force Microscope Imaging of the Aggregation of Mouse Immunoglobulin G Molecules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ke Xia

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Mouse immunoglobulin G (Ig G1 and the mixture of Ig G1 and Ig G2 deposited on mica were imaged with an atomic force microscope at room temperature and ambient pressure. At a concentration around 1.0mg/L, the molecules were well dispersed. 2~3 days after sample preparation, both Ig G1 and the mixture could self- assemble into different shapes and further form some types of local-ordered toroidal aggregations (monotoroidal, intercrossed toroidal, concentric toroidal, etc.. The number of monomers was not identical in the different toroidal aggregations but in a same circle, the shapes of polymer self-assembled by several monomolecules were found to be almost the same. There was difference between the aggregation behavior of Ig G1 and the mixture. The mechanism of Ig G molecule aggregation was ascribed to the “Y” shape and loops structure of Ig G molecule.

  6. Atomic force microscopic study of the influence of physical stresses on Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adya, Ashok K; Canetta, Elisabetta; Walker, Graeme M

    2006-01-01

    Morphological changes in the cell surfaces of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain NCYC 1681), and the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (strain DVPB 1354), in response to thermal and osmotic stresses, were investigated using an atomic force microscope. With this microscope imaging, together with measurements of culture viability and cell size, it was possible to relate topological changes of the cell surface at nanoscale with cellular stress physiology. As expected, when the yeasts were exposed to thermostress or osmostress, their viability together with the mean cell volume decreased in conjunction with the increase in thermal or osmotic shock. Nevertheless, the viability of cells stressed for up to 1 h remained relatively high. For example, viabilities were >50% and >90% for the thermostressed, and >60% and >70% for the osmostressed S. cerevisiae and Schiz. pombe, respectively. Mean cell volume measurements, and bearing and roughness analyses of atomic force microscope images of stressed yeasts indicate that Schiz. pombe may be more resistant to physical stresses than S. cerevisiae. Overall, this study has highlighted the usefulness of atomic force microscope in studies of yeast stress physiology.

  7. Calibrated atomic force microscope measurements of vickers hardness indentations and tip production and characterisation for scanning tunelling microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Carsten P.

    Calibrated atomic force microscope measurements of vickers hardness indentations and tip production and characterisation for scanning tunelling microscope......Calibrated atomic force microscope measurements of vickers hardness indentations and tip production and characterisation for scanning tunelling microscope...

  8. New implementation of a shear-force microscope suitable to study topographical features over wide areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ustione, A.; Cricenti, A.; Piacentini, M.; Felici, A. C.

    2006-01-01

    A new implementation of a shear-force microscope is described that uses a shear-force detection system to perform topographical imaging of large areas (∼1x1 mm 2 ). This implementation finds very interesting application in the study of archeological or artistic samples. Three dc motors are used to move a sample during a scan, allowing the probe tip to follow the surface and to face height differences of several tens of micrometers. This large-area topographical imaging mode exploits new subroutines that were added to the existing homemade software; these subroutines were created in Microsoft VISUAL BASIC 6.0 programming language. With this new feature our shear-force microscope can be used to study topographical details over large areas of archaeological samples in a nondestructive way. We show results detecting worn reliefs over a coin

  9. Cantilever contribution to the total electrostatic force measured with the atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guriyanova, Svetlana; Golovko, Dmytro S; Bonaccurso, Elmar

    2010-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool for surface imaging at the nanometer scale and surface force measurements in the piconewton range. Among long-range surface forces, the electrostatic forces play a predominant role. They originate if the electric potentials of the substrate and of the tip of the AFM cantilever are different. A quantitative interpretation of the AFM signal is often difficult because it depends in a complicated fashion on the cantilever–tip–surface geometry. Since the electrostatic interaction is a long-range interaction, the cantilever, which is many microns from the surface, contributes to the total electrostatic force along with the tip. Here we present results of the electrostatic interaction between a conducting flat surface and horizontal or tilted cantilevers, with and without tips, at various distances from the surface. As addressed in a previous work, we show that the contribution of the cantilever to the overall force cannot be neglected. Based on a predictive model and on 3D confocal measurements, we discuss the influence of the tilting angle of the cantilever

  10. Novel parallel plate condenser for single particle electrostatic force measurements in atomic force microscope

    KAUST Repository

    Kwek, Jin Wang

    2011-07-01

    A combination of small parallel plate condenser with Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) glass slides as electrodes and an atomic force microscope (AFM) is used to characterize the electrostatic behavior of single glass bead microparticles (105-150 μm) glued to the AFM cantilever. This novel setup allows measurements of the electrostatic forces acting on a particle in an applied electrical field to be performed in ambient air conditions. By varying the position of the microparticle between the electrodes and the strength of the applied electric field, the relative contributions of the particle net charge, induced and image charges were investigated. When the microparticle is positioned in the middle of the electrodes, the force acting on the microparticle was linear with the applied electric field and proportional to the microparticle net charge. At distances close to the bottom electrode, the force follows a parabolic relationship with the applied electric field reflecting the contributions of induced and image charges. The method can be used for the rapid evaluation of the charging and polarizability properties of the microparticle as well as an alternative to the conventional Faraday\\'s pail technique. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  11. Digital phase-shifting atomic force microscope Moire method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chiaming; Chen Lienwen

    2005-01-01

    In this study, the digital atomic force microscope (AFM) Moire method with phase-shifting technology is established to measure the in-plane displacement and strain fields. The Moire pattern is generated by the interference between the specimen grating and the virtual reference grating formed by digital image processes. The overlapped image is filtered by two-dimensional wavelet transformation to obtain the clear interference Moire patterns. The four-step phase-shifting method is realized by translating the phase of the virtual reference grating from 0 to 2π. The principle of the digital AFM Moire method and the phase-shifting technology are described in detail. Experimental results show that this method is convenient to use and efficient in realizing the microscale measurement

  12. High-speed broadband nanomechanical property quantification and imaging of life science materials using atomic force microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Juan

    Nanoscale morphological characterization and mechanical properties quantification of soft and biological materials play an important role in areas ranging from nano-composite material synthesis and characterization, cellular mechanics to drug design. Frontier studies in these areas demand the coordination between nanoscale morphological evolution and mechanical behavior variations through simultaneous measurement of these two aspects of properties. Atomic force microscope (AFM) is very promising in achieving such simultaneous measurements at high-speed and broadband owing to its unique capability in applying force stimuli and then, measuring the response at specific locations in a physiologically friendly environment with pico-newton force and nanometer spatial resolution. Challenges, however, arise as current AFM systems are unable to account for the complex and coupled dynamics of the measurement system and probe-sample interaction during high-speed imaging and broadband measurements. In this dissertation, the creation of a set of dynamics and control tools to probe-based high-speed imaging and rapid broadband nanomechanical spectroscopy of soft and biological materials are presented. Firstly, advanced control-based approaches are presented to improve the imaging performance of AFM imaging both in air and in liquid. An adaptive contact mode (ACM) imaging scheme is proposed to replace the traditional contact mode (CM) imaging by addressing the major concerns in both the speed and the force exerted to the sample. In this work, the image distortion caused by the topography tracking error is accounted for in the topography quantification and the quantified sample topography is utilized in a gradient-based optimization method to adjust the cantilever deflection set-point for each scanline closely around the minimal level needed for maintaining a stable probe-sample contact, and a data-driven iterative feedforward control that utilizes a prediction of the next

  13. Development of nanomanipulator using a high-speed atomic force microscope coupled with a haptic device

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iwata, F.; Ohashi, Y.; Ishisaki, I.; Picco, L.M.; Ushiki, T.

    2013-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) has been widely used for surface fabrication and manipulation. However, nanomanipulation using a conventional AFM is inefficient because of the sequential nature of the scan-manipulation scan cycle, which makes it difficult for the operator to observe the region of interest and perform the manipulation simultaneously. In this paper, a nanomanipulation technique using a high-speed atomic force microscope (HS-AFM) is described. During manipulation using the AFM probe, the operation is periodically interrupted for a fraction of a second for high-speed imaging that allows the topographical image of the manipulated surface to be periodically updated. With the use of high-speed imaging, the interrupting time for imaging can be greatly reduced, and as a result, the operator almost does not notice the blink time of the interruption for imaging during the manipulation. This creates a more intuitive interface with greater feedback and finesse to the operator. Nanofabrication under real-time monitoring was performed to demonstrate the utility of this arrangement for real-time nanomanipulation of sample surfaces under ambient conditions. Furthermore, the HS-AFM is coupled with a haptic device for the human interface, enabling the operator to move the HS-AFM probe to any position on the surface while feeling the response from the surface during the manipulation. - Highlights: • A nanomanipulater based on a high-speed atomic force microscope was developped. • High-speed imaging provides a valuable feedback during the manipulation operation. • Operator can feel the response from the surface via a haptic device during manipulation. • Nanofabrications under real-time monitoring were successfully performed

  14. Measuring Forces between Oxide Surfaces Using the Atomic Force Microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Henrik Guldberg; Høj, Jakob Weiland

    1996-01-01

    The interactions between colloidal particles play a major role in processing of ceramics, especially in casting processes. With the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) it is possible to measure the inter-action force between a small oxide particle (a few micron) and a surface as function of surface...

  15. Cantilever-based optical interfacial force microscope in liquid using an optical-fiber tip

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Byung I. Kim

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We developed a novel cantilever-based optical interfacial force microscope (COIFM to study molecular interaction in liquid environments. The force sensor was created by attaching a chemically etched optical-fiber tip to the force sensor with UV epoxy, and characterized by imaging on a calibration grid. The performance of the COIFM was then demonstrated by measuring the force between two oxidized silicon surfaces in 1 mM KCl as a function of distance. The result was consistent with previously reported electrical double layer forces, suggesting that a COIFM using an optical-fiber tip is capable of measuring force in a liquid environment.

  16. Local detection of X-ray spectroscopies with an in-situ Atomic Force Microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, M S; Dhez, O; Denmat, S Le; Felici, R; Comin, F; Chevrier, J

    2008-01-01

    The in situ combination of Scanning Probe Microscopies with X-ray microbeams adds a variety of new possibilities to the panoply of synchrotron radiation techniques. This paper describes an optics-free Atomic Force Microscope that can be directly installed on most of the synchrotron radiation end-stations for combined X-ray and atomic force microscopy experiments. The instrument can be used for atomic force imaging of the investigated sample or to locally measure the X-ray absorption or diffraction, or it can also be used to mechanically interact with the sample while simultaneously taking spectroscopy or diffraction measurements. The local character of these measurements is intrinsically linked with the use of the Atomic Force Microscope tip. It is the sharp tip that gives the opportunity to measure the photons flux impinging on it, or to locally measure the absorption coefficient or the shape of the diffraction pattern. At the end an estimation of the limits of the various techniques presented is also discussed.

  17. A versatile atomic force microscope for three-dimensional nanomanipulation and nanoassembly

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie Hui; Haliyo, Dogan Sinan; Regnier, Stephane

    2009-01-01

    A conventional atomic force microscope (AFM) has been successfully applied to manipulating nanoparticles (zero-dimensional), nanowires (one-dimensional) or nanotubes (one- or two-dimensional) by widely used pushing or pulling operations on a single surface. However, pick-and-place nanomanipulation in air is still a challenge. In this research, a modified AFM, called a three-dimensional (3D) manipulation force microscope (3DMFM), was developed to realize 3D nanomanipulation in air. This system consists of two individually actuated cantilevers with protruding tips that are facing each other, constructing a nanotweezer for the pick-and-place nanomanipulation. Before manipulation, one of the cantilevers is employed to position nano-objects and locate the tip of the other cantilever by image scanning. During the manipulation, these two cantilevers work collaboratively as a nanotweezer to grasp, transport and place the nano-objects with real-time force sensing. The manipulation capabilities of the nanotweezer were demonstrated by grabbing and manipulating silicon nanowires to build 3D nanowire crosses. 3D nanomanipulation and nanoassembly performed in air could become feasible through this newly developed 3DMFM.

  18. Comparative study of image contrast in scanning electron microscope and helium ion microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connell, R; Chen, Y; Zhang, H; Zhou, Y; Fox, D; Maguire, P; Wang, J J; Rodenburg, C

    2017-12-01

    Images of Ga + -implanted amorphous silicon layers in a 110 n-type silicon substrate have been collected by a range of detectors in a scanning electron microscope and a helium ion microscope. The effects of the implantation dose and imaging parameters (beam energy, dwell time, etc.) on the image contrast were investigated. We demonstrate a similar relationship for both the helium ion microscope Everhart-Thornley and scanning electron microscope Inlens detectors between the contrast of the images and the Ga + density and imaging parameters. These results also show that dynamic charging effects have a significant impact on the quantification of the helium ion microscope and scanning electron microscope contrast. © 2017 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2017 Royal Microscopical Society.

  19. Force Measurement with a Piezoelectric Cantilever in a Scanning Force Microscope

    OpenAIRE

    Tansock, J.; Williams, C. C.

    1992-01-01

    Detection of surface forces between a tip and sample has been demonstrated with a piezoelectric cantilever in a scanning force microscope (SFM). The use of piezoelectric force sensing is particularly advantageous in semiconductor applications where stray light from conventional optical force-sensing methods can significantly modify the local carrier density. Additionally, the piezoelectric sensors are simple, provide good sensitivity to force, and can be batch fabricated. Our piezoelectric fo...

  20. A compact CCD-monitored atomic force microscope with optical vision and improved performances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mingyue, Liu; Haijun, Zhang; Dongxian, Zhang

    2013-09-01

    A novel CCD-monitored atomic force microscope (AFM) with optical vision and improved performances has been developed. Compact optical paths are specifically devised for both tip-sample microscopic monitoring and cantilever's deflection detecting with minimized volume and optimal light-amplifying ratio. The ingeniously designed AFM probe with such optical paths enables quick and safe tip-sample approaching, convenient and effective tip-sample positioning, and high quality image scanning. An image stitching method is also developed to build a wider-range AFM image under monitoring. Experiments show that this AFM system can offer real-time optical vision for tip-sample monitoring with wide visual field and/or high lateral optical resolution by simply switching the objective; meanwhile, it has the elegant performances of nanometer resolution, high stability, and high scan speed. Furthermore, it is capable of conducting wider-range image measurement while keeping nanometer resolution. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. A new theoretical probe for the magnetic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Windmill, J.F.C. E-mail: jwindmill@plymouth.ac.uk; Clegg, W.W.; Jenkins, D.F.L.; Davey, P.J

    2001-05-01

    The magnetic force microscope (MFM) is established as a valuable tool for the analysis of magnetic structures. The standard design of MFM incorporates a silicon tip coated with a magnetic material. However, these tips are subject to several inherent problems, e.g. changing characteristics over time due to damage or magnetic hysteresis. A new theoretical electromagnetic MFM probe is introduced here. Although electromagnetic MFM has been discussed before by Zhou et al. (J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 17 (1999) 2233), the design presented here is a different approach. Two different probe iterations and their magnetic field intensity distribution are modelled. The probe imaging capability is compared using the reciprocity principle (Wright and Hill, Appl. Phys. Lett. 68 (1996) 1726) to image the simulated force interaction between a sample and the probe fields. Thus, images of a sample's magnetic distribution are produced by the convolution of the different probe gradient field distributions and the sample magnetisation. Both perpendicular and longitudinal magnetisation patterns were simulated with the different probe iterations. This clearly showed the improvement of the second probe iteration, particularly for longitudinal patterns. The practical use of the new probe is also discussed, and future work outlined.

  2. Development of a shear-force scanning near-field cathodoluminescence microscope for characterization of nanostructures' optical properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bercu, N B; Troyon, M; Molinari, M

    2016-09-01

    An original scanning near-field cathodoluminescence microscope for nanostructure characterization has been developed and successfully tested. By using a bimorph piezoelectric stack both as actuator and detector, the developed setup constitutes a real improvement compared to previously reported SEM-based solutions. The technique combines a scanning probe and a scanning electron microscope in order to simultaneously offer near-field cathodoluminescence and topographic images of the sample. Share-force topography and cathodoluminescence measurements on GaN, SiC and ZnO nanostructures using the developed setup are presented showing a nanometric resolution in both topography and cathodoluminescence images with increased sensitivity compared to classical luminescence techniques. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

  3. Design of a scanning probe microscope with advanced sample treatment capabilities: An atomic force microscope combined with a miniaturized inductively coupled plasma source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hund, Markus; Herold, Hans

    2007-01-01

    We describe the design and performance of an atomic force microscope (AFM) combined with a miniaturized inductively coupled plasma source working at a radio frequency of 27.12 MHz. State-of-the-art scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) have limited in situ sample treatment capabilities. Aggressive treatments such as plasma etching or harsh treatments such as etching in aggressive liquids typically require the removal of the sample from the microscope. Consequently, time consuming procedures are required if the same sample spot has to be imaged after successive processing steps. We have developed a first prototype of a SPM which features a quasi in situ sample treatment using a modified commercial atomic force microscope. A sample holder is positioned in a special reactor chamber; the AFM tip can be retracted by several millimeters so that the chamber can be closed for a treatment procedure. Most importantly, after the treatment, the tip is moved back to the sample with a lateral drift per process step in the 20 nm regime. The performance of the prototype is characterized by consecutive plasma etching of a nanostructured polymer film

  4. The Digital Microscope and Its Image Processing Utility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tri Wahyu Supardi

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Many institutions, including high schools, own a large number of analog or ordinary microscopes. These microscopes are used to observe small objects. Unfortunately, object observations on the ordinary microscope require precision and visual acuity of the user. This paper discusses the development of a high-resolution digital microscope from an analog microscope, including the image processing utility, which allows the digital microscope users to capture, store and process the digital images of the object being observed. The proposed microscope is constructed from hardware components that can be easily found in Indonesia. The image processing software is capable of performing brightness adjustment, contrast enhancement, histogram equalization, scaling and cropping. The proposed digital microscope has a maximum magnification of 1600x, and image resolution can be varied from 320x240 pixels up to 2592x1944 pixels. The microscope was tested with various objects with a variety of magnification, and image processing was carried out on the image of the object. The results showed that the digital microscope and its image processing system were capable of enhancing the observed object and other operations in accordance with the user need. The digital microscope has eliminated the need for direct observation by human eye as with the traditional microscope.

  5. Apertureless near-field/far-field CW two-photon microscope for biological and material imaging and spectroscopic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak, Derek B; Lawrence, A J; Sánchez, Erik J

    2010-12-10

    We present the development of a versatile spectroscopic imaging tool to allow for imaging with single-molecule sensitivity and high spatial resolution. The microscope allows for near-field and subdiffraction-limited far-field imaging by integrating a shear-force microscope on top of a custom inverted microscope design. The instrument has the ability to image in ambient conditions with optical resolutions on the order of tens of nanometers in the near field. A single low-cost computer controls the microscope with a field programmable gate array data acquisition card. High spatial resolution imaging is achieved with an inexpensive CW multiphoton excitation source, using an apertureless probe and simplified optical pathways. The high-resolution, combined with high collection efficiency and single-molecule sensitive optical capabilities of the microscope, are demonstrated with a low-cost CW laser source as well as a mode-locked laser source.

  6. Design and performance of a high-resolution frictional force microscope with quantitative three-dimensional force sensitivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dienwiebel, M.; Kuyper, E. de; Crama, L.; Frenken, J.W.M.; Heimberg, J.A.; Spaanderman, D.-J.; Glatra van Loon, D.; Zijlstra, T.; Drift, E. van der

    2005-01-01

    In this article, the construction and initial tests of a frictional force microscope are described. The instrument makes use of a microfabricated cantilever that allows one to independently measure the lateral forces in X and Y directions as well as the normal force. We use four fiber-optic interferometers to detect the motion of the sensor in three dimensions. The properties of our cantilevers allow easy and accurate normal and lateral force calibration, making it possible to measure the lateral force on a fully quantitative basis. First experiments on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite demonstrate that the microscope is capable of measuring lateral forces with a resolution down to 15 pN

  7. The Digital Image Processing And Quantitative Analysis In Microscopic Image Characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ardisasmita, M. Syamsa

    2000-01-01

    Many electron microscopes although have produced digital images, but not all of them are equipped with a supporting unit to process and analyse image data quantitatively. Generally the analysis of image has to be made visually and the measurement is realized manually. The development of mathematical method for geometric analysis and pattern recognition, allows automatic microscopic image analysis with computer. Image processing program can be used for image texture and structure periodic analysis by the application of Fourier transform. Because the development of composite materials. Fourier analysis in frequency domain become important for measure the crystallography orientation. The periodic structure analysis and crystal orientation are the key to understand many material properties like mechanical strength. stress, heat conductivity, resistance, capacitance and other material electric and magnetic properties. In this paper will be shown the application of digital image processing in microscopic image characterization and analysis in microscopic image

  8. A method for fast automated microscope image stitching.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Fan; Deng, Zhen-Sheng; Fan, Qiu-Hong

    2013-05-01

    Image stitching is an important technology to produce a panorama or larger image by combining several images with overlapped areas. In many biomedical researches, image stitching is highly desirable to acquire a panoramic image which represents large areas of certain structures or whole sections, while retaining microscopic resolution. In this study, we develop a fast normal light microscope image stitching algorithm based on feature extraction. At first, an algorithm of scale-space reconstruction of speeded-up robust features (SURF) was proposed to extract features from the images to be stitched with a short time and higher repeatability. Then, the histogram equalization (HE) method was employed to preprocess the images to enhance their contrast for extracting more features. Thirdly, the rough overlapping zones of the images preprocessed were calculated by phase correlation, and the improved SURF was used to extract the image features in the rough overlapping areas. Fourthly, the features were corresponded by matching algorithm and the transformation parameters were estimated, then the images were blended seamlessly. Finally, this procedure was applied to stitch normal light microscope images to verify its validity. Our experimental results demonstrate that the improved SURF algorithm is very robust to viewpoint, illumination, blur, rotation and zoom of the images and our method is able to stitch microscope images automatically with high precision and high speed. Also, the method proposed in this paper is applicable to registration and stitching of common images as well as stitching the microscope images in the field of virtual microscope for the purpose of observing, exchanging, saving, and establishing a database of microscope images. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Two-probe atomic-force microscope manipulator and its applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhukov, A. A.; Stolyarov, V. S.; Kononenko, O. V.

    2017-06-01

    We report on a manipulator based on a two-probe atomic force microscope (AFM) with an individual feedback system for each probe. This manipulator works under an upright optical microscope with 3 mm focal distance. The design of the microscope helps us tomanipulate nanowires using the microscope probes as a two-prong fork. The AFM feedback is realized based on the dynamic full-time contact mode. The applications of the manipulator and advantages of its two-probe design are presented.

  10. Two-probe atomic-force microscope manipulator and its applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhukov, A A; Stolyarov, V S; Kononenko, O V

    2017-06-01

    We report on a manipulator based on a two-probe atomic force microscope (AFM) with an individual feedback system for each probe. This manipulator works under an upright optical microscope with 3 mm focal distance. The design of the microscope helps us tomanipulate nanowires using the microscope probes as a two-prong fork. The AFM feedback is realized based on the dynamic full-time contact mode. The applications of the manipulator and advantages of its two-probe design are presented.

  11. Observations of fission-tracks in zircons by atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohishi, Shinnosuke; Hasebe, Noriko

    2012-01-01

    The fission-track (FT) method is a dating technique based on the observation of damage (tracks) by spontaneous fission of 238 U left in a mineral. The date is calculated from the track density and the uranium concentration in the mineral. This is possible because the number of tracks is a function of uranium concentration and time since the start of track accumulation. Usually, the number of tracks is counted under an optical microscope after etching (chemical expansion of a track). However, as FT density per unit area rises, it becomes difficult to count the number of tracks. This is due to the fact that FTs overlap one another and are unable to be readily distinguished. This research examines the potential of atomic force microscope (AFM) for FT dating using zircons, which are likely to show higher FT density than other minerals due to their high U concentrations. To obtain an AFM image for a sample prepared for FT dating, removing the static electricity of the sample is essential to avoid an unexpected movement of the cantilever. A grain should be wider than about 30 μm to bring the cantilever on the mineral surface. Polishing with a fine grained compound is very important. There is not much difference in sharpness between images by AC mode (scanning with vibrating cantilever at a constant cycle) and Contact mode (scanning with the cantilever always in close contact with the surface). To confirm how tracks can be identified with the AFM, an AFM image was compared with an image obtained with the optical microscope. When change in the number of tracks and their shapes were observed through stepwise etching, the track expanded as the etching time increased. In addition, the etching rate was slower for large tracks than those for small tracks. This implied that the AFM can be used to observe etching of zircons with different degrees of nuclear fission damage. A track that could not be seen with the optical microscope due to insufficient etching could be observed by

  12. Imaging properties and its improvements of scanning/imaging x-ray microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Akihisa; Uesugi, Kentaro; Suzuki, Yoshio

    2016-01-01

    A scanning / imaging X-ray microscope (SIXM) system has been developed at SPring-8. The SIXM consists of a scanning X-ray microscope with a one-dimensional (1D) X-ray focusing device and an imaging (full-field) X-ray microscope with a 1D X-ray objective. The motivation of the SIXM system is to realize a quantitative and highly-sensitive multimodal 3D X-ray tomography by taking advantages of both the scanning X-ray microscope using multi-pixel detector and the imaging X-ray microscope. Data acquisition process of a 2D image is completely different between in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction; a 1D signal is obtained with the linear-scanning while the other dimensional signal is obtained with the imaging optics. Such condition have caused a serious problem on the imaging properties that the imaging quality in the vertical direction has been much worse than that in the horizontal direction. In this paper, two approaches to solve this problem will be presented. One is introducing a Fourier transform method for phase retrieval from one phase derivative image, and the other to develop and employ a 1D diffuser to produce an asymmetrical coherent illumination

  13. High frequency write head measurement with the phase detection magnetic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abe, M.; Tanaka, Y.

    2001-01-01

    We demonstrated the measurement of the high frequency (HF) magnetic field of a write head with the phase detection magnetic force microscope. An amplitude-modulated current was applied to the head coil to detect the force gradient induced by the HF magnetic field. Spatial resolution of this method was higher than that of the deflection detection method previously proposed. By the phase detection method, dynamic HF magnetic fields at the poles of the write heads were clearly imaged. HF magnetic field leakage was observed along the P2 pole shape on the air-bearing surface. The frequency dependence of the write head dynamics up to 350 MHz was also investigated. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

  14. Optical forces, torques, and force densities calculated at a microscopic level using a self-consistent hydrodynamics method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Kun; Chan, C. T.

    2018-04-01

    The calculation of optical force density distribution inside a material is challenging at the nanoscale, where quantum and nonlocal effects emerge and macroscopic parameters such as permittivity become ill-defined. We demonstrate that the microscopic optical force density of nanoplasmonic systems can be defined and calculated using the microscopic fields generated using a self-consistent hydrodynamics model that includes quantum, nonlocal, and retardation effects. We demonstrate this technique by calculating the microscopic optical force density distributions and the optical binding force induced by external light on nanoplasmonic dimers. This approach works even in the limit when the nanoparticles are close enough to each other so that electron tunneling occurs, a regime in which classical electromagnetic approach fails completely. We discover that an uneven distribution of optical force density can lead to a light-induced spinning torque acting on individual particles. The hydrodynamics method offers us an accurate and efficient approach to study optomechanical behavior for plasmonic systems at the nanoscale.

  15. Athermalization in atomic force microscope based force spectroscopy using matched microstructure coupling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torun, H; Finkler, O; Degertekin, F L

    2009-07-01

    The authors describe a method for athermalization in atomic force microscope (AFM) based force spectroscopy applications using microstructures that thermomechanically match the AFM probes. The method uses a setup where the AFM probe is coupled with the matched structure and the displacements of both structures are read out simultaneously. The matched structure displaces with the AFM probe as temperature changes, thus the force applied to the sample can be kept constant without the need for a separate feedback loop for thermal drift compensation, and the differential signal can be used to cancel the shift in zero-force level of the AFM.

  16. Atomic force microscopic neutron-induced alpha-autoradiography for boron imaging in detailed cellular histology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amemiya, K.; Takahashi, H.; Fujita, K.; Nakazawa, M.; Yanagie, H.; Eriguchi, M.; Nakagawa, Y.; Sakurai, Y.

    2006-01-01

    The information on subcellular microdistribution of 10 B compounds a cell is significant to evaluate the efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) because the damage brought by the released alpha/lithium particles is highly localized along their path, and radiation sensitivity is quite different among each cell organelles. In neutron-induced alpha-autoradiography (NIAR) technique, 10 B can be measured as tracks for the energetic charged particles from 10 B(n, alpha) 7 Li reactions in solid state track detectors. To perform the NIAR at intracellular structure level for research of 10 B uptake and/or microdosimetry in BNCT, we have developed high-resolution NIAR method with an atomic force microscope (AFM). AFM has been used for analyses of biological specimens such as proteins, DNAs and surface of living cells have, however, intracellular detailed histology of cells has been hardly resolved with AFM since flat surface of sectioned tissue has quite less topographical contrast among each organelle. In our new sample preparation method using UV processing, materials that absorb UV in a semi-thin section are selectively eroded and vaporized by UV exposure, and then fine relief for cellular organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, filament structure and so on reveals on flat surface of the section, which can be observed with an AFM. The imaging resolution was comparable to TEM imaging of cells. This new method provides fast and cost-effective observation of histological sections with an AFM. Combining this method with NIAR technique, intracellular boron mapping would be possible. (author)

  17. A control approach to cross-coupling compensation of piezotube scanners in tapping-mode atomic force microscope imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ying; Shi, Jian; Su, Chanmin; Zou, Qingze

    2009-04-01

    In this article, an approach based on the recently developed inversion-based iterative control (IIC) to cancel the cross-axis coupling effect of piezoelectric tube scanners (piezoscanners) in tapping-mode atomic force microscope (AFM) imaging is proposed. Cross-axis coupling effect generally exists in piezoscanners used for three-dimensional (x-y-z axes) nanopositioning in applications such as AFM, where the vertical z-axis movement can be generated by the lateral x-y axes scanning. Such x/y-to-z cross-coupling becomes pronounced when the scanning is at large range and/or at high speed. In AFM applications, the coupling-caused position errors, when large, can generate various adverse effects, including large imaging and topography distortions, and damage of the cantilever probe and/or the sample. This paper utilizes the IIC technique to obtain the control input to precisely track the coupling-caused x/y-to-z displacement (with sign-flipped). Then the obtained input is augmented as a feedforward control to the existing feedback control in tapping-mode imaging, resulting in the cancellation of the coupling effect. The proposed approach is illustrated through two exemplary applications in industry, the pole-tip recession examination, and the nanoasperity measurement on hard-disk drive. Experimental results show that the x/y-to-z coupling effect in large-range (20 and 45 microm) tapping-mode imaging at both low to high scan rates (2, 12.2 to 24.4 Hz) can be effectively removed.

  18. Indirect identification and compensation of lateral scanner resonances in atomic force microscopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burns, D J; Youcef-Toumi, K; Fantner, G E

    2011-01-01

    Improving the imaging speed of atomic force microscopy (AFM) requires accurate nanopositioning at high speeds. However, high speed operation excites resonances in the AFM's mechanical scanner that can distort the image, and therefore typical users of commercial AFMs elect to operate microscopes at speeds below which scanner resonances are observed. Although traditional robust feedforward controllers and input shaping have proven effective at minimizing the influence of scanner distortions, the lack of direct measurement and use of model-based controllers have required disassembling the microscope to access lateral scanner motion with external sensors in order to perform a full system identification experiment, which places excessive demands on routine microscope operators. Further, since the lightly damped instrument dynamics often change from experiment to experiment, model-based controllers designed from offline system identification experiments must trade off high speed performance for robustness to modeling errors. This work represents a new way to automatically characterize the lateral scanner dynamics without addition of lateral sensors, and shape the commanded input signals in such a way that disturbing dynamics are not excited. Scanner coupling between the lateral and out-of-plane directions is exploited and used to build a minimal model of the scanner that is also sufficient to describe the nature of the distorting resonances. This model informs the design of an online input shaper used to suppress spectral components of the high speed command signals. The method presented is distinct from alternative approaches in that neither an information-complete system identification experiment nor microscope modification are required. Because the system identification is performed online immediately before imaging, no tradeoff of performance is required. This approach has enabled an increase in the scan rates of unmodified commercial AFMs from 1-4 lines s -1 to over

  19. Quantitative methods for the analysis of electron microscope images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skands, Peter Ulrik Vallø

    1996-01-01

    The topic of this thesis is an general introduction to quantitative methods for the analysis of digital microscope images. The images presented are primarily been acquired from Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM) and interfermeter microscopes (IFM). The topic is approached though several examples...... foundation of the thesis fall in the areas of: 1) Mathematical Morphology; 2) Distance transforms and applications; and 3) Fractal geometry. Image analysis opens in general the possibility of a quantitative and statistical well founded measurement of digital microscope images. Herein lies also the conditions...

  20. Optimization of Easy Atomic Force Microscope (ezAFM) Controls for Semiconductor Nanostructure Profiling

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-01

    ARL-MR-0965 ● SEP 2017 US Army Research Laboratory Optimization of Easy Atomic Force Microscope (ezAFM) Controls for... Optimization of Easy Atomic Force Microscope (ezAFM) Controls for Semiconductor Nanostructure Profiling by Satwik Bisoi Science and...REPORT TYPE Memorandum Report 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 2017 July 05–2017 August 18 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Optimization of Easy Atomic Force

  1. Improved Scanners for Microscopic Hyperspectral Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Chengye

    2009-01-01

    Improved scanners to be incorporated into hyperspectral microscope-based imaging systems have been invented. Heretofore, in microscopic imaging, including spectral imaging, it has been customary to either move the specimen relative to the optical assembly that includes the microscope or else move the entire assembly relative to the specimen. It becomes extremely difficult to control such scanning when submicron translation increments are required, because the high magnification of the microscope enlarges all movements in the specimen image on the focal plane. To overcome this difficulty, in a system based on this invention, no attempt would be made to move either the specimen or the optical assembly. Instead, an objective lens would be moved within the assembly so as to cause translation of the image at the focal plane: the effect would be equivalent to scanning in the focal plane. The upper part of the figure depicts a generic proposed microscope-based hyperspectral imaging system incorporating the invention. The optical assembly of this system would include an objective lens (normally, a microscope objective lens) and a charge-coupled-device (CCD) camera. The objective lens would be mounted on a servomotor-driven translation stage, which would be capable of moving the lens in precisely controlled increments, relative to the camera, parallel to the focal-plane scan axis. The output of the CCD camera would be digitized and fed to a frame grabber in a computer. The computer would store the frame-grabber output for subsequent viewing and/or processing of images. The computer would contain a position-control interface board, through which it would control the servomotor. There are several versions of the invention. An essential feature common to all versions is that the stationary optical subassembly containing the camera would also contain a spatial window, at the focal plane of the objective lens, that would pass only a selected portion of the image. In one version

  2. Towards vortex imaging with scanning tunneling microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fuchs, Dan T.

    1994-02-01

    A low temperature, Besocke beetle type scanning tunneling microscope, with a scan range of 10 by 10 microns was built. The scanning tunneling microscope was calibrates for various temperatures and tested on several samples. Gold monolayers evaporated at 400 deg C were resolved and their dynamic behavior observed. Atomic resolution images of graphite were obtained. The scanning tunneling microscope was designed for future applications of vortex imaging in superconductors. The special design considerations for this application are discussed and the physics underlying it reviewed. (author)

  3. Image processing for HTS SQUID probe microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, T.; Koetitz, R.; Itozaki, H.; Ishikawa, T.; Kawabe, U.

    2005-01-01

    An HTS SQUID probe microscope has been developed using a high-permeability needle to enable high spatial resolution measurement of samples in air even at room temperature. Image processing techniques have also been developed to improve the magnetic field images obtained from the microscope. Artifacts in the data occur due to electromagnetic interference from electric power lines, line drift and flux trapping. The electromagnetic interference could successfully be removed by eliminating the noise peaks from the power spectrum of fast Fourier transforms of line scans of the image. The drift between lines was removed by interpolating the mean field value of each scan line. Artifacts in line scans occurring due to flux trapping or unexpected noise were removed by the detection of a sharp drift and interpolation using the line data of neighboring lines. Highly detailed magnetic field images were obtained from the HTS SQUID probe microscope by the application of these image processing techniques

  4. Cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry microscope mode mass spectrometry imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiss, András; Smith, Donald F; Jungmann, Julia H; Heeren, Ron M A

    2013-12-30

    Microscope mode imaging for secondary ion mass spectrometry is a technique with the promise of simultaneous high spatial resolution and high-speed imaging of biomolecules from complex surfaces. Technological developments such as new position-sensitive detectors, in combination with polyatomic primary ion sources, are required to exploit the full potential of microscope mode mass spectrometry imaging, i.e. to efficiently push the limits of ultra-high spatial resolution, sample throughput and sensitivity. In this work, a C60 primary source was combined with a commercial mass microscope for microscope mode secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging. The detector setup is a pixelated detector from the Medipix/Timepix family with high-voltage post-acceleration capabilities. The system's mass spectral and imaging performance is tested with various benchmark samples and thin tissue sections. The high secondary ion yield (with respect to 'traditional' monatomic primary ion sources) of the C60 primary ion source and the increased sensitivity of the high voltage detector setup improve microscope mode secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging. The analysis time and the signal-to-noise ratio are improved compared with other microscope mode imaging systems, all at high spatial resolution. We have demonstrated the unique capabilities of a C60 ion microscope with a Timepix detector for high spatial resolution microscope mode secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. IMIS: An intelligence microscope imaging system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caputo, Michael; Hunter, Norwood; Taylor, Gerald

    1994-01-01

    Until recently microscope users in space relied on traditional microscopy techniques that required manual operation of the microscope and recording of observations in the form of written notes, drawings, or photographs. This method was time consuming and required the return of film and drawings from space for analysis. No real-time data analysis was possible. Advances in digital and video technologies along with recent developments in article intelligence will allow future space microscopists to have a choice of three additional modes of microscopy: remote coaching, remote control, and automation. Remote coaching requires manual operations of the microscope with instructions given by two-way audio/video transmission during critical phases of the experiment. When using the remote mode of microscopy, the Principal Investigator controls the microscope from the ground. The automated mode employs artificial intelligence to control microscope functions and is the only mode that can be operated in the other three modes as well. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the four modes of of microscopy and how the IMIS, a proposed intelligent microscope imaging system, can be used as a model for developing and testing concepts, operating procedures, and equipment design of specifications required to provide a comprehensive microscopy/imaging capability onboard Space Station Freedom.

  6. A variable-temperature nanostencil compatible with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steurer, Wolfram; Gross, Leo; Schlittler, Reto R.; Meyer, Gerhard

    2014-01-01

    We describe a nanostencil lithography tool capable of operating at variable temperatures down to 30 K. The setup is compatible with a combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope located within the same ultra-high-vacuum apparatus. The lateral movement capability of the mask allows the patterning of complex structures. To demonstrate operational functionality of the tool and estimate temperature drift and blurring, we fabricated LiF and NaCl nanostructures on Cu(111) at 77 K

  7. A variable-temperature nanostencil compatible with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Steurer, Wolfram, E-mail: wst@zurich.ibm.com; Gross, Leo; Schlittler, Reto R.; Meyer, Gerhard [IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon (Switzerland)

    2014-02-15

    We describe a nanostencil lithography tool capable of operating at variable temperatures down to 30 K. The setup is compatible with a combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope located within the same ultra-high-vacuum apparatus. The lateral movement capability of the mask allows the patterning of complex structures. To demonstrate operational functionality of the tool and estimate temperature drift and blurring, we fabricated LiF and NaCl nanostructures on Cu(111) at 77 K.

  8. A variable-temperature nanostencil compatible with a low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steurer, Wolfram; Gross, Leo; Schlittler, Reto R; Meyer, Gerhard

    2014-02-01

    We describe a nanostencil lithography tool capable of operating at variable temperatures down to 30 K. The setup is compatible with a combined low-temperature scanning tunneling microscope/atomic force microscope located within the same ultra-high-vacuum apparatus. The lateral movement capability of the mask allows the patterning of complex structures. To demonstrate operational functionality of the tool and estimate temperature drift and blurring, we fabricated LiF and NaCl nanostructures on Cu(111) at 77 K.

  9. A Cost-Effective Atomic Force Microscope for Undergraduate Control Laboratories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jones, C. N.; Goncalves, J.

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents a simple, cost-effective and robust atomic force microscope (AFM), which has been purposely designed and built for use as a teaching aid in undergraduate controls labs. The guiding design principle is to have all components be open and visible to the students, so the inner functioning of the microscope has been made clear to…

  10. Adaptive optical microscope for brain imaging in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai

    2017-04-01

    The optical heterogeneity of biological tissue imposes a major limitation to acquire detailed structural and functional information deep in the biological specimens using conventional microscopes. To restore optimal imaging performance, we developed an adaptive optical microscope based on direct wavefront sensing technique. This microscope can reliably measure and correct biological samples induced aberration. We demonstrated its performance and application in structural and functional brain imaging in various animal models, including fruit fly, zebrafish and mouse.

  11. Large Scale Scanning Probe Microscope "Making Shear Force Scanning visible."

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bosma, E.; Offerhaus, Herman L.; van der Veen, Jan T.; van der Veen, J.T.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Wessel, I.M.

    2010-01-01

    We describe a demonstration of a scanning probe microscope with shear-force tuning fork feedback. The tuning fork is several centimeters long, and the rigid fiber is replaced by a toothpick. By scaling this demonstration to visible dimensions the accessibility of shear-force scanning and tuning fork

  12. Atomic force microscope characterization of a resonating nanocantilever

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Abadal, G.; Davis, Zachary James; Borrise, X.

    2003-01-01

    An atomic force microscope (AFM) is used as a nanometer-scale resolution tool for the characterization of the electromechanical behaviour of a resonant cantilever-based mass sensor. The cantilever is actuated electrostatically by applying DC and AC voltages from a driver electrode placed closely...

  13. A subsurface add-on for standard atomic force microscopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Verbiest, G. J., E-mail: Verbiest@physik.rwth-aachen.de [JARA-FIT and II. Institute of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen (Germany); Zalm, D. J. van der; Oosterkamp, T. H.; Rost, M. J., E-mail: Rost@physics.leidenuniv.nl [Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands)

    2015-03-15

    The application of ultrasound in an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) gives access to subsurface information. However, no commercially AFM exists that is equipped with this technique. The main problems are the electronic crosstalk in the AFM setup and the insufficiently strong excitation of the cantilever at ultrasonic (MHz) frequencies. In this paper, we describe the development of an add-on that provides a solution to these problems by using a special piezo element with a lowest resonance frequency of 2.5 MHz and by separating the electronic connection for this high frequency piezo element from all other connections. In this sense, we support researches with the possibility to perform subsurface measurements with their existing AFMs and hopefully pave also the way for the development of a commercial AFM that is capable of imaging subsurface features with nanometer resolution.

  14. Scanning laser microscope for imaging nanostructured superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishida, Takekazu; Arai, Kohei; Akita, Yukio; Miyanari, Mitsunori; Minami, Yusuke; Yotsuya, Tsutomu; Kato, Masaru; Satoh, Kazuo; Uno, Mayumi; Shimakage, Hisashi; Miki, Shigehito; Wang, Zhen

    2010-01-01

    The nanofabrication of superconductors yields various interesting features in superconducting properties. A variety of different imaging techniques have been developed for probing the local superconducting profiles. A scanning pulsed laser microscope has been developed by the combination of the XYZ piezo-driven stages and an optical fiber with an aspheric focusing lens. The scanning laser microscope is used to understand the position-dependent properties of a superconducting MgB 2 stripline of length 100 μm and width of 3 μm under constant bias current. Our results show that the superconducting stripline can clearly be seen in the contour image of the scanning laser microscope on the signal voltage. It is suggested from the observed image that the inhomogeneity is relevant in specifying the operating conditions such as detection efficiency of the sensor.

  15. Scanning laser microscope for imaging nanostructured superconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishida, Takekazu; Arai, Kohei; Akita, Yukio; Miyanari, Mitsunori; Minami, Yusuke; Yotsuya, Tsutomu; Kato, Masaru; Satoh, Kazuo; Uno, Mayumi; Shimakage, Hisashi; Miki, Shigehito; Wang, Zhen

    2010-10-01

    The nanofabrication of superconductors yields various interesting features in superconducting properties. A variety of different imaging techniques have been developed for probing the local superconducting profiles. A scanning pulsed laser microscope has been developed by the combination of the XYZ piezo-driven stages and an optical fiber with an aspheric focusing lens. The scanning laser microscope is used to understand the position-dependent properties of a superconducting MgB 2 stripline of length 100 μm and width of 3 μm under constant bias current. Our results show that the superconducting stripline can clearly be seen in the contour image of the scanning laser microscope on the signal voltage. It is suggested from the observed image that the inhomogeneity is relevant in specifying the operating conditions such as detection efficiency of the sensor.

  16. Multi-compartment microscopic diffusion imaging

    OpenAIRE

    Kaden, Enrico; Kelm, Nathaniel D.; Carson, Robert P.; Does, Mark D.; Alexander, Daniel C.

    2016-01-01

    This paper introduces a multi-compartment model for microscopic diffusion anisotropy imaging. The aim is to estimate microscopic features specific to the intra- and extra-neurite compartments in nervous tissue unconfounded by the effects of fibre crossings and orientation dispersion, which are ubiquitous in the brain. The proposed MRI method is based on the Spherical Mean Technique (SMT), which factors out the neurite orientation distribution and thus provides direct estimates of the microsco...

  17. Method for lateral force calibration in atomic force microscope using MEMS microforce sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dziekoński, Cezary; Dera, Wojciech; Jarząbek, Dariusz M

    2017-11-01

    In this paper we present a simple and direct method for the lateral force calibration constant determination. Our procedure does not require any knowledge about material or geometrical parameters of an investigated cantilever. We apply a commercially available microforce sensor with advanced electronics for direct measurement of the friction force applied by the cantilever's tip to a flat surface of the microforce sensor measuring beam. Due to the third law of dynamics, the friction force of the equal value tilts the AFM cantilever. Therefore, torsional (lateral force) signal is compared with the signal from the microforce sensor and the lateral force calibration constant is determined. The method is easy to perform and could be widely used for the lateral force calibration constant determination in many types of atomic force microscopes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Atomic force microscope with integrated optical microscope for biological applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putman, Constant A.J.; Putman, C.A.J.; van der Werf, Kees; de Grooth, B.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Greve, Jan

    1992-01-01

    Since atomic force microscopy (AFM) is capable of imaging nonconducting surfaces, the technique holds great promises for high‐resolution imaging of biological specimens. A disadvantage of most AFMs is the fact that the relatively large sample surface has to be scanned multiple times to pinpoint a

  19. Electromechanical Characterization of Single GaN Nanobelt Probed with Conductive Atomic Force Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, X. Y.; Peng, J. F.; Yan, S. A.; Zheng, X. J.

    2018-04-01

    The electromechanical characterization of the field effect transistor based on a single GaN nanobelt was performed under different loading forces by using a conductive atomic force microscope (C-AFM), and the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH) and ideality factor are simulated by the thermionic emission model. From 2-D current image, the high value of the current always appears on the nanobelt edge with the increase of the loading force less than 15 nN. The localized (I-V) characteristic reveals a typical rectifying property, and the current significantly increases with the loading force at the range of 10-190 nN. The ideality factor is simulated as 9.8 within the scope of GaN nano-Schottky diode unity (6.5-18), therefore the thermionic emission current is dominant in the electrical transport of the GaN-tip Schottky junction. The SBH is changed through the piezoelectric effect induced by the loading force, and it is attributed to the enhanced current. Furthermore, a single GaN nanobelt has a high mechanical-induced current ratio that could be made use of in a nanoelectromechanical switch.

  20. Electrostatic force microscopy: imaging DNA and protein polarizations one by one

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mikamo-Satoh, Eriko; Yamada, Fumihiko; Takagi, Akihiko; Matsumoto, Takuya; Kawai, Tomoji

    2009-01-01

    We present electrostatic force microscopy images of double-stranded DNA and transcription complex on an insulating mica substrate obtained with molecular resolution using a frequency-mode noncontact atomic force microscope. The electrostatic potential images show that both DNA and transcription complexes are polarized with an upward dipole moment. Potential differences of these molecules from the mica substrate enabled us to estimate dipole moments of isolated DNA and transcription complex in zero external field to be 0.027 D/base and 0.16 D/molecule, respectively. Scanning capacitance microscopy demonstrates characteristic contrast inversion between DNA and transcription complex images, indicating the difference in electric polarizability of these molecules. These findings indicate that the electrostatic properties of individual biological molecules can be imaged on an insulator substrate while retaining complex formation.

  1. The structure of cometary dust - first results from the MIDAS Atomic Force Microscope onboard Rosetta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, M. S.; Torkar, K.; Romstedt, J.

    2014-12-01

    A decade after launch the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft has finally arrived at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Unlike previous cometary missions, Rosetta is not a flyby, limited to taking a snapshot of the comet at a single heliocentric distance. Instead, Rosetta intercepted the comet prior to the onset of major activity and will chart its evolution during its perihelion passage and beyond. Such a unique mission requires a unique payload; as well as the more typical remote sensing instruments, Rosetta also carries sensors to sample in situ the gas and dust environment. One of these instruments is MIDAS, an atomic force microscope designed to collect dust and image it in three dimensions with nanometre resolution. Equipped with an array of sharp tips, four of which are magnetised to allow magnetic force microscopy, MIDAS exposes targets to the incident flux after which they are moved to the microscope for analysis. As well as extending coverage of the dust size distribution down to the finest particles, MIDAS has the unique capability to determine the shape of pristine particles - to determine, for example, if they are compact or fluffy, and to look for features which may be diagnostic of their formation environment or evolution. The magnetic mode lets MIDAS probe samples for magnetic material and to map its location if present. Having been operating almost continuously after hibernation imaging empty targets before exposure, the first exposures were performed when Rosetta entered 30 km bound orbits. The first MIDAS images and analyses of collected dust grains are presented here.

  2. Polarization resolved imaging with a reflection near-field optical microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Xiao, Mufei; Hvam, Jørn Märcher

    1999-01-01

    Using a rigorous microscopic point-dipole description of probe-sample interactions, we study imaging with a reflection scanning near-field optical microscope. Optical content, topographical artifacts, sensitivity window-i.e., the scale on which near-field optical images represent mainly optical...... configuration is preferable to the cross-linear one, since it ensures more isotropic (in the surface plane) near-field imaging of surface features. The numerical results are supported with experimental near-field images obtained by using a reflection microscope with an uncoated fiber tip....

  3. Design of a normal incidence multilayer imaging X-ray microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shealy, David L.; Gabardi, David R.; Hoover, Richard B.; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.; Lindblom, Joakim F.

    Normal incidence multilayer Cassegrain X-ray telescopes were flown on the Stanford/MSFC Rocket X-ray Spectroheliograph. These instruments produced high spatial resolution images of the sun and conclusively demonstrated that doubly reflecting multilayer X-ray optical systems are feasible. The images indicated that aplanatic imaging soft X-ray/EUV microscopes should be achievable using multilayer optics technology. A doubly reflecting normal incidence multilayer imaging X-ray microscope based on the Schwarzschild configuration has been designed. The design of the microscope and the results of the optical system ray trace analysis are discussed. High resolution aplanatic imaging X-ray microscopes using normal incidence multilayer X-ray mirrors should have many important applications in advanced X-ray astronomical instrumentation, X-ray lithography, biological, biomedical, metallurgical, and laser fusion research.

  4. Functionalization of gold and nanocrystalline diamond atomic force microscope tips for single molecule force spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drew, Michael E.

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) has fueled interest in nanotechnology because of its ability to image surfaces at the nanometer level and act as a molecular force sensor. Functionalization of the surface of an AFM tip surface in a stable, controlled manner expands the capabilities of the AFM and enables additional applications in the fields of single molecule force spectroscopy and nanolithography. Two AFM tip functionalizations are described: the assembly of tripodal molecular tips onto gold AFM tips and the photochemical attachment of terminal alkenes to nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) AFM tips. Two separate tripodal molecules with different linker lengths and a monopodal molecule terminated with biotin were synthesized to attach to a gold AFM tip for single molecule force spectroscopy. The immobilization of these molecules was examined by contact angle measurements, spectroscopic ellipsometry, infrared, and near edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy. All three molecules displayed rupture forces that agreed with previously reported values for the biotin--avidin rupture. The tripodal molecular tip displayed narrower distribution in their force histograms than the monopodal molecular tip. The performance of the tripodal molecular tip was compared to the monopodal molecular tip in single molecule force spectroscopy studies. Over repeated measurements, the distribution of forces for the monopodal molecular tip shifted to lower forces, whereas the distribution for the tripodal molecular tip remained constant throughout. Loading rate dependence and control experiments further indicated that the rupture forces of the tripod molecular tips were specific to the biotin--NeutrAvidin interaction. The second functionalization method used the photochemical attachment of undecylenic acid to NCD AFM tips. The photochemical attachment of undecylenic acid to hydrogen-terminated NCD wafer surfaces was investigated by contact angle measurements, x

  5. Imaging arrangement and microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pertsinidis, Alexandros; Chu, Steven

    2015-12-15

    An embodiment of the present invention is an imaging arrangement that includes imaging optics, a fiducial light source, and a control system. In operation, the imaging optics separate light into first and second tight by wavelength and project the first and second light onto first and second areas within first and second detector regions, respectively. The imaging optics separate fiducial light from the fiducial light source into first and second fiducial light and project the first and second fiducial light onto third and fourth areas within the first and second detector regions, respectively. The control system adjusts alignment of the imaging optics so that the first and second fiducial light projected onto the first and second detector regions maintain relatively constant positions within the first and second detector regions, respectively. Another embodiment of the present invention is a microscope that includes the imaging arrangement.

  6. Near field plasmon and force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Hollander, R.B.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Kooyman, R.P.H.

    1995-01-01

    A scanning plasmon near field optical microscope (SPNM) is presented which combines a conventional far field surface plasmon microscope with a stand-alone atomic force microscope (AFM). Near field plasmon and force images are recorded simultaneously both with a lateral resolution limited by the

  7. Harmonic and power balance tools for tapping-mode atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sebastian, A.; Salapaka, M. V.; Chen, D. J.; Cleveland, J. P.

    2001-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful tool for investigating surfaces at atomic scales. Harmonic balance and power balance techniques are introduced to analyze the tapping-mode dynamics of the atomic force microscope. The harmonic balance perspective explains observations hitherto unexplained in the AFM literature. A nonconservative model for the cantilever - sample interaction is developed. The energy dissipation in the sample is studied and the resulting power balance equations combined with the harmonic balance equations are used to estimate the model parameters. Experimental results confirm that the harmonic and power balance tools can be used effectively to predict the behavior of the tapping cantilever. [copyright] 2001 American Institute of Physics

  8. Remote Histology Learning from Static versus Dynamic Microscopic Images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mione, Sylvia; Valcke, Martin; Cornelissen, Maria

    2016-01-01

    Histology is the study of microscopic structures in normal tissue sections. Curriculum redesign in medicine has led to a decrease in the use of optical microscopes during practical classes. Other imaging solutions have been implemented to facilitate remote learning. With advancements in imaging technologies, learning material can now be digitized.…

  9. Chromatin Structure in Bands and Interbands of Polytene Chromosomes Imaged by Atomic Force Microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Grauw, C.J.; de Grauw, C.J.; Avogadro, A.; van den Heuvel, D.J.; van den Heuvel, D.J.; van der Werf, Kees; Otto, Cornelis; Kraan, Yvonne M.; van Hulst, N.F.; Greve, Jan

    1998-01-01

    Polytene chromosomes from Drosophila melanogaster, observed from squash preparations, and chromosomes from Chironomus thummi thummi, investigated under physiological conditions, are imaged using an Atomic Force Microscope. Various chromatin fiber structures can be observed with high detail in fixed

  10. System modelling of a lateral force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michal, Guillaume; Lu, Cheng; Kiet Tieu, A

    2008-01-01

    To quantitatively analyse lateral force microscope measurements one needs to develop a model able to relate the photodiode signal to the force acting on the tip apex. In this paper we focus on the modelling of the interaction between the cantilever and the optical chain. The laser beam is discretized by a set of rays which propagates in the system. The analytical equation of a single ray's position on the optical sensor is presented as a function of the reflection's state on top of the cantilever. We use a finite element analysis on the cantilever to connect the optical model with the force acting on the tip apex. A first-order approximation of the constitutive equations are derived along with a definition of the system's crosstalk. Finally, the model is used to analytically simulate the 'wedge method' in the presence of crosstalk in 2D. The analysis shows how the torsion loop and torsion offset signals are affected by the crosstalk.

  11. Quantitative imaging with a mobile phone microscope.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arunan Skandarajah

    Full Text Available Use of optical imaging for medical and scientific applications requires accurate quantification of features such as object size, color, and brightness. High pixel density cameras available on modern mobile phones have made photography simple and convenient for consumer applications; however, the camera hardware and software that enables this simplicity can present a barrier to accurate quantification of image data. This issue is exacerbated by automated settings, proprietary image processing algorithms, rapid phone evolution, and the diversity of manufacturers. If mobile phone cameras are to live up to their potential to increase access to healthcare in low-resource settings, limitations of mobile phone-based imaging must be fully understood and addressed with procedures that minimize their effects on image quantification. Here we focus on microscopic optical imaging using a custom mobile phone microscope that is compatible with phones from multiple manufacturers. We demonstrate that quantitative microscopy with micron-scale spatial resolution can be carried out with multiple phones and that image linearity, distortion, and color can be corrected as needed. Using all versions of the iPhone and a selection of Android phones released between 2007 and 2012, we show that phones with greater than 5 MP are capable of nearly diffraction-limited resolution over a broad range of magnifications, including those relevant for single cell imaging. We find that automatic focus, exposure, and color gain standard on mobile phones can degrade image resolution and reduce accuracy of color capture if uncorrected, and we devise procedures to avoid these barriers to quantitative imaging. By accommodating the differences between mobile phone cameras and the scientific cameras, mobile phone microscopes can be reliably used to increase access to quantitative imaging for a variety of medical and scientific applications.

  12. Quantitative Imaging with a Mobile Phone Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skandarajah, Arunan; Reber, Clay D.; Switz, Neil A.; Fletcher, Daniel A.

    2014-01-01

    Use of optical imaging for medical and scientific applications requires accurate quantification of features such as object size, color, and brightness. High pixel density cameras available on modern mobile phones have made photography simple and convenient for consumer applications; however, the camera hardware and software that enables this simplicity can present a barrier to accurate quantification of image data. This issue is exacerbated by automated settings, proprietary image processing algorithms, rapid phone evolution, and the diversity of manufacturers. If mobile phone cameras are to live up to their potential to increase access to healthcare in low-resource settings, limitations of mobile phone–based imaging must be fully understood and addressed with procedures that minimize their effects on image quantification. Here we focus on microscopic optical imaging using a custom mobile phone microscope that is compatible with phones from multiple manufacturers. We demonstrate that quantitative microscopy with micron-scale spatial resolution can be carried out with multiple phones and that image linearity, distortion, and color can be corrected as needed. Using all versions of the iPhone and a selection of Android phones released between 2007 and 2012, we show that phones with greater than 5 MP are capable of nearly diffraction-limited resolution over a broad range of magnifications, including those relevant for single cell imaging. We find that automatic focus, exposure, and color gain standard on mobile phones can degrade image resolution and reduce accuracy of color capture if uncorrected, and we devise procedures to avoid these barriers to quantitative imaging. By accommodating the differences between mobile phone cameras and the scientific cameras, mobile phone microscopes can be reliably used to increase access to quantitative imaging for a variety of medical and scientific applications. PMID:24824072

  13. Microscopic validation of whole mouse micro-metastatic tumor imaging agents using cryo-imaging and sliding organ image registration

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Yiqiao; Zhou, Bo; Qutaish, Mohammed; Wilson, David L.

    2016-01-01

    We created a metastasis imaging, analysis platform consisting of software and multi-spectral cryo-imaging system suitable for evaluating emerging imaging agents targeting micro-metastatic tumor. We analyzed CREKA-Gd in MRI, followed by cryo-imaging which repeatedly sectioned and tiled microscope images of the tissue block face, providing anatomical bright field and molecular fluorescence, enabling 3D microscopic imaging of the entire mouse with single metastatic cell sensitivity. To register ...

  14. Morphological changes in textile fibres exposed to environmental stresses: atomic force microscopic examination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canetta, Elisabetta; Montiel, Kimberley; Adya, Ashok K

    2009-10-30

    The ability of the atomic force microscope (AFM) to investigate the nanoscopic morphological changes in the surfaces of fabrics was examined for the first time. This study focussed on two natural (cotton and wool), and a regenerated cellulose (viscose) textile fibres exposed to various environmental stresses for different lengths of times. Analyses of the AFM images allowed us to measure quantitatively the surface texture parameters of the environmentally stressed fabrics as a function of the exposure time. It was also possible to visualise at the nanoscale the finest details of the surfaces of three weathered fabrics and clearly distinguish between the detrimental effects of the imposed environmental conditions. This study confirmed that the AFM could become a very powerful tool in forensic examination of textile fibres to provide significant fibre evidence due to its capability of distinguishing between different environmental exposures or forced damages to fibres.

  15. An atomic force microscope nanoscalpel for nanolithography and biological applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beard, J D; Burbridge, D J; Moskalenko, A V; Dudko, O; Gordeev, S N [Department of Physics, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom); Yarova, P L; Smirnov, S V, E-mail: jdb28@bath.ac.u [Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (United Kingdom)

    2009-11-04

    We present the fabrication of specialized nanotools, termed nanoscalpels, and their application for nanolithography and nanomechanical manipulation of biological objects. Fabricated nanoscalpels have the shape of a thin blade with the controlled thickness of 20-30 nm and width of 100-200 nm. They were fabricated using electron beam induced deposition at the apex of atomic force microscope probes and are hard enough for a single cut to penetrate a {approx}45 nm thick gold layer; and thus can be used for making narrow electrode gaps required for fabrication of nanoelectronic devices. As an atomic force microscope-based technique the nanoscalpel provides simultaneous control of the applied cutting force and the depth of the cut. Using mammalian cells as an example, we demonstrated their ability to make narrow incisions and measurements of local elastic and inelastic characteristics of a cell, making nanoscalpels also useful as a nanosurgical tool in cell biology. Therefore, we believe that the nanoscalpel could serve as an important tool for nanofabrication and nanosurgery on biological objects.

  16. Capillary force on a tilted cylinder: Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosgodagan Acharige, Sébastien; Laurent, Justine; Steinberger, Audrey

    2017-11-01

    The capillary force in situations where the liquid meniscus is asymmetric, such as the one around a tilted object, has been hitherto barely investigated even though these situations are very common in practice. In particular, the capillary force exerted on a tilted object may depend on the dipping angle i. We investigate experimentally the capillary force that applies on a tilted cylinder as a function of its dipping angle i, using a home-built tilting Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) with custom made probes. A micrometric-size rod is glued at the end of an AFM cantilever of known stiffness, whose deflection is measured when the cylindrical probe is dipped in and retracted from reference liquids. We show that a torque correction is necessary to understand the measured deflection. We give the explicit expression of this correction as a function of the probes' geometrical parameters, so that its magnitude can be readily evaluated. The results are compatible with a vertical capillary force varying as 1/cosi, in agreement with a recent theoretical prediction. Finally, we discuss the accuracy of the method for measuring the surface tension times the cosine of the contact angle of the liquid on the probe. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Microscopic hyperspectral imaging studies of normal and diabetic retina of rats

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2008-01-01

    A microscopic hyperspectral imager was developed based on the microscopic technology and the spectral imaging technology. Some microscopic hyperspectral images of retina sections of the normal, the diabetic, and the treated rats were collected by the new imager. Single-band images and pseudo-color images of each group were obtained and the typical transmittance spectrums were ex-tracted. The results showed that the transmittance of outer nuclear layer cells of the diabetic group was generally higher than that of the normal. A small absorption peak appeared near the 180th band in the spectrum of the diabetic group and this peak weakened or disappeared in the spectrum of the treated group. Our findings indicate that the microscopic hyperspectral images include wealthy information of retina sections which is helpful for the ophthalmologist to reveal the pathogenesis of diabetic reti-nopathy and explore the therapeutic effect of drugs.

  18. A compact atomic force-scanning tunneling microscope for studying microelectronics and environmental aerosols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, G.

    1996-06-01

    This dissertation describes the characteristics and the construction of a compact atomic force/scanning tunneling microscope (AFM/STM). The basics and the method of preparing a tunneling junction between a chemically etched tunneling tip and a micro-manufactured cantilever is outlined by analyzing the forces between tunneling tip and cantilever as well as between force-sensing tip and sample surfaces. To our best knowledge this instrument is the first one using a commercial cantilever with only one piezoelectric tube carrying the whole tunneling sensor. The feedback control system has been optimized after a careful analysis of the electronic loop characteristics. The mode of operation has been determined by analyzing the dynamic characteristics of the scan heads and by investigating the time characteristics of the data acquisition system. The vibration isolation system has been calibrated by analyzing the characteristics of the damping setup and the stiffness of the scan head. The calculated results agree well with the measured ones. Also, a software package for data acquisition and real time display as well as for image processing and three-dimensional visualization has been developed. With this home-made software package, the images can be processed by means of a convolution filter, a Wiener filter and other 2-D FFT filters, and can be displayed in different ways. Atomic resolution images of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and graphite surfaces have been obtained in AFM and STM mode. New theoretical explanations have been given for the observed anomalous STM and AFM images of graphite by calculating the asymmetric distribution of quantum conductance and tip-surface forces on a graphite surface. This not only resolved the theoretical puzzles of STM and AFM of graphite, but also revealed the relation between atomic force microscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy of graphite. Applications of STM and AFM to micro-electronic devices have been investigated

  19. Mechanically stable tuning fork sensor with high quality factor for the atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kwangyoon; Park, Jun-Young; Kim, K B; Lee, Naesung; Seo, Yongho

    2014-01-01

    A quartz tuning fork was used instead of cantilever as a force sensor for the atomic force microscope. A tungsten tip was made by electrochemical etching from a wire of 50 µm diameter. In order to have mechanical stability of the tuning fork, it was attached on an alumina plate. The tungsten tip was attached on the inside end of a prong of a tuning fork. The phase shift was used as a feedback signal to control the distance between the tip and sample, and the amplitude was kept constant using a lock-in amplifier and a homemade automatic gain controller. Due to the mechanical stability, the sensor shows a high quality factor (∼10(3)), and the image quality obtained with this sensor was equivalent to that of the cantilever-based AFM. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Midinfrared absorption measured at a lambda/400 resolution with an atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Houel, Julien; Homeyer, Estelle; Sauvage, Sébastien; Boucaud, Philippe; Dazzi, Alexandre; Prazeres, Rui; Ortéga, Jean-Michel

    2009-06-22

    Midinfrared absorption can be locally measured using a detection combining an atomic force microscope and a pulsed excitation. This is illustrated for the midinfrared bulk GaAs phonon absorption and for the midinfrared absorption of thin SiO(2) microdisks. We show that the signal given by the cantilever oscillation amplitude of the atomic force microscope follows the spectral dependence of the bulk material absorption. The absorption spatial resolution achieved with microdisks is around 50 nanometer for an optical excitation around 22 micrometer wavelength.

  1. Imaging the Microscopic Structure of Shear Thinning and Thickening Colloidal Suspensions

    KAUST Repository

    Cheng, X.

    2011-09-01

    The viscosity of colloidal suspensions varies with shear rate, an important effect encountered in many natural and industrial processes. Although this non-Newtonian behavior is believed to arise from the arrangement of suspended particles and their mutual interactions, microscopic particle dynamics are difficult to measure. By combining fast confocal microscopy with simultaneous force measurements, we systematically investigate a suspension\\'s structure as it transitions through regimes of different flow signatures. Our measurements of the microscopic single-particle dynamics show that shear thinning results from the decreased relative contribution of entropic forces and that shear thickening arises from particle clustering induced by hydrodynamic lubrication forces. This combination of techniques illustrates an approach that complements current methods for determining the microscopic origins of non-Newtonian flow behavior in complex fluids.

  2. Automated image analysis of atomic force microscopy images of rotavirus particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkataraman, S.; Allison, D.P.; Qi, H.; Morrell-Falvey, J.L.; Kallewaard, N.L.; Crowe, J.E.; Doktycz, M.J.

    2006-01-01

    A variety of biological samples can be imaged by the atomic force microscope (AFM) under environments that range from vacuum to ambient to liquid. Generally imaging is pursued to evaluate structural features of the sample or perhaps identify some structural changes in the sample that are induced by the investigator. In many cases, AFM images of sample features and induced structural changes are interpreted in general qualitative terms such as markedly smaller or larger, rougher, highly irregular, or smooth. Various manual tools can be used to analyze images and extract more quantitative data, but this is usually a cumbersome process. To facilitate quantitative AFM imaging, automated image analysis routines are being developed. Viral particles imaged in water were used as a test case to develop an algorithm that automatically extracts average dimensional information from a large set of individual particles. The extracted information allows statistical analyses of the dimensional characteristics of the particles and facilitates interpretation related to the binding of the particles to the surface. This algorithm is being extended for analysis of other biological samples and physical objects that are imaged by AFM

  3. Automated image analysis of atomic force microscopy images of rotavirus particles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Venkataraman, S. [Life Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Allison, D.P. [Life Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Department of Biochemistry, Cellular, and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Molecular Imaging Inc. Tempe, AZ, 85282 (United States); Qi, H. [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996 (United States); Morrell-Falvey, J.L. [Life Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States); Kallewaard, N.L. [Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2905 (United States); Crowe, J.E. [Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232-2905 (United States); Doktycz, M.J. [Life Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831 (United States)]. E-mail: doktyczmj@ornl.gov

    2006-06-15

    A variety of biological samples can be imaged by the atomic force microscope (AFM) under environments that range from vacuum to ambient to liquid. Generally imaging is pursued to evaluate structural features of the sample or perhaps identify some structural changes in the sample that are induced by the investigator. In many cases, AFM images of sample features and induced structural changes are interpreted in general qualitative terms such as markedly smaller or larger, rougher, highly irregular, or smooth. Various manual tools can be used to analyze images and extract more quantitative data, but this is usually a cumbersome process. To facilitate quantitative AFM imaging, automated image analysis routines are being developed. Viral particles imaged in water were used as a test case to develop an algorithm that automatically extracts average dimensional information from a large set of individual particles. The extracted information allows statistical analyses of the dimensional characteristics of the particles and facilitates interpretation related to the binding of the particles to the surface. This algorithm is being extended for analysis of other biological samples and physical objects that are imaged by AFM.

  4. Scratch direction and threshold force in nanoscale scratching using atomic force microscopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tseng, Ampere A., E-mail: ampere.tseng@asu.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Kuo, Chung-Feng Jeffrey; Jou, Shyankay [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 106, Taiwan (China); Nishimura, Shinya; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 184-8588 (Japan)

    2011-09-01

    The nanoscaled tip in an AFM (atomic force microscope) has become an effective scratching tool for material removing in nanofabrication. In this article, the characteristics of using a diamond-coated pyramidal tip to scratch Ni-Fe thin film surfaces was experimentally investigated with the focus on the evaluation of the influence of the scratch or scan direction on the final shape of the scratched geometry as well as the applied scratch force. Results indicated that both the scratched profile and the scratch force were greatly affected by the scratch direction. It has been found that, to minimize the formation of protuberances along the groove sides and to have a better control of the scratched geometry, the tip face should be perpendicular to the scratching direction, which is also known as orthogonal cutting condition. To demonstrate the present findings, three groove patterns have been scratched with the tip face perpendicular to the scratching direction and very little amount of protuberances was observed. The threshold scratch force was also predicted based on the Hertz contact theory. Without considering the surface friction and adhesive forces between the tip and substrate, the threshold force predicted was twice smaller than the measurement value. Finally, recommendations for technical improvement and research focuses are provided.

  5. Scratch direction and threshold force in nanoscale scratching using atomic force microscopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tseng, Ampere A.; Kuo, Chung-Feng Jeffrey; Jou, Shyankay; Nishimura, Shinya; Shirakashi, Jun-ichi

    2011-01-01

    The nanoscaled tip in an AFM (atomic force microscope) has become an effective scratching tool for material removing in nanofabrication. In this article, the characteristics of using a diamond-coated pyramidal tip to scratch Ni-Fe thin film surfaces was experimentally investigated with the focus on the evaluation of the influence of the scratch or scan direction on the final shape of the scratched geometry as well as the applied scratch force. Results indicated that both the scratched profile and the scratch force were greatly affected by the scratch direction. It has been found that, to minimize the formation of protuberances along the groove sides and to have a better control of the scratched geometry, the tip face should be perpendicular to the scratching direction, which is also known as orthogonal cutting condition. To demonstrate the present findings, three groove patterns have been scratched with the tip face perpendicular to the scratching direction and very little amount of protuberances was observed. The threshold scratch force was also predicted based on the Hertz contact theory. Without considering the surface friction and adhesive forces between the tip and substrate, the threshold force predicted was twice smaller than the measurement value. Finally, recommendations for technical improvement and research focuses are provided.

  6. On the detection of early osteoarthritis by quantitative microscopic imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittelstaedt, Daniel John

    Articular cartilage is a thin layer of connective tissue that protects the ends of bones in diarthroidal joints. Cartilage distributes mechanical forces during daily movement throughout its unique depth-dependent structure. The extracellular matrix (ECM) of cartilage primarily contains water, collagen, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG). The collagen fibers are intertwined with negatively charged GAG and surround the cells (i.e. chondrocytes) in cartilage. Degradation to the ECM reduces the load bearing properties of cartilage which can be initiated by injury (e.g. anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture) or disease (e.g. osteoarthritis (OA)). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and x-ray computed tomography (CT) are noninvasive imaging techniques that are increasingly being used in the clinical detection of cartilage degradation. The aim of the first project in this dissertation was to quantify and compare the depth-dependent GAG concentration from healthy and biochemically degraded humeral ex vivo articular cartilage using quantitative contrast enhanced micro-computed tomography (qCECT) at high resolution. The second project in this dissertation was aimed to measure the topographical and depth-dependent GAG concentration using qCECT and delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) from the medial tibia cartilage three weeks after unilateral ACL transection which is an animal model of OA (i.e. modified Pond-Nuki model). These GAG measurements were correlated with a biochemical method, inductively couple plasma optical emission spectrometry, to compare the degradation on the medial tibia between the OA and contralateral cartilage. The third project in this dissertation used the same cartilage specimens as in project two to investigate the change in T2 due to OA and the effect on T2 from a contrast agent. Furthermore, the change in T2 relaxation was investigated from static unconfined compression with correlations by biomechanical

  7. Mechanochemistry Induced Using Force Exerted by a Functionalized Microscope Tip

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Yajie; Wang, Yongfeng; Lü, Jing-Tao

    2017-01-01

    Atomic-scale mechanochemistry is realized from force exerted by a C60 -functionalized scanning tunneling microscope tip. Two conformers of tin phthalocyanine can be prepared on coinage-metal surfaces. A transition between these conformers is induced on Cu(111) and Ag(100). Density...

  8. Ultrafast superresolution fluorescence imaging with spinning disk confocal microscope optics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Shinichi; Okada, Yasushi

    2015-05-01

    Most current superresolution (SR) microscope techniques surpass the diffraction limit at the expense of temporal resolution, compromising their applications to live-cell imaging. Here we describe a new SR fluorescence microscope based on confocal microscope optics, which we name the spinning disk superresolution microscope (SDSRM). Theoretically, the SDSRM is equivalent to a structured illumination microscope (SIM) and achieves a spatial resolution of 120 nm, double that of the diffraction limit of wide-field fluorescence microscopy. However, the SDSRM is 10 times faster than a conventional SIM because SR signals are recovered by optical demodulation through the stripe pattern of the disk. Therefore a single SR image requires only a single averaged image through the rotating disk. On the basis of this theory, we modified a commercial spinning disk confocal microscope. The improved resolution around 120 nm was confirmed with biological samples. The rapid dynamics of micro-tubules, mitochondria, lysosomes, and endosomes were observed with temporal resolutions of 30-100 frames/s. Because our method requires only small optical modifications, it will enable an easy upgrade from an existing spinning disk confocal to a SR microscope for live-cell imaging. © 2015 Hayashi and Okada. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  9. Laser speckle contrast imaging using light field microscope approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Xiaohui; Wang, Anting; Ma, Fenghua; Wang, Zi; Ming, Hai

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system using light field (LF) microscope approach is proposed. As far as we known, it is first time to combine LSCI with LF. To verify this idea, a prototype consists of a modified LF microscope imaging system and an experimental device was built. A commercially used Lytro camera was modified for microscope imaging. Hollow glass tubes with different depth fixed in glass dish were used to simulate the vessels in brain and test the performance of the system. Compared with conventional LSCI, three new functions can be realized by using our system, which include refocusing, extending the depth of field (DOF) and gathering 3D information. Experiments show that the principle is feasible and the proposed system works well.

  10. Microscopic imaging through turbid media Monte Carlo modeling and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Gu, Min; Deng, Xiaoyuan

    2015-01-01

    This book provides a systematic introduction to the principles of microscopic imaging through tissue-like turbid media in terms of Monte-Carlo simulation. It describes various gating mechanisms based on the physical differences between the unscattered and scattered photons and method for microscopic image reconstruction, using the concept of the effective point spread function. Imaging an object embedded in a turbid medium is a challenging problem in physics as well as in biophotonics. A turbid medium surrounding an object under inspection causes multiple scattering, which degrades the contrast, resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Biological tissues are typically turbid media. Microscopic imaging through a tissue-like turbid medium can provide higher resolution than transillumination imaging in which no objective is used. This book serves as a valuable reference for engineers and scientists working on microscopy of tissue turbid media.

  11. Atomic force microscopic study of the effects of ethanol on yeast cell surface morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canetta, Elisabetta; Adya, Ashok K; Walker, Graeme M

    2006-02-01

    The detrimental effects of ethanol toxicity on the cell surface morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (strain NCYC 1681) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (strain DVPB 1354) were investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). In combination with culture viability and mean cell volume measurements AFM studies allowed us to relate the cell surface morphological changes, observed on nanometer lateral resolution, with the cellular stress physiology. Exposing yeasts to increasing stressful concentrations of ethanol led to decreased cell viabilities and mean cell volumes. Together with the roughness and bearing volume analyses of the AFM images, the results provided novel insight into the relative ethanol tolerance of S. cerevisiae and Sc. pombe.

  12. Lateral resolution testing of a novel developed confocal microscopic imaging system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Yunhai; Chang, Jian; Huang, Wei; Xue, Xiaojun; Xiao, Yun

    2015-10-01

    Laser scanning confocal microscope has been widely used in biology, medicine and material science owing to its advantages of high resolution and tomographic imaging. Based on a set of confirmatory experiments and system design, a novel confocal microscopic imaging system is developed. The system is composed of a conventional fluorescence microscope and a confocal scanning unit. In the scanning unit a laser beam coupling module provides four different wavelengths 405nm 488nm 561nm and 638nm which can excite a variety of dyes. The system works in spot-to-spot scanning mode with a two-dimensional galvanometer. A 50 microns pinhole is used to guarantee that stray light is blocked and only the fluorescence signal from the focal point can be received . The three-channel spectral splitter is used to perform fluorescence imaging at three different working wavelengths simultaneously. The rat kidney tissue slice is imaged using the developed confocal microscopic imaging system. Nucleues labeled by DAPI and kidney spherule curved pipe labeled by Alexa Fluor 488 can be imaged clearly and respectively, realizing the distinction between the different components of mouse kidney tissue. The three-dimensional tomographic imaging of mouse kidney tissue is reconstructed by several two-dimensional images obtained in different depths. At last the resolution of the confocal microscopic imaging system is tested quantitatively. The experimental result shows that the system can achieve lateral resolution priority to 230nm.

  13. Imaging differential polarization microscope with electronic readout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mickols, W.; Tinoco, I.; Katz, J.E.; Maestre, M.F.; Bustamante, C.

    1985-01-01

    A differential polarization microscope forms two images: one of the transmitted intensity and the other due to the change in intensity between images formed when different polarizations of light are used. The interpretation of these images for linear dichroism and circular dichroism are described. The design constraints on the data acquisition systems and the polarization modulation are described. The advantage of imaging several biological systems which contain optically anisotropic structures are described

  14. „New approaches to atomic force microscope lithography on silicon"

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkelund, Karen; Thomsen, Erik Vilain; Rasmussen, Jan Pihl

    1997-01-01

    We have investigated new approaches to the formation of conducting nanowires on crystalline silicon surfaces using atomic force microscope (AFM) lithography. To increase processing speed and reduce wear of the AFM tip, large-scale structures are formed with a direct laser write setup, while the AFM...

  15. Multimodal sensing and imaging technology by integrated scanning electron, force, and nearfield microwave microscopy and its application to submicrometer studies

    OpenAIRE

    Hänßler, Olaf C.

    2018-01-01

    The work covers a multimodal microscope technology for the analysis, manipulation and transfer of materials and objects in the submicrometer range. An atomic force microscope (AFM) allows imaging of the surface topography and a Scanning Microwave Microscope (SMM) detects electromagnetic properties, both operating in a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The described technology demonstrator allows to observe the region-of-interest live with the SEM, while at the same time a characterization w...

  16. Performance evaluation of image segmentation algorithms on microscopic image data

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Beneš, Miroslav; Zitová, Barbara

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 275, č. 1 (2015), s. 65-85 ISSN 0022-2720 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP103/12/2211 Institutional support: RVO:67985556 Keywords : image segmentation * performance evaluation * microscopic images Subject RIV: JC - Computer Hardware ; Software Impact factor: 2.136, year: 2015 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2014/ZOI/zitova-0434809-DOI.pdf

  17. Remote laboratory for phase-aided 3D microscopic imaging and metrology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Meng; Yin, Yongkai; Liu, Zeyi; He, Wenqi; Li, Boqun; Peng, Xiang

    2014-05-01

    In this paper, the establishment of a remote laboratory for phase-aided 3D microscopic imaging and metrology is presented. Proposed remote laboratory consists of three major components, including the network-based infrastructure for remote control and data management, the identity verification scheme for user authentication and management, and the local experimental system for phase-aided 3D microscopic imaging and metrology. The virtual network computer (VNC) is introduced to remotely control the 3D microscopic imaging system. Data storage and management are handled through the open source project eSciDoc. Considering the security of remote laboratory, the fingerprint is used for authentication with an optical joint transform correlation (JTC) system. The phase-aided fringe projection 3D microscope (FP-3DM), which can be remotely controlled, is employed to achieve the 3D imaging and metrology of micro objects.

  18. Imaging stability in force-feedback high-speed atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Byung I.; Boehm, Ryan D.

    2013-01-01

    We studied the stability of force-feedback high-speed atomic force microscopy (HSAFM) by imaging soft, hard, and biological sample surfaces at various applied forces. The HSAFM images showed sudden topographic variations of streaky fringes with a negative applied force when collected on a soft hydrocarbon film grown on a grating sample, whereas they showed stable topographic features with positive applied forces. The instability of HSAFM images with the negative applied force was explained by the transition between contact and noncontact regimes in the force–distance curve. When the grating surface was cleaned, and thus hydrophilic by removing the hydrocarbon film, enhanced imaging stability was observed at both positive and negative applied forces. The higher adhesive interaction between the tip and the surface explains the improved imaging stability. The effects of imaging rate on the imaging stability were tested on an even softer adhesive Escherichia coli biofilm deposited onto the grating structure. The biofilm and planktonic cell structures in HSAFM images were reproducible within the force deviation less than ∼0.5 nN at the imaging rate up to 0.2 s per frame, suggesting that the force-feedback HSAFM was stable for various imaging speeds in imaging softer adhesive biological samples. - Highlights: ► We investigated the imaging stability of force-feedback HSAFM. ► Stable–unstable imaging transitions rely on applied force and sample hydrophilicity. ► The stable–unstable transitions are found to be independent of imaging rate

  19. Near-field optical microscope using a silicon-nitride probe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulst, N.F.; Moers, M.H.P.; Moers, M.H.P.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Noordman, O.F.J.; Tack, R.G.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Bölger, B.; Bölger, B.

    1993-01-01

    Operation of an alternative near-field optical microscope is presented. The microscope uses a microfabricated silicon- nitride probe with integrated cantilever, as originally developed for force microscopy. The cantilever allows routine close contact near-field imaging o­n arbitrary surfaces without

  20. Manipulation and soldering of carbon nanotubes using atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kashiwase, Yuta; Ikeda, Takayuki; Oya, Takahide; Ogino, Toshio

    2008-01-01

    Manipulation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by an atomic force microscope (AFM) and soldering of CNTs using Fe oxide nanoparticles are described. We succeeded to separate a CNT bundle into two CNTs or CNT bundles, to move the separated CNT to a desirable position, and to bind it to another bundle. For the accurate manipulation, load of the AFM cantilever and frequency of the scan were carefully selected. We soldered two CNTs using an Fe oxide nanoparticle prepared from a ferritin molecule. The adhesion forces between the soldered CNTs were examined by an AFM and it was found that the CNTs were bound, though the binding force was not strong

  1. Sub-wavelength imaging by depolarization in a reflection near-field optical microscope using an uncoated fiber probe

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Steen; Bozhevolnyi, Sergey I.; Hvam, Jørn Märcher

    1998-01-01

    We present a reflection scanning near-field optical microscope utilizing counter-directional light propagation in an uncoated fiber probe, cross-polarized detection and shear-force feedback. Topographical and near-field optical imaging with a scanning speed of up to 10 mu m/s and a lateral...... resolution better than 40 nm are demonstrated with a latex projection test sample. Determination of the optical resolution as well as correlation between topographical and near-field optical images are discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V....

  2. Uncertainty quantification in nanomechanical measurements using the atomic force microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan Wagner; Robert Moon; Jon Pratt; Gordon Shaw; Arvind Raman

    2011-01-01

    Quantifying uncertainty in measured properties of nanomaterials is a prerequisite for the manufacture of reliable nanoengineered materials and products. Yet, rigorous uncertainty quantification (UQ) is rarely applied for material property measurements with the atomic force microscope (AFM), a widely used instrument that can measure properties at nanometer scale...

  3. In vivo cellular imaging with microscopes enabled by MEMS scanners

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ra, Hyejun

    High-resolution optical imaging plays an important role in medical diagnosis and biomedical research. Confocal microscopy is a widely used imaging method for obtaining cellular and sub-cellular images of biological tissue in reflectance and fluorescence modes. Its characteristic optical sectioning capability also enables three-dimensional (3-D) image reconstruction. However, its use has mostly been limited to excised tissues due to the requirement of high numerical aperture (NA) lenses for cellular resolution. Microscope miniaturization can enable in vivo imaging to make possible early cancer diagnosis and biological studies in the innate environment. In this dissertation, microscope miniaturization for in vivo cellular imaging is presented. The dual-axes confocal (DAC) architecture overcomes limitations of the conventional single-axis confocal (SAC) architecture to allow for miniaturization with high resolution. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner is the central imaging component that is key in miniaturization of the DAC architecture. The design, fabrication, and characterization of the two-dimensional (2-D) MEMS scanner are presented. The gimbaled MEMS scanner is fabricated on a double silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer and is actuated by self-aligned vertical electrostatic combdrives. The imaging performance of the MEMS scanner in a DAC configuration is shown in a breadboard microscope setup, where reflectance and fluorescence imaging is demonstrated. Then, the MEMS scanner is integrated into a miniature DAC microscope. The whole imaging system is integrated into a portable unit for research in small animal models of human biology and disease. In vivo 3-D imaging is demonstrated on mouse skin models showing gene transfer and siRNA silencing. The siRNA silencing process is sequentially imaged in one mouse over time.

  4. Sensing of Streptococcus mutans by microscopic imaging ellipsometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khaleel, Mai Ibrahim; Chen, Yu-Da; Chien, Ching-Hang; Chang, Yia-Chung

    2017-05-01

    Microscopic imaging ellipsometry is an optical technique that uses an objective and sensing procedure to measure the ellipsometric parameters Ψ and Δ in the form of microscopic maps. This technique is well known for being noninvasive and label-free. Therefore, it can be used to detect and characterize biological species without any impact. Microscopic imaging ellipsometry was used to measure the optical response of dried Streptococcus mutans cells on a glass substrate. The ellipsometric Ψ and Δ maps were obtained with the Optrel Multiskop system for specular reflection in the visible range (λ=450 to 750 nm). The Ψ and Δ images at 500, 600, and 700 nm were analyzed using three different theoretical models with single-bounce, two-bounce, and multibounce light paths to obtain the optical constants and height distribution. The obtained images of the optical constants show different aspects when comparing the single-bounce analysis with the two-bounce or multibounce analysis in detecting S. mutans samples. Furthermore, the height distributions estimated by two-bounce and multibounce analyses of S. mutans samples were in agreement with the thickness values measured by AFM, which implies that the two-bounce and multibounce analyses can provide information complementary to that obtained by a single-bounce light path.

  5. 3D widefield light microscope image reconstruction without dyes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larkin, S.; Larson, J.; Holmes, C.; Vaicik, M.; Turturro, M.; Jurkevich, A.; Sinha, S.; Ezashi, T.; Papavasiliou, G.; Brey, E.; Holmes, T.

    2015-03-01

    3D image reconstruction using light microscope modalities without exogenous contrast agents is proposed and investigated as an approach to produce 3D images of biological samples for live imaging applications. Multimodality and multispectral imaging, used in concert with this 3D optical sectioning approach is also proposed as a way to further produce contrast that could be specific to components in the sample. The methods avoid usage of contrast agents. Contrast agents, such as fluorescent or absorbing dyes, can be toxic to cells or alter cell behavior. Current modes of producing 3D image sets from a light microscope, such as 3D deconvolution algorithms and confocal microscopy generally require contrast agents. Zernike phase contrast (ZPC), transmitted light brightfield (TLB), darkfield microscopy and others can produce contrast without dyes. Some of these modalities have not previously benefitted from 3D image reconstruction algorithms, however. The 3D image reconstruction algorithm is based on an underlying physical model of scattering potential, expressed as the sample's 3D absorption and phase quantities. The algorithm is based upon optimizing an objective function - the I-divergence - while solving for the 3D absorption and phase quantities. Unlike typical deconvolution algorithms, each microscope modality, such as ZPC or TLB, produces two output image sets instead of one. Contrast in the displayed image and 3D renderings is further enabled by treating the multispectral/multimodal data as a feature set in a mathematical formulation that uses the principal component method of statistics.

  6. Near field plasmon and force microscopy

    OpenAIRE

    de Hollander, R.B.G.; van Hulst, N.F.; Kooyman, R.P.H.

    1995-01-01

    A scanning plasmon near field optical microscope (SPNM) is presented which combines a conventional far field surface plasmon microscope with a stand-alone atomic force microscope (AFM). Near field plasmon and force images are recorded simultaneously both with a lateral resolution limited by the probe size to about 20 nm. At variance to previous work, utilizing a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with a metallic tip, a dielectric silicon-nitride tip is used in contact mode. This arrangement ...

  7. Three-dimensional phase-contrast X-ray microtomography with scanning–imaging X-ray microscope optics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Akihisa; Uesugi, Kentaro; Suzuki, Yoshio

    2013-01-01

    A novel three-dimensional X-ray microtomographic micro-imaging system which enables simultaneous measurement of differential phase contrast and absorption contrast has been developed. The optical system consists of a scanning microscope with one-dimensional focusing device and an imaging microscope with one-dimensional objective. A three-dimensional (3D) X-ray tomographic micro-imaging system has been developed. The optical system is based on a scanning–imaging X-ray microscope (SIXM) optics, which is a hybrid system consisting of a scanning microscope optics with a one-dimensional (1D) focusing (line-focusing) device and an imaging microscope optics with a 1D objective. In the SIXM system, each 1D dataset of a two-dimensional (2D) image is recorded independently. An object is illuminated with a line-focused beam. Positional information of the region illuminated by the line-focused beam is recorded with the 1D imaging microscope optics as line-profile data. By scanning the object with the line focus, 2D image data are obtained. In the same manner as for a scanning microscope optics with a multi-pixel detector, imaging modes such as phase contrast and absorption contrast can be arbitrarily configured after the image data acquisition. By combining a tomographic scan method and the SIXM system, quantitative 3D imaging is performed. Results of a feasibility study of the SIXM for 3D imaging are shown

  8. Refined tip preparation by electrochemical etching and ultrahigh vacuum treatment to obtain atomically sharp tips for scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hagedorn, Till; Ouali, Mehdi El; Paul, William; Oliver, David; Miyahara, Yoichi; Gruetter, Peter

    2011-01-01

    A modification of the common electrochemical etching setup is presented. The described method reproducibly yields sharp tungsten tips for usage in the scanning tunneling microscope and tuning fork atomic force microscope. In situ treatment under ultrahigh vacuum (p ≤10 -10 mbar) conditions for cleaning and fine sharpening with minimal blunting is described. The structure of the microscopic apex of these tips is atomically resolved with field ion microscopy and cross checked with field emission.

  9. Measuring microscopic forces and torques using optical tweezers

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Mc

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available stream_source_info McLaren_2009.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 2976 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name McLaren_2009.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Measuring microscopic forces... and torques using optical tweezers M.G. McLaren1,2, A. Forbes2,3,4 and E. Sideras-Haddad2 1 CSIR National Laser Centre 2 School of Physics, University of Witwatersrand 3 School of Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal 4 School of Physics, University...

  10. Theoretical study of the effect of probe shape on adhesion force between probe and substrate in atomic force microscope experiment

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Li; Hu, Junhui; Kong, Lingjiang

    2017-01-01

    The quantitative description of adhesion force dependence on the probe shapes are of importance in many scientific and industrial fields. In order to elucidate how the adhesion force varied with the probe shape in atomic force microscope manipulation experiment, we performed a theoretical study of the influences of the probe shape (the sphere and parabolic probe) on the adhesion force at different humidity. We found that the combined action of the triple point and the Kelvin radius guiding th...

  11. High-resolution, high-throughput imaging with a multibeam scanning electron microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eberle, A L; Mikula, S; Schalek, R; Lichtman, J; Knothe Tate, M L; Zeidler, D

    2015-08-01

    Electron-electron interactions and detector bandwidth limit the maximal imaging speed of single-beam scanning electron microscopes. We use multiple electron beams in a single column and detect secondary electrons in parallel to increase the imaging speed by close to two orders of magnitude and demonstrate imaging for a variety of samples ranging from biological brain tissue to semiconductor wafers. © 2015 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2015 Royal Microscopical Society.

  12. Refined tip preparation by electrochemical etching and ultrahigh vacuum treatment to obtain atomically sharp tips for scanning tunneling microscope and atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagedorn, Till; El Ouali, Mehdi; Paul, William; Oliver, David; Miyahara, Yoichi; Grütter, Peter

    2011-11-01

    A modification of the common electrochemical etching setup is presented. The described method reproducibly yields sharp tungsten tips for usage in the scanning tunneling microscope and tuning fork atomic force microscope. In situ treatment under ultrahigh vacuum (p ≤10(-10) mbar) conditions for cleaning and fine sharpening with minimal blunting is described. The structure of the microscopic apex of these tips is atomically resolved with field ion microscopy and cross checked with field emission. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

  13. A Simple Metric for Determining Resolution in Optical, Ion, and Electron Microscope Images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Curtin, Alexandra E; Skinner, Ryan; Sanders, Aric W

    2015-06-01

    A resolution metric intended for resolution analysis of arbitrary spatially calibrated images is presented. By fitting a simple sigmoidal function to pixel intensities across slices of an image taken perpendicular to light-dark edges, the mean distance over which the light-dark transition occurs can be determined. A fixed multiple of this characteristic distance is then reported as the image resolution. The prefactor is determined by analysis of scanning transmission electron microscope high-angle annular dark field images of Si. This metric has been applied to optical, scanning electron microscope, and helium ion microscope images. This method provides quantitative feedback about image resolution, independent of the tool on which the data were collected. In addition, our analysis provides a nonarbitrary and self-consistent framework that any end user can utilize to evaluate the resolution of multiple microscopes from any vendor using the same metric.

  14. Atomic Force Microscope Mediated Chromatography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Mark S.

    2013-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is used to inject a sample, provide shear-driven liquid flow over a functionalized substrate, and detect separated components. This is demonstrated using lipophilic dyes and normal phase chromatography. A significant reduction in both size and separation time scales is achieved with a 25-micron-length column scale, and one-second separation times. The approach has general applications to trace chemical and microfluidic analysis. The AFM is now a common tool for ultra-microscopy and nanotechnology. It has also been demonstrated to provide a number of microfluidic functions necessary for miniaturized chromatography. These include injection of sub-femtoliter samples, fluidic switching, and sheardriven pumping. The AFM probe tip can be used to selectively remove surface layers for subsequent microchemical analysis using infrared and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. With its ability to image individual atoms, the AFM is a remarkably sensitive detector that can be used to detect separated components. These diverse functional components of microfluidic manipulation have been combined in this work to demonstrate AFM mediated chromatography. AFM mediated chromatography uses channel-less, shear-driven pumping. This is demonstrated with a thin, aluminum oxide substrate and a non-polar solvent system to separate a mixture of lipophilic dyes. In conventional chromatographic terms, this is analogous to thin-layer chromatography using normal phase alumina substrate with sheardriven pumping provided by the AFM tip-cantilever mechanism. The AFM detection of separated components is accomplished by exploiting the variation in the localized friction of the separated components. The AFM tip-cantilever provides the mechanism for producing shear-induced flows and rapid pumping. Shear-driven chromatography (SDC) is a relatively new concept that overcomes the speed and miniaturization limitations of conventional liquid chromatography. SDC is based on a

  15. Soft X-ray imaging with axisymmetry microscope and electronic readout

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sauneuf, A.; Cavailler, C.; Henry, Ph.; Launspach, J.; Mascureau, J. de; Rostaing, M.

    1984-11-01

    An axisymmetric microscope with 10 X magnification has been constructed; its resolution has been measured using severals grids, backlighted by an X-ray source and found to be near 25 μm. So it could be used to make images of laser driven plasmas in the soft X-ray region. In order to see rapidly those images we have associated it with a new detector. It is a small image converter tube with a soft X-ray photocathode and a P20 phosphor deposited on an optic fiber plate. The electronic image appearing on the screen is read by a CCD working in the spectral range. An electronic image readout chain, which is identical to those we use with streak cameras, then processes automatically and immediatly the images given by the microscope

  16. Direct observation of phase transition of GeSbTe thin films by Atomic Force Microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang Fei [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Materials Sciences and Technology, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Xu Ling, E-mail: xuling@nju.edu.cn [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Materials Sciences and Technology, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhang Rui; Geng Lei; Tong Liang; Xu Jun [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Materials Sciences and Technology, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Su Weining; Yu Yao [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Ma Zhongyuan; Chen Kunji [National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Photonic and Electronic Materials Sciences and Technology, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

    2012-10-01

    Graphical abstract: Nano-sized marks on GST thin film were fabricated using Conductive-AFM (Atomic Force Microscope). The AFM morphology images show that the marks are ablated at the center and a raised ring surrounding it. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Microstructure of GeSbTe thin films was characterized by XRD and AFM. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Annealing and applying electrical field can induce crystallization on thin film. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Conductive-AFM was used to modify the surface of GeSbTe thin film. - Abstract: GeSbTe (GST) thin films were deposited on quartz substrates using electron beam evaporation system and then annealed in nitrogen atmosphere at different temperatures, ranging from 20 Degree-Sign C to 300 Degree-Sign C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force microscope (AFM) measurements were used to characterize the as-deposited and post-annealed thin films. Annealing treatment was found to induce changes on microstructure, surface roughness and grain size, indicating that with the increase of annealing temperature, the amorphous GST films first changed to face-centered-cubic (fcc) phase and then the stable hexagonal (hex) phase. Meanwhile, conductive-AFM (C-AFM) was used to produce crystallized GST dots on thin films. I-V spectroscopy results show that GST films can switch from amorphous state to crystalline state at threshold voltage. After switching, I-V curve exhibits ohmic characteristic, which is usually observed in crystallized GST films. By applying repeated I-V spectroscopies on the thin films, crystallized nuclei were observed. As the times of I-V spectroscopies increases, the area of written dots increases, and the center of the mark begin to ablate. The AFM images show that the shape of marks is an ablated center with a raised ring surrounding it.

  17. Dual-mode optical microscope based on single-pixel imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, A. D.; Clemente, P.; Tajahuerce, E.; Lancis, J.

    2016-07-01

    We demonstrate an inverted microscope that can image specimens in both reflection and transmission modes simultaneously with a single light source. The microscope utilizes a digital micromirror device (DMD) for patterned illumination altogether with two single-pixel photosensors for efficient light detection. The system, a scan-less device with no moving parts, works by sequential projection of a set of binary intensity patterns onto the sample that are codified onto a modified commercial DMD. Data to be displayed are geometrically transformed before written into a memory cell to cancel optical artifacts coming from the diamond-like shaped structure of the micromirror array. The 24-bit color depth of the display is fully exploited to increase the frame rate by a factor of 24, which makes the technique practicable for real samples. Our commercial DMD-based LED-illumination is cost effective and can be easily coupled as an add-on module for already existing inverted microscopes. The reflection and transmission information provided by our dual microscope complement each other and can be useful for imaging non-uniform samples and to prevent self-shadowing effects.

  18. Simulation of high-resolution X-ray microscopic images for improved alignment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Xiangxia; Zhang Xiaobo; Liu Gang; Cheng Xianchao; Li Wenjie; Guan Yong; Liu Ying; Xiong Ying; Tian Yangchao

    2011-01-01

    The introduction of precision optical elements to X-ray microscopes necessitates fine realignment to achieve optimal high-resolution imaging. In this paper, we demonstrate a numerical method for simulating image formation that facilitates alignment of the source, condenser, objective lens, and CCD camera. This algorithm, based on ray-tracing and Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction theory, is applied to simulate the X-ray microscope beamline U7A of National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL). The simulations and imaging experiments show that the algorithm is useful for guiding experimental adjustments. Our alignment simulation method is an essential tool for the transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) with optical elements and may also be useful for the alignment of optical components in other modes of microscopy.

  19. The plant virus microscope image registration method based on mismatches removing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Lifang; Zhou, Shucheng; Dong, Heng; Mao, Qianzhuo; Lin, Jiaxiang; Chen, Riqing

    2016-01-01

    The electron microscopy is one of the major means to observe the virus. The view of virus microscope images is limited by making specimen and the size of the camera's view field. To solve this problem, the virus sample is produced into multi-slice for information fusion and image registration techniques are applied to obtain large field and whole sections. Image registration techniques have been developed in the past decades for increasing the camera's field of view. Nevertheless, these approaches typically work in batch mode and rely on motorized microscopes. Alternatively, the methods are conceived just to provide visually pleasant registration for high overlap ratio image sequence. This work presents a method for virus microscope image registration acquired with detailed visual information and subpixel accuracy, even when overlap ratio of image sequence is 10% or less. The method proposed focus on the correspondence set and interimage transformation. A mismatch removal strategy is proposed by the spatial consistency and the components of keypoint to enrich the correspondence set. And the translation model parameter as well as tonal inhomogeneities is corrected by the hierarchical estimation and model select. In the experiments performed, we tested different registration approaches and virus images, confirming that the translation model is not always stationary, despite the fact that the images of the sample come from the same sequence. The mismatch removal strategy makes building registration of virus microscope images at subpixel accuracy easier and optional parameters for building registration according to the hierarchical estimation and model select strategies make the proposed method high precision and reliable for low overlap ratio image sequence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Scanning tunneling microscope for magneto-optical imaging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Prins, M.W.J.; Groeneveld, R.H.M.; Abraham, D.L.; Schad, R.; Kempen, van H.; Kesteren, van H.W.

    1996-01-01

    Images of magnetic bits written in a Pt/Co multilayer are presented. Using photosensitive semiconducting tips in a scanning tunneling microscope the surface topography as well as the polarization-dependent optical transmission are measured. Magnetic contrast is achieved by detection of the Faraday

  1. Evaluation of the roughness of the surface of porcelain systems with the atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chavarria Rodriguez, Bernal

    2013-01-01

    The surface of a dental ceramic was evaluated and compared with an atomic force microscope after being treated with different systems of polishing. 14 identical ceramic Lava® Zirconia discs were used to test the different polishing systems. 3 polishing systems from different matrix houses were used to polish dental porcelain. The samples were evaluated quantitatively with an atomic force microscope in order to study the real effectiveness of each system, on the roughness average (Ra) and the maximum peak to valley roughness (Ry) of the ceramic surfaces. A considerable reduction of the surface roughness was obtained by applying different polishing systems on the surface of dental ceramics. Very reliable values of Ra and Ry were obtained by making measurements on the structure reproduced by the atomic force microscope. The advanced ceramics of zirconium oxide presented the best physical characteristics and low levels of surface roughness. A smoother surface was achieved with the application of polishing systems, thus demonstrating the reduction of the surface roughness of a dental ceramic [es

  2. Microdose fluorescence imaging of ABY-029 on an operating microscope adapted by custom illumination and imaging modules

    OpenAIRE

    Elliott, Jonathan T.; Dsouza, Alisha V.; Marra, Kayla; Pogue, Brian W.; Roberts, David W.; Paulsen, Keith D.

    2016-01-01

    Fluorescence guided surgery has the potential to positively impact surgical oncology; current operating microscopes and stand-alone imaging systems are too insensitive or too cumbersome to maximally take advantage of new tumor-specific agents developed through the microdose pathway. To this end, a custom-built illumination and imaging module enabling picomolar-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence imaging on a commercial operating microscope is described. The limits of detection and system spe...

  3. Optical design and system characterization of an imaging microscope at 121.6 nm

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Weichuan; Finan, Emily; Kim, Geon-Hee; Kim, Youngsik; Milster, Thomas D.

    2018-03-01

    We present the optical design and system characterization of an imaging microscope prototype at 121.6 nm. System engineering processes are demonstrated through the construction of a Schwarzschild microscope objective, including tolerance analysis, fabrication, alignment, and testing. Further improvements on the as-built system with a correction phase plate are proposed and analyzed. Finally, the microscope assembly and the imaging properties of the prototype are demonstrated.

  4. Image enhancement of x-ray microscope using frequency spectrum analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Wenjie; Chen Jie; Tian Jinping; Zhang Xiaobo; Liu Gang; Tian Yangchao; Liu Yijin; Wu Ziyu

    2009-01-01

    We demonstrate a new method for x-ray microscope image enhancement using frequency spectrum analysis. Fine sample characteristics are well enhanced with homogeneous visibility and better contrast from single image. This method is easy to implement and really helps to improve the quality of image taken by our imaging system.

  5. Image enhancement of x-ray microscope using frequency spectrum analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Wenjie; Chen Jie; Tian Jinping; Zhang Xiaobo; Liu Gang; Tian Yangchao [National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230029 (China); Liu Yijin; Wu Ziyu, E-mail: wuzy@ihep.ac.c, E-mail: ychtian@ustc.edu.c [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049 (China)

    2009-09-01

    We demonstrate a new method for x-ray microscope image enhancement using frequency spectrum analysis. Fine sample characteristics are well enhanced with homogeneous visibility and better contrast from single image. This method is easy to implement and really helps to improve the quality of image taken by our imaging system.

  6. Morphometric Evaluation of Preeclamptic Placenta Using Light Microscopic Images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rashmi Mukherjee

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Deficient trophoblast invasion and anomalies in placental development generally lead to preeclampsia (PE but the inter-relationship between placental function and morphology in PE still remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric features of placental villi and capillaries in preeclamptic and normal placentae. The study included light microscopic images of placental tissue sections of 40 preeclamptic and 35 normotensive pregnant women. Preprocessing and segmentation of these images were performed to characterize the villi and capillaries. Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis (FLDA, hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA, and principal component analysis (PCA were applied to identify the most significant placental (morphometric features from microscopic images. A total of 10 morphometric features were extracted, of which the villous parameters were significantly altered in PE. FLDA identified 5 highly significant morphometric features (>90% overall discrimination accuracy. Two large subclusters were clearly visible in HCA based dendrogram. PCA returned three most significant principal components cumulatively explaining 98.4% of the total variance based on these 5 significant features. Hence, quantitative microscopic evaluation revealed that placental morphometry plays an important role in characterizing PE, where the villous is the major component that is affected.

  7. Real time drift measurement for colloidal probe atomic force microscope: a visual sensing approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yuliang, E-mail: wangyuliang@buaa.edu.cn; Bi, Shusheng [Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191 (China); Wang, Huimin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, 2041 College Rd., Columbus, OH 43210 (United States)

    2014-05-15

    Drift has long been an issue in atomic force microscope (AFM) systems and limits their ability to make long time period measurements. In this study, a new method is proposed to directly measure and compensate for the drift between AFM cantilevers and sample surfaces in AFM systems. This was achieved by simultaneously measuring z positions for beads at the end of an AFM colloidal probe and on sample surface through an off-focus image processing based visual sensing method. The working principle and system configuration are presented. Experiments were conducted to validate the real time drift measurement and compensation. The implication of the proposed method for regular AFM measurements is discussed. We believe that this technique provides a practical and efficient approach for AFM experiments requiring long time period measurement.

  8. A New Multichannel Spectral Imaging Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunhai Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We have developed a new multichannel spectral imaging laser scanning confocal microscope for effective detection of multiple fluorescent labeling in the research of biological tissues. In this paper, the design and key technologies of the system are introduced. Representative results on confocal imaging, 3-dimensional sectioning imaging, and spectral imaging are demonstrated. The results indicated that the system is applicable to multiple fluorescent labeling in biological experiments.

  9. Real-time image processing and control interface for remote operation of a microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leng, Hesong; Wilder, Joseph

    1999-08-01

    A real-time image processing and control interface for remote operation of a microscope is presented in this paper. The system has achieved real-time color image display for 640 X 480 pixel images. Multi-resolution image representation can be provided for efficient transmission through the network. Through the control interface the computer can communicate with the programmable microscope via the RS232 serial ports. By choosing one of three scanning patterns, a sequence of images can be saved as BMP or PGM files to record information on an entire microscope slide. The system will be used by medical and graduate students at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey for distance learning. It can be used in many network-based telepathology applications.

  10. Thermal diffusivity imaging with the thermal lens microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dada, Oluwatosin O; Feist, Peter E; Dovichi, Norman J

    2011-12-01

    A coaxial thermal lens microscope was used to generate images based on both the absorbance and thermal diffusivity of histological samples. A pump beam was modulated at frequencies ranging from 50 kHz to 5 MHz using an acousto-optic modulator. The pump and a CW probe beam were combined with a dichroic mirror, directed into an inverted microscope, and focused onto the specimen. The change in the transmitted probe beam's center intensity was detected with a photodiode. The photodiode's signal and a reference signal from the modulator were sent to a high-speed lock-in amplifier. The in-phase and quadrature signals were recorded as a sample was translated through the focused beams and used to generate images based on the amplitude and phase of the lock-in amplifier's signal. The amplitude is related to the absorbance and the phase is related to the thermal diffusivity of the sample. Thin sections of stained liver and bone tissues were imaged; the contrast and signal-to-noise ratio of the phase image was highest at frequencies from 0.1-1 MHz and dropped at higher frequencies. The spatial resolution was 2.5 μm for both amplitude and phase images, limited by the pump beam spot size. © 2011 Optical Society of America

  11. Development of the water window imaging x-ray microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoover, R.B.; Shealy, D.L.; Baker, P.C.; Barbee, T.W. Jr.; Walker, A.B.C. Jr.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports on the Water Window Imaging X-ray Microscopy which is currently being developed by a consortium from the Marshall Space Flight Center, the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Baker Consulting, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Stanford University. The high quality solar images achieved during the Stanford/MSFC/LLNL Rocket X-ray Spectroheliograph flight conclusively established that excellent imaging could be obtained with doubly reflecting multilayer optical systems. Theoretical studies carried out as part of the MSFC X-ray Microscopy Program, demonstrated that high quality, high resolution multilayer x-ray imaging microscopes could be achieved with spherical optics in the Schwarzschild configuration and with Aspherical optical systems. Advanced Flow Polishing methods have been used to fabricate substrates for multilayer optics. On hemlite grade Sapphire, the authors have achieved microscopy mirror substrates on concave and convex spherical surfaces with 0.5 Angstrom rms surface smoothness, as measured by the Zygo profilometer. In this paper the authors report on the current status of fabrication and testing of the optical and mechanical subsystems for the Water Window Imaging X-ray Microscope

  12. The importance of radiographic imaging in the microscopic assessment of bone tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larousserie, F.; Kreshak, J.; Gambarotti, M.; Alberghini, M.; Vanel, D.

    2013-01-01

    Introduction: Primary bone tumors are rare and require a multidisciplinary approach. Diagnosis involves primarily the radiologist and the pathologist. Bone lesions are often heterogeneous and the microscopic diagnostic component(s) may be in the minority, especially on core needle biopsies. Reactive processes, benign, and malignant tumors may have similar microscopic aspects. For these challenging cases, the correlation of microscopic and radiologic information is critical, or diagnostic mistakes may be made with severe clinical consequences for the patient. The purpose of this article is to explain how pathologists can best use imaging studies to improve the diagnostic accuracy of bone lesions. Diagnosis: Many bone lesions are microscopically and/or radiographically heterogeneous, especially those with both lytic and matrix components. Final diagnosis may require specific microscopic diagnostic features that may be present in the lesion, but not the biopsy specimen. A review of the imaging helps assess if sampling was adequate. The existence of a pre-existing bone lesion, syndrome (such as Ollier disease or multiple hereditary exostosis), or oncologic history may be of crucial importance. Finally, imaging information is very useful for the pathologist to perform accurate local and regional staging during gross examination. Conclusion: Close teamwork between pathologists, radiologists, and clinicians is of utmost importance in the evaluation and management of bone tumors. These lesions can be very difficult to interpret microscopically; imaging studies therefore play a crucial role in their accurate diagnosis

  13. The importance of radiographic imaging in the microscopic assessment of bone tumors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Larousserie, F., E-mail: frederique.larousserie@cch.aphp.fr [Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris (France); Department of pathology, Rizzoli Institute, Bologna (Italy); Kreshak, J.; Gambarotti, M.; Alberghini, M.; Vanel, D. [Department of pathology, Rizzoli Institute, Bologna (Italy)

    2013-12-01

    Introduction: Primary bone tumors are rare and require a multidisciplinary approach. Diagnosis involves primarily the radiologist and the pathologist. Bone lesions are often heterogeneous and the microscopic diagnostic component(s) may be in the minority, especially on core needle biopsies. Reactive processes, benign, and malignant tumors may have similar microscopic aspects. For these challenging cases, the correlation of microscopic and radiologic information is critical, or diagnostic mistakes may be made with severe clinical consequences for the patient. The purpose of this article is to explain how pathologists can best use imaging studies to improve the diagnostic accuracy of bone lesions. Diagnosis: Many bone lesions are microscopically and/or radiographically heterogeneous, especially those with both lytic and matrix components. Final diagnosis may require specific microscopic diagnostic features that may be present in the lesion, but not the biopsy specimen. A review of the imaging helps assess if sampling was adequate. The existence of a pre-existing bone lesion, syndrome (such as Ollier disease or multiple hereditary exostosis), or oncologic history may be of crucial importance. Finally, imaging information is very useful for the pathologist to perform accurate local and regional staging during gross examination. Conclusion: Close teamwork between pathologists, radiologists, and clinicians is of utmost importance in the evaluation and management of bone tumors. These lesions can be very difficult to interpret microscopically; imaging studies therefore play a crucial role in their accurate diagnosis.

  14. Microscopic optical potential calculations of finite nuclei with extended skyrme forces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Haiji; Ye Weilei; Gao Qin; Shen Qingbiao

    1986-01-01

    Microscopic optical potential calculations in the Hartree-Fock (HF) approximation with Extended Skyrme forces are investigated. The HF equation is derived from the variation principle and the potential formula of spherical nuclei is obtained by two different ways. Then the calculations for symmetrid nuclei 16 O, 40 Ca and asymmetric nucleus 90 Zr with eight sets of Skyrme force parameters are presented. Our results show that the potential form and variating tendency with incident energy are reasonable and there apparently appears a 'wine-bottle-bottom' shape in the intermediate energy region. Furthermore, our calculations reflect shell effects clearly

  15. X-ray holographic microscopy using the atomic-force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Howells, M.R.; Jacobsen, C.J.; Lindaas, S.

    1993-09-01

    The present authors have been seeking for some time to improve the resolution of holographic microscopy and have engaged in a continuing series of experiments using the X1A soft x-ray undulator beam line at Brookhaven. The principle strategy for pushing the resolution lower in these experiments has been the use of polymer resists as x-ray detectors and the primary goal has been to develop the technique to become useful for examining wet biological material. In the present paper the authors report on progress in the use of resist for high-spatial-resolution x-ray detection. This is the key step in in-line holography and the one which sets the ultimate limit to the image resolution. The actual recording has always been quite easy, given a high-brightness undulator source, but the difficult step was the readout of the recorded pattern. The authors describe in what follows how they have built a special instrument: an atomic force microscope (AFM) to read holograms recorded in resist. They report the technical reasons for building, rather than buying, such an instrument and they give details of the design and performance of the device. The authors also describe the first attempts to use the system for real holography and the authors show results of both recorded holograms and the corresponding reconstructed images. Finally, the authors try to analyze the effect that these advances are likely to have on the future prospects for success in applications of x-ray holography and the degree to which the other technical systems that are needed for such success are available or within reach

  16. Lorentz force actuation of a heated atomic force microscope cantilever.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Byeonghee; Prater, Craig B; King, William P

    2012-02-10

    We report Lorentz force-induced actuation of a silicon microcantilever having an integrated resistive heater. Oscillating current through the cantilever interacts with the magnetic field around a NdFeB permanent magnet and induces a Lorentz force that deflects the cantilever. The same current induces cantilever heating. With AC currents as low as 0.2 mA, the cantilever can be oscillated as much as 80 nm at resonance with a DC temperature rise of less than 5 °C. By comparison, the AC temperature variation leads to a thermomechanical oscillation that is about 1000 times smaller than the Lorentz deflection at the cantilever resonance. The cantilever position in the nonuniform magnetic field affects the Lorentz force-induced deflection, with the magnetic field parallel to the cantilever having the largest effect on cantilever actuation. We demonstrate how the cantilever actuation can be used for imaging, and for measuring the local material softening temperature by sensing the contact resonance shift.

  17. A portable fluorescence microscopic imaging system for cholecystectomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ye, Jian; Yang, Chaoyu; Gan, Qi; Ma, Rong; Zhang, Zeshu; Chang, Shufang; Shao, Pengfei; Zhang, Shiwu; Liu, Chenhai; Xu, Ronald

    2016-03-01

    In this paper we proposed a portable fluorescence microscopic imaging system to prevent iatrogenic biliary injuries from occurring during cholecystectomy due to misidentification of the cystic structures. The system consisted of a light source module, a CMOS camera, a Raspberry Pi computer and a 5 inch HDMI LCD. Specifically, the light source module was composed of 690 nm and 850 nm LEDs, allowing the CMOS camera to simultaneously acquire both fluorescence and background images. The system was controlled by Raspberry Pi using Python programming with the OpenCV library under Linux. We chose Indocyanine green(ICG) as a fluorescent contrast agent and then tested fluorescence intensities of the ICG aqueous solution at different concentration levels by our fluorescence microscopic system compared with the commercial Xenogen IVIS system. The spatial resolution of the proposed fluorescence microscopic imaging system was measured by a 1951 USAF resolution target and the dynamic response was evaluated quantitatively with an automatic displacement platform. Finally, we verified the technical feasibility of the proposed system in mouse models of bile duct, performing both correct and incorrect gallbladder resection. Our experiments showed that the proposed system can provide clear visualization of the confluence between the cystic duct and common bile duct or common hepatic duct, suggesting that this is a potential method for guiding cholecystectomy. The proposed portable system only cost a total of $300, potentially promoting its use in resource-limited settings.

  18. DHM (Digital Holography Microscope) for imaging cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emery, Yves; Cuche, Etienne; Colomb, Tristan; Depeursinge, Christian; Rappaz, Benjamin; Marquet, Pierre; Magistretti, Pierre

    2007-01-01

    Light interaction with a sample modifies both intensity and phase of the illuminating wave. Any available supports for image recording are only sensitive to intensity, but Denis Gabor [P. Marquet, B. Rappaz, P. Magistretti, et. al. Digital Holography for quantitative phase-contrast imaging, Optics Letters, 30, 5, pp 291-93 (2005)] invented in 1948 a way to encode the phase as an intensity variation: the h ologram . Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) [D. Gabor, A new microscopic principle, Nature, 1948] implements digitally this powerful hologram. Characterization of various pollen grains and of morphology changes of neurones associated with hypotonic shock demonstrates the potential of DHM for imaging cells

  19. Chemical imaging of structured SAMs with a novel SFG microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, Dominik M. P.; Kuhnke, Klaus; Kern, Klaus

    2002-11-01

    We present a newly developed microscope for sum frequency generation (SFG) imaging of opaque and reflecting interfaces. The sample is viewed at an angle of 60° with respect to the surface normal in order to increase the collected SFG intensity. Our setup is designed to keep the whole field of view (FOV) in focus and to compensate for the distortion usually related to oblique imaging by means of a blazed grating. The separation of the SFG intensity and the reflected visible beam is accomplished by a suitable combination of spectral filters. The sum frequency microscope (SFM) is capable of in-situ chemically selective imaging by tuning the IR-beam to vibrational transitions of the respective molecules. The SFM is applied to imaging of structured self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of thiol molecules on a gold surface.

  20. Interferometric and optical tests of water window imaging x ray microscopes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, R. Barry

    1993-01-01

    Interferometric tests of Schwarzchild X-ray Microscope are performed to evaluate the optical properties and alignment of the components. Photographic measurements of the spatial resolution, focal properties, and vignetting characteristics of the prototype Water Window Imaging X-ray Microscope are made and analyzed.

  1. Live Imaging of Shoot Meristems on an Inverted Confocal Microscope Using an Objective Lens Inverter Attachment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nimchuk, Zachary L.; Perdue, Tony D.

    2017-01-01

    Live imaging of above ground meristems can lead to new insights in plant development not possible from static imaging of fixed tissue. The use of an upright confocal microscope offers several technical and biological advantages for live imaging floral or shoot meristems. However, many departments and core facilities possess only inverted confocal microscopes and lack the funding for an additional upright confocal microscope. Here we show that imaging of living apical meristems can be performed on existing inverted confocal microscopes with the use of an affordable and detachable InverterScope accessory. PMID:28579995

  2. Live Imaging of Shoot Meristems on an Inverted Confocal Microscope Using an Objective Lens Inverter Attachment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nimchuk, Zachary L; Perdue, Tony D

    2017-01-01

    Live imaging of above ground meristems can lead to new insights in plant development not possible from static imaging of fixed tissue. The use of an upright confocal microscope offers several technical and biological advantages for live imaging floral or shoot meristems. However, many departments and core facilities possess only inverted confocal microscopes and lack the funding for an additional upright confocal microscope. Here we show that imaging of living apical meristems can be performed on existing inverted confocal microscopes with the use of an affordable and detachable InverterScope accessory.

  3. Dual-mode optical microscope based on single-pixel imaging

    OpenAIRE

    Rodríguez Jiménez, Angel David; Clemente Pesudo, Pedro Javier; Tajahuerce, Enrique; Lancis Sáez, Jesús

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate an inverted microscope that can image specimens in both reflection and transmission modes simultaneously with a single light source. The microscope utilizes a digital micromirror device (DMD) for patterned illumination altogether with two single-pixel photosensors for efficient light detection. The system, a scan-less device with no moving parts, works by sequential projection of a set of binary intensity patterns onto the sample that are codified onto a modified commercial DMD...

  4. Imaging the p-n junction in a gallium nitride nanowire with a scanning microwave microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Imtiaz, Atif [Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States); Department of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States); Wallis, Thomas M.; Brubaker, Matt D.; Blanchard, Paul T.; Bertness, Kris A.; Sanford, Norman A.; Kabos, Pavel, E-mail: kabos@boulder.nist.gov [Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States); Weber, Joel C. [Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309 (United States); Coakley, Kevin J. [Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado 80305 (United States)

    2014-06-30

    We used a broadband, atomic-force-microscope-based, scanning microwave microscope (SMM) to probe the axial dependence of the charge depletion in a p-n junction within a gallium nitride nanowire (NW). SMM enables the visualization of the p-n junction location without the need to make patterned electrical contacts to the NW. Spatially resolved measurements of S{sub 11}{sup ′}, which is the derivative of the RF reflection coefficient S{sub 11} with respect to voltage, varied strongly when probing axially along the NW and across the p-n junction. The axial variation in S{sub 11}{sup ′}  effectively mapped the asymmetric depletion arising from the doping concentrations on either side of the junction. Furthermore, variation of the probe tip voltage altered the apparent extent of features associated with the p-n junction in S{sub 11}{sup ′} images.

  5. Magnetoacoustic microscopic imaging of conductive objects and nanoparticles distribution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Siyu; Zhang, Ruochong; Luo, Yunqi; Zheng, Yuanjin

    2017-09-01

    Magnetoacoustic tomography has been demonstrated as a powerful and low-cost multi-wave imaging modality. However, due to limited spatial resolution and detection efficiency of magnetoacoustic signal, full potential of the magnetoacoustic imaging remains to be tapped. Here we report a high-resolution magnetoacoustic microscopy method, where magnetic stimulation is provided by a compact solenoid resonance coil connected with a matching network, and acoustic reception is realized by using a high-frequency focused ultrasound transducer. Scanning the magnetoacoustic microscopy system perpendicularly to the acoustic axis of the focused transducer would generate a two-dimensional microscopic image with acoustically determined lateral resolution. It is analyzed theoretically and demonstrated experimentally that magnetoacoustic generation in this microscopic system depends on the conductivity profile of conductive objects and localized distribution of superparamagnetic iron magnetic nanoparticles, based on two different but related implementations. The lateral resolution is characterized. Directional nature of magnetoacoustic vibration and imaging sensitivity for mapping magnetic nanoparticles are also discussed. The proposed microscopy system offers a high-resolution method that could potentially map intrinsic conductivity distribution in biological tissue and extraneous magnetic nanoparticles.

  6. Electric field effects in scanning tunneling microscope imaging

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stokbro, Kurt; Quaade, Ulrich; Grey, Francois

    1998-01-01

    We present a high-voltage extension of the Tersoff-Hamann theory of scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images, which includes the effect of the electric field between the tip and the sample. The theoretical model is based on first-principles electronic structure calculations and has no adjustable...... parameters. We use the method to calculate theoretical STM images of the monohydrate Si(100)-H(2x1) surface with missing hydrogen defects at -2V and find an enhanced corrugation due to the electric field, in good agreement with experimental images....

  7. Combined laser and atomic force microscope lithography on aluminum: Mask fabrication for nanoelectromechanical systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Berini, Abadal Gabriel; Boisen, Anja; Davis, Zachary James

    1999-01-01

    A direct-write laser system and an atomic force microscope (AFM) are combined to modify thin layers of aluminum on an oxidized silicon substrate, in order to fabricate conducting and robust etch masks with submicron features. These masks are very well suited for the production of nanoelectromecha......A direct-write laser system and an atomic force microscope (AFM) are combined to modify thin layers of aluminum on an oxidized silicon substrate, in order to fabricate conducting and robust etch masks with submicron features. These masks are very well suited for the production...... writing, and to perform submicron modifications by AFM oxidation. The mask fabrication for a nanoscale suspended resonator bridge is used to illustrate the advantages of this combined technique for NEMS. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00221-1]....

  8. Design of an imaging microscope for soft X-ray applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, Richard B.; Shealy, David L.; Gabardi, David R.; Walker, Arthur B. C., Jr.; Lindblom, Joakim F.

    1988-01-01

    An imaging soft X-ray microscope with a spatial resolution of 0.1 micron and normal incidence multilayer optics is discussed. The microscope has a Schwarzschild configuration, which consists of two concentric spherical mirrors with radii of curvature which minimize third-order spherical aberration, coma, and astigmatism. The performance of the Stanford/MSFC Cassegrain X-ray telescope and its relevance to the present microscope are addressed. A ray tracing analysis of the optical system indicates that diffraction-limited performance can be expected for an object height of 0.2 mm.

  9. Hyperspectral microscope imaging methods to classify gram-positive and gram-negative foodborne pathogenic bacteria

    Science.gov (United States)

    An acousto-optic tunable filter-based hyperspectral microscope imaging method has potential for identification of foodborne pathogenic bacteria from microcolony rapidly with a single cell level. We have successfully developed the method to acquire quality hyperspectral microscopic images from variou...

  10. Atomic force microscope with combined FTIR-Raman spectroscopy having a micro thermal analyzer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fink, Samuel D [Aiken, SC; Fondeur, Fernando F [North Augusta, SC

    2011-10-18

    An atomic force microscope is provided that includes a micro thermal analyzer with a tip. The micro thermal analyzer is configured for obtaining topographical data from a sample. A raman spectrometer is included and is configured for use in obtaining chemical data from the sample.

  11. A new clustering algorithm for scanning electron microscope images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousef, Amr; Duraisamy, Prakash; Karim, Mohammad

    2016-04-01

    A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a type of electron microscope that produces images of a sample by scanning it with a focused beam of electrons. The electrons interact with the sample atoms, producing various signals that are collected by detectors. The gathered signals contain information about the sample's surface topography and composition. The electron beam is generally scanned in a raster scan pattern, and the beam's position is combined with the detected signal to produce an image. The most common configuration for an SEM produces a single value per pixel, with the results usually rendered as grayscale images. The captured images may be produced with insufficient brightness, anomalous contrast, jagged edges, and poor quality due to low signal-to-noise ratio, grained topography and poor surface details. The segmentation of the SEM images is a tackling problems in the presence of the previously mentioned distortions. In this paper, we are stressing on the clustering of these type of images. In that sense, we evaluate the performance of the well-known unsupervised clustering and classification techniques such as connectivity based clustering (hierarchical clustering), centroid-based clustering, distribution-based clustering and density-based clustering. Furthermore, we propose a new spatial fuzzy clustering technique that works efficiently on this type of images and compare its results against these regular techniques in terms of clustering validation metrics.

  12. Assessing microscope image focus quality with deep learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Samuel J; Berndl, Marc; Michael Ando, D; Barch, Mariya; Narayanaswamy, Arunachalam; Christiansen, Eric; Hoyer, Stephan; Roat, Chris; Hung, Jane; Rueden, Curtis T; Shankar, Asim; Finkbeiner, Steven; Nelson, Philip

    2018-03-15

    Large image datasets acquired on automated microscopes typically have some fraction of low quality, out-of-focus images, despite the use of hardware autofocus systems. Identification of these images using automated image analysis with high accuracy is important for obtaining a clean, unbiased image dataset. Complicating this task is the fact that image focus quality is only well-defined in foreground regions of images, and as a result, most previous approaches only enable a computation of the relative difference in quality between two or more images, rather than an absolute measure of quality. We present a deep neural network model capable of predicting an absolute measure of image focus on a single image in isolation, without any user-specified parameters. The model operates at the image-patch level, and also outputs a measure of prediction certainty, enabling interpretable predictions. The model was trained on only 384 in-focus Hoechst (nuclei) stain images of U2OS cells, which were synthetically defocused to one of 11 absolute defocus levels during training. The trained model can generalize on previously unseen real Hoechst stain images, identifying the absolute image focus to within one defocus level (approximately 3 pixel blur diameter difference) with 95% accuracy. On a simpler binary in/out-of-focus classification task, the trained model outperforms previous approaches on both Hoechst and Phalloidin (actin) stain images (F-scores of 0.89 and 0.86, respectively over 0.84 and 0.83), despite only having been presented Hoechst stain images during training. Lastly, we observe qualitatively that the model generalizes to two additional stains, Hoechst and Tubulin, of an unseen cell type (Human MCF-7) acquired on a different instrument. Our deep neural network enables classification of out-of-focus microscope images with both higher accuracy and greater precision than previous approaches via interpretable patch-level focus and certainty predictions. The use of

  13. Development of Scanning-Imaging X-Ray Microscope for Quantitative Three-Dimensional Phase Contrast Microimaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Akihisa; Suzuki, Yoshio; Uesugi, Kentaro

    2013-01-01

    A novel x-ray microscope system has been developed for the purpose of quantitative and sensitive three-dimensional (3D) phase-contrast x-ray microimaging. The optical system is a hybrid that consists of a scanning microscope optics with a one-dimensional (1D) focusing (line-focusing) device and an imaging microscope optics with a 1D objective. These two optics are orthogonally arranged regarding their common optical axis. Each is used for forming each dimension of two-dimensional (2D) image. The same data acquisition process as that of the scanning microscope system enables quantitative and sensitive x-ray imaging such as phase contrast and absorption contrast. Because a 2D image is measured with only 1D translation scan, much shorter measurement time than that of conventional scanning optics has been realized. By combining a computed tomography (CT) technique, some 3D CT application examples are demonstrated

  14. Modeling and boundary force control of microcantilevers utilized in atomic force microscopy for cellular imaging and characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eslami, Sohrab

    This dissertation undertakes the theoretical and experimental developments microcantilevers utilized in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) with applications to cellular imaging and characterization. The capability of revealing the inhomogeneties or interior of ultra-small materials has been of most interest to many researchers. However, the fundamental concept of signal and image formation remains unexplored and not fully understood. For his, a semi-empirical nonlinear force model is proposed to show that virtual frequency generation, regarded as the simplest synthesized subsurface probe, occurs optimally when the force is tuned to the van der Waals form. This is the first-time observation of a novel theoretical dynamic multi-frequency force microscopy that has not been already reported. Owing to the broad applications of microcantilevers in the nanoscale imaging and microscopic techniques, there is an essential feeling to study and propose a comprehensive model of such systems. Therefore, in the theoretical part of this dissertation, a distributed-parameters representation modeling of the microcantilever along with a general interaction force comprising of two attractive and repulsive components with general amplitude and power terms is studied. This model is investigated in a general 2D Cartesian coordinate to consider the motions of the probe with a tip mass. There is an excitation at the microcantilever's base such that the end of the beam is subject to the proposed general force. These forces are very sensitive to the amplitude and power terms of these parts; on the other hand, atomic intermolecular force is a function of the distance such that this distance itself is also a function of the interaction force that will result in a nonlinear implicit equation. From a parametric study in the probe-sample excitation, it is shown that the predicted behavior of the generated difference-frequency oscillation amplitude agrees well with experimental measurements. Following

  15. Characteristics of different frequency ranges in scanning electron microscope images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sim, K. S.; Nia, M. E.; Tan, T. L.; Tso, C. P.; Ee, C. S.

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate a new approach to characterize the frequency range in general scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. First, pure frequency images are generated from low frequency to high frequency, and then, the magnification of each type of frequency image is implemented. By comparing the edge percentage of the SEM image to the self-generated frequency images, we can define the frequency ranges of the SEM images. Characterization of frequency ranges of SEM images benefits further processing and analysis of those SEM images, such as in noise filtering and contrast enhancement

  16. Characteristics of different frequency ranges in scanning electron microscope images

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sim, K. S., E-mail: kssim@mmu.edu.my; Nia, M. E.; Tan, T. L.; Tso, C. P.; Ee, C. S. [Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Multimedia University, 75450 Melaka (Malaysia)

    2015-07-22

    We demonstrate a new approach to characterize the frequency range in general scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. First, pure frequency images are generated from low frequency to high frequency, and then, the magnification of each type of frequency image is implemented. By comparing the edge percentage of the SEM image to the self-generated frequency images, we can define the frequency ranges of the SEM images. Characterization of frequency ranges of SEM images benefits further processing and analysis of those SEM images, such as in noise filtering and contrast enhancement.

  17. Single-cell magnetic imaging using a quantum diamond microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glenn, D R; Lee, K; Park, H; Weissleder, R; Yacoby, A; Lukin, M D; Lee, H; Walsworth, R L; Connolly, C B

    2015-08-01

    We apply a quantum diamond microscope for detection and imaging of immunomagnetically labeled cells. This instrument uses nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond for correlated magnetic and fluorescence imaging. Our device provides single-cell resolution and a field of view (∼1 mm(2)) two orders of magnitude larger than that of previous NV imaging technologies, enabling practical applications. To illustrate, we quantified cancer biomarkers expressed by rare tumor cells in a large population of healthy cells.

  18. Adaptation of commercial microscopes for advanced imaging applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brideau, Craig; Poon, Kelvin; Stys, Peter

    2015-03-01

    Today's commercially available microscopes offer a wide array of options to accommodate common imaging experiments. Occasionally, an experimental goal will require an unusual light source, filter, or even irregular sample that is not compatible with existing equipment. In these situations the ability to modify an existing microscopy platform with custom accessories can greatly extend its utility and allow for experiments not possible with stock equipment. Light source conditioning/manipulation such as polarization, beam diameter or even custom source filtering can easily be added with bulk components. Custom and after-market detectors can be added to external ports using optical construction hardware and adapters. This paper will present various examples of modifications carried out on commercial microscopes to address both atypical imaging modalities and research needs. Violet and near-ultraviolet source adaptation, custom detection filtering, and laser beam conditioning and control modifications will be demonstrated. The availability of basic `building block' parts will be discussed with respect to user safety, construction strategies, and ease of use.

  19. Spring constant calibration of atomic force microscope cantilevers of arbitrary shape

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sader, John E. [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Kavli Nanoscience Institute and Department of Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125 (United States); Sanelli, Julian A.; Adamson, Brian D.; Bieske, Evan J. [School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Monty, Jason P.; Marusic, Ivan [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Wei Xingzhan; Mulvaney, Paul [School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Bio21 Institute, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Crawford, Simon A. [School of Botany, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010 (Australia); Friend, James R. [Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, Clayton, Victoria 3800 (Australia); MicroNanophysics Research Laboratory, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria 3001 (Australia)

    2012-10-15

    The spring constant of an atomic force microscope cantilever is often needed for quantitative measurements. The calibration method of Sader et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 70, 3967 (1999)] for a rectangular cantilever requires measurement of the resonant frequency and quality factor in fluid (typically air), and knowledge of its plan view dimensions. This intrinsically uses the hydrodynamic function for a cantilever of rectangular plan view geometry. Here, we present hydrodynamic functions for a series of irregular and non-rectangular atomic force microscope cantilevers that are commonly used in practice. Cantilever geometries of arrow shape, small aspect ratio rectangular, quasi-rectangular, irregular rectangular, non-ideal trapezoidal cross sections, and V-shape are all studied. This enables the spring constants of all these cantilevers to be accurately and routinely determined through measurement of their resonant frequency and quality factor in fluid (such as air). An approximate formulation of the hydrodynamic function for microcantilevers of arbitrary geometry is also proposed. Implementation of the method and its performance in the presence of uncertainties and non-idealities is discussed, together with conversion factors for the static and dynamic spring constants of these cantilevers. These results are expected to be of particular value to the design and application of micro- and nanomechanical systems in general.

  20. Spring constant calibration of atomic force microscope cantilevers of arbitrary shape

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sader, John E.; Sanelli, Julian A.; Adamson, Brian D.; Bieske, Evan J.; Monty, Jason P.; Marusic, Ivan; Wei Xingzhan; Mulvaney, Paul; Crawford, Simon A.; Friend, James R.

    2012-01-01

    The spring constant of an atomic force microscope cantilever is often needed for quantitative measurements. The calibration method of Sader et al. [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 70, 3967 (1999)] for a rectangular cantilever requires measurement of the resonant frequency and quality factor in fluid (typically air), and knowledge of its plan view dimensions. This intrinsically uses the hydrodynamic function for a cantilever of rectangular plan view geometry. Here, we present hydrodynamic functions for a series of irregular and non-rectangular atomic force microscope cantilevers that are commonly used in practice. Cantilever geometries of arrow shape, small aspect ratio rectangular, quasi-rectangular, irregular rectangular, non-ideal trapezoidal cross sections, and V-shape are all studied. This enables the spring constants of all these cantilevers to be accurately and routinely determined through measurement of their resonant frequency and quality factor in fluid (such as air). An approximate formulation of the hydrodynamic function for microcantilevers of arbitrary geometry is also proposed. Implementation of the method and its performance in the presence of uncertainties and non-idealities is discussed, together with conversion factors for the static and dynamic spring constants of these cantilevers. These results are expected to be of particular value to the design and application of micro- and nanomechanical systems in general.

  1. Hard X-ray Microscopic Imaging Of Human Breast Tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sung H.; Kim, Hong T.; Kim, Jong K.; Jheon, Sang H.; Youn, Hwa S.

    2007-01-01

    X-ray microscopy with synchrotron radiation will be a useful tool for innovation of x-ray imaging in clinical and laboratory settings. It helps us observe detailed internal structure of material samples non-invasively in air. And, it also has the potential to solve some tough problems of conventional breast imaging if it could evaluate various conditions of breast tissue effectively. A new hard x-ray microscope with a spatial resolution better than 100 nm was installed at Pohang Light Source, a third generation synchrotron radiation facility in Pohang, Korea. The x-ray energy was set at 6.95 keV, and the x-ray beam was monochromatized by W/B4C monochromator. Condenser and objective zone plates were used as x-ray lenses. Zernike phase plate next to condenser zone plate was introduced for improved contrast imaging. The image of a sample was magnified 30 times by objective zone plate and 20 times by microscope objective, respectively. After additional 10 times digital magnification, the total magnifying power was up to 6000 times in the end. Phase contrast synchrotron images of 10-μm-thick female breast tissue of the normal, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic change and carcinoma cases were obtained. By phase contrast imaging, hard x-rays enable us to observe many structures of breast tissue without sample preparations such as staining or fixation.

  2. Hard X-ray Microscopic Imaging Of Human Breast Tissues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sung H.; Kim, Hong T.; Kim, Jong K.; Jheon, Sang H.; Youn, Hwa S.

    2007-01-01

    X-ray microscopy with synchrotron radiation will be a useful tool for innovation of x-ray imaging in clinical and laboratory settings. It helps us observe detailed internal structure of material samples non-invasively in air. And, it also has the potential to solve some tough problems of conventional breast imaging if it could evaluate various conditions of breast tissue effectively. A new hard x-ray microscope with a spatial resolution better than 100 nm was installed at Pohang Light Source, a third generation synchrotron radiation facility in Pohang, Korea. The x-ray energy was set at 6.95 keV, and the x-ray beam was monochromatized by W/B4C monochromator. Condenser and objective zone plates were used as x-ray lenses. Zernike phase plate next to condenser zone plate was introduced for improved contrast imaging. The image of a sample was magnified 30 times by objective zone plate and 20 times by microscope objective, respectively. After additional 10 times digital magnification, the total magnifying power was up to 6000 times in the end. Phase contrast synchrotron images of 10-μm-thick female breast tissue of the normal, fibroadenoma, fibrocystic change and carcinoma cases were obtained. By phase contrast imaging, hard x-rays enable us to observe many structures of breast tissue without sample preparations such as staining or fixation

  3. Improvements in low-cost label-free QPI microscope for live cell imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seniya, C.; Towers, C. E.; Towers, D. P.

    2017-07-01

    This paper reports an improvement in the development of a low-cost QPI microscope offering new capabilities in term of phase measurement accuracy for label-free live samples in the longer term (i.e., hours to days). The spatially separated scattered and non-scattered image light fields are reshaped in the Fourier plane and modulated to form an interference image at a CCD camera. The apertures that enable these two beams to be generated have been optimised by means of laser-cut apertures placed on the mirrors of a Michelson interferometer and has improved the phase measuring and reconstruction capability of the QPI microscope. The microscope was tested with transparent onion cells as an object of interest.

  4. Towards native-state imaging in biological context in the electron microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weston, Anne E.; Armer, Hannah E. J.

    2009-01-01

    Modern cell biology is reliant on light and fluorescence microscopy for analysis of cells, tissues and protein localisation. However, these powerful techniques are ultimately limited in resolution by the wavelength of light. Electron microscopes offer much greater resolution due to the shorter effective wavelength of electrons, allowing direct imaging of sub-cellular architecture. The harsh environment of the electron microscope chamber and the properties of the electron beam have led to complex chemical and mechanical preparation techniques, which distance biological samples from their native state and complicate data interpretation. Here we describe recent advances in sample preparation and instrumentation, which push the boundaries of high-resolution imaging. Cryopreparation, cryoelectron microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy strive to image samples in near native state. Advances in correlative microscopy and markers enable high-resolution localisation of proteins. Innovation in microscope design has pushed the boundaries of resolution to atomic scale, whilst automatic acquisition of high-resolution electron microscopy data through large volumes is finally able to place ultrastructure in biological context. PMID:19916039

  5. Ionic channels in Langmuir-Blodgett films imaged by a scanning tunneling microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kolomytkin, O V; Golubok, A O; Davydov, D N; Timofeev, V A; Vinogradova, S A; Tipisev SYa

    1991-01-01

    The molecular structure of channels formed by gramicidin A in a lipid membrane was imaged by a scanning tunneling microscope operating in air. The mono- and bimolecular films of lipid with gramicidin A were deposited onto a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite substrate by the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. It has been shown that under high concentration gramicidin A molecules can form in lipid films a quasi-regular, densely packed structure. Single gramicidin A molecules were imaged for the first time as well. The cavity of 0.4 +/- 0.05 nm in halfwidth was found on the scanning tunneling microscopy image of the gramicidin A molecule. The results of direct observation obtained by means of scanning tunneling microscope are in good agreement with the known molecular model of gramicidin A. It was shown that gramicidin A molecules can exist in a lipid monolayer as individual molecules or combined into clusters. The results demonstrate that scanning tunneling microscope can be used for high spatial resolution study of ionic channel structure. Images FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 4 FIGURE 5 PMID:1712239

  6. First images from the Stanford tabletop scanning soft x-ray microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trail, J.A.; Byer, R.L.

    1988-01-01

    The authors have constructed a scanning soft x-ray microscope which uses a laser-produced plasma as the soft x-ray source and normal incidence multilayer coated mirrors in a Schwarzschild configuration as the focusing optics. The microscope operates at a wavelength of 140 angstrom, has a spatial resolution of 0.5 μm, and has a soft x-ray photon flux through the focus of 10 4 s -1 when operated with only 170 mW of average laser power. The microscope is compact; the complete system, including the laser, fits on a single optical table. In this paper they describe the microscope and present images of metallic microstructures

  7. A simple water-immersion condenser for imaging living brain slices on an inverted microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prusky, G T

    1997-09-05

    Due to some physical limitations of conventional condensers, inverted compound microscopes are not optimally suited for imaging living brain slices with transmitted light. Herein is described a simple device that converts an inverted microscope into an effective tool for this application by utilizing an objective as a condenser. The device is mounted on a microscope in place of the condenser, is threaded to accept a water immersion objective, and has a slot for a differential interference contrast (DIC) slider. When combined with infrared video techniques, this device allows an inverted microscope to effectively image living cells within thick brain slices in an open perfusion chamber.

  8. Confocal multispot microscope for fast and deep imaging in semicleared tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adam, Marie-Pierre; Müllenbroich, Marie Caroline; Di Giovanna, Antonino Paolo; Alfieri, Domenico; Silvestri, Ludovico; Sacconi, Leonardo; Pavone, Francesco Saverio

    2018-02-01

    Although perfectly transparent specimens are imaged faster with light-sheet microscopy, less transparent samples are often imaged with two-photon microscopy leveraging its robustness to scattering; however, at the price of increased acquisition times. Clearing methods that are capable of rendering strongly scattering samples such as brain tissue perfectly transparent specimens are often complex, costly, and time intensive, even though for many applications a slightly lower level of tissue transparency is sufficient and easily achieved with simpler and faster methods. Here, we present a microscope type that has been geared toward the imaging of semicleared tissue by combining multispot two-photon excitation with rolling shutter wide-field detection to image deep and fast inside semicleared mouse brain. We present a theoretical and experimental evaluation of the point spread function and contrast as a function of shutter size. Finally, we demonstrate microscope performance in fixed brain slices by imaging dendritic spines up to 400-μm deep.

  9. Surface topography characterization using an atomic force microscope mounted on a coordinate measuring machine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Chiffre, Leonardo; Hansen, H.N; Kofod, N

    1999-01-01

    The paper describes the construction, testing and use of an integrated system for topographic characterization of fine surfaces on parts having relatively big dimensions. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was mounted on a manual three-coordinate measuring machine (CMM) achieving free positioning o...

  10. Robust approach to maximize the range and accuracy of force application in atomic force microscopes with nonlinear position-sensitive detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, E C C M; Vliet, K J van

    2006-01-01

    The atomic force microscope is used increasingly to investigate the mechanical properties of materials via sample displacement under an applied force. However, both the extent of forces attainable and the accuracy of those forces measurements are significantly limited by the optical lever configuration that is commonly used to infer nanoscale deflection of the cantilever. We present a robust and general approach to characterize and compensate for the nonlinearity of the position-sensitive optical device via data processing, requiring no modification of existing instrumentation. We demonstrate that application of this approach reduced the maximum systematic error on the gradient of a force-displacement response from 50% to 5%, and doubled the calibrated force application range. Finally, we outline an experimental protocol that optimizes the use of the quasi-linear range of the most commonly available optical feedback configurations and also accounts for the residual systematic error, allowing the user to benefit from the full detection range of these indirect force sensors

  11. Nanofabrication of magnetic scanned-probe microscope sensors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chong, B.K.

    2001-10-01

    This thesis presents the development of novel magnetic sensor combined with Atomic Force Microscope probe (AFM) using conventional semiconductor processing techniques and Electron Beam Lithography (EBL). The fabrication of these magnetic sensors was performed on a common micromachined silicon substrate using a generic batch fabrication technique. Sub-micron Hall bar for Scanning Hall probe Microscopy (SHPM) and electromagnetic force coil magnet for Scanning Electromagnetic Force Microscopy (eMFM) were designed and constructed at the apex of Silicon attractive mode cantilever probes. The process demonstrates good control over sensor parameters. Results indicated controllability of Hall bar junction sizes (spatial resolution) to below 100nm and Coil diameter sizes to below 500nm with minimum sizes down to 50nm and 270nm respectively. The process has shown its flexibility to accommodate different material systems. The same technology was used to fabricate multiple devices such as double Hall bars on a tip as well as a small electro-magnet coil probe co-defined with the Hall probe to form a magnetic imaging / modification probe. A conventional Non-Contact mode AFM employing heterodyne interferometry and in-house built electronics was modified for SHPM and eMFM. These probes had been scanned over a commercial computer hard disk. These microscopes showed the capability of resolving magnetic bits and topographic information independently and simultaneously. All scanning experiments were carried out under ambient conditions. The experiments required no extra preparation to be done to the specimen before imaging and measurements were carried out under ambient conditions. These probes offer the prospect of direct magnetic field measurement, non- invasiveness, very close proximity, possible local manipulation, better control over the tip- specimen interaction distance and topographic imaging. It is hoped that these magnetic microscope probes will be of great interest and

  12. Microscopic Theory for the Role of Attractive Forces in the Dynamics of Supercooled Liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dell, Zachary E; Schweizer, Kenneth S

    2015-11-13

    We formulate a microscopic, no adjustable parameter, theory of activated relaxation in supercooled liquids directly in terms of the repulsive and attractive forces within the framework of pair correlations. Under isochoric conditions, attractive forces can nonperturbatively modify slow dynamics, but at high enough density their influence vanishes. Under isobaric conditions, attractive forces play a minor role. High temperature apparent Arrhenius behavior and density-temperature scaling are predicted. Our results are consistent with recent isochoric simulations and isobaric experiments on a deeply supercooled molecular liquid. The approach can be generalized to treat colloidal gelation and glass melting, and other soft matter slow dynamics problems.

  13. Microdose fluorescence imaging of ABY-029 on an operating microscope adapted by custom illumination and imaging modules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Jonathan T; Dsouza, Alisha V; Marra, Kayla; Pogue, Brian W; Roberts, David W; Paulsen, Keith D

    2016-09-01

    Fluorescence guided surgery has the potential to positively impact surgical oncology; current operating microscopes and stand-alone imaging systems are too insensitive or too cumbersome to maximally take advantage of new tumor-specific agents developed through the microdose pathway. To this end, a custom-built illumination and imaging module enabling picomolar-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence imaging on a commercial operating microscope is described. The limits of detection and system specifications are characterized, and in vivo efficacy of the system in detecting ABY-029 is evaluated in a rat orthotopic glioma model following microdose injections, showing the suitability of the device for microdose phase 0 clinical trials.

  14. Automated detection of analyzable metaphase chromosome cells depicted on scanned digital microscopic images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Yuchen; Wang, Xingwei; Chen, Xiaodong; Li, Yuhua; Liu, Hong; Li, Shibo; Zheng, Bin

    2010-02-01

    Visually searching for analyzable metaphase chromosome cells under microscopes is quite time-consuming and difficult. To improve detection efficiency, consistency, and diagnostic accuracy, an automated microscopic image scanning system was developed and tested to directly acquire digital images with sufficient spatial resolution for clinical diagnosis. A computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme was also developed and integrated into the image scanning system to search for and detect the regions of interest (ROI) that contain analyzable metaphase chromosome cells in the large volume of scanned images acquired from one specimen. Thus, the cytogeneticists only need to observe and interpret the limited number of ROIs. In this study, the high-resolution microscopic image scanning and CAD performance was investigated and evaluated using nine sets of images scanned from either bone marrow (three) or blood (six) specimens for diagnosis of leukemia. The automated CAD-selection results were compared with the visual selection. In the experiment, the cytogeneticists first visually searched for the analyzable metaphase chromosome cells from specimens under microscopes. The specimens were also automated scanned and followed by applying the CAD scheme to detect and save ROIs containing analyzable cells while deleting the others. The automated selected ROIs were then examined by a panel of three cytogeneticists. From the scanned images, CAD selected more analyzable cells than initially visual examinations of the cytogeneticists in both blood and bone marrow specimens. In general, CAD had higher performance in analyzing blood specimens. Even in three bone marrow specimens, CAD selected 50, 22, 9 ROIs, respectively. Except matching with the initially visual selection of 9, 7, and 5 analyzable cells in these three specimens, the cytogeneticists also selected 41, 15 and 4 new analyzable cells, which were missed in initially visual searching. This experiment showed the feasibility of

  15. Fast processing of microscopic images using object-based extended depth of field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intarapanich, Apichart; Kaewkamnerd, Saowaluck; Pannarut, Montri; Shaw, Philip J; Tongsima, Sissades

    2016-12-22

    Microscopic analysis requires that foreground objects of interest, e.g. cells, are in focus. In a typical microscopic specimen, the foreground objects may lie on different depths of field necessitating capture of multiple images taken at different focal planes. The extended depth of field (EDoF) technique is a computational method for merging images from different depths of field into a composite image with all foreground objects in focus. Composite images generated by EDoF can be applied in automated image processing and pattern recognition systems. However, current algorithms for EDoF are computationally intensive and impractical, especially for applications such as medical diagnosis where rapid sample turnaround is important. Since foreground objects typically constitute a minor part of an image, the EDoF technique could be made to work much faster if only foreground regions are processed to make the composite image. We propose a novel algorithm called object-based extended depths of field (OEDoF) to address this issue. The OEDoF algorithm consists of four major modules: 1) color conversion, 2) object region identification, 3) good contrast pixel identification and 4) detail merging. First, the algorithm employs color conversion to enhance contrast followed by identification of foreground pixels. A composite image is constructed using only these foreground pixels, which dramatically reduces the computational time. We used 250 images obtained from 45 specimens of confirmed malaria infections to test our proposed algorithm. The resulting composite images with all in-focus objects were produced using the proposed OEDoF algorithm. We measured the performance of OEDoF in terms of image clarity (quality) and processing time. The features of interest selected by the OEDoF algorithm are comparable in quality with equivalent regions in images processed by the state-of-the-art complex wavelet EDoF algorithm; however, OEDoF required four times less processing time. This

  16. Visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging with 730-nm diode laser excited nanocrystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Baoju; Zhan, Qiuqiang; Zhao, Yuxiang; Wu, Ruitao; Liu, Jing; He, Sailing

    2016-01-25

    Further development of multiphoton microscopic imaging is confronted with a number of limitations, including high-cost, high complexity and relatively low spatial resolution due to the long excitation wavelength. To overcome these problems, for the first time, we propose visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging by using a common cost-effective 730-nm laser diode to excite the prepared Nd(3+)-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles (Nd(3+)-UCNPs). An ordinary multiphoton scanning microscope system was built using a visible CW diode laser and the lateral imaging resolution as high as 161-nm was achieved via the four-photon upconversion process. The demonstrated large saturation excitation power for Nd(3+)-UCNPs would be more practical and facilitate the four-photon imaging in the application. A sample with fine structure was imaged to demonstrate the advantages of visible-to-visible four-photon ultrahigh resolution microscopic imaging with 730-nm diode laser excited nanocrystals. Combining the uniqueness of UCNPs, the proposed visible-to-visible four-photon imaging would be highly promising and attractive in the field of multiphoton imaging.

  17. Computer Aided Quantification of Pathological Features for Flexor Tendon Pulleys on Microscopic Images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Chun Liu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Quantifying the pathological features of flexor tendon pulleys is essential for grading the trigger finger since it provides clinicians with objective evidence derived from microscopic images. Although manual grading is time consuming and dependent on the observer experience, there is a lack of image processing methods for automatically extracting pulley pathological features. In this paper, we design and develop a color-based image segmentation system to extract the color and shape features from pulley microscopic images. Two parameters which are the size ratio of abnormal tissue regions and the number ratio of abnormal nuclei are estimated as the pathological progression indices. The automatic quantification results show clear discrimination among different levels of diseased pulley specimens which are prone to misjudgments for human visual inspection. The proposed system provides a reliable and automatic way to obtain pathological parameters instead of manual evaluation which is with intra- and interoperator variability. Experiments with 290 microscopic images from 29 pulley specimens show good correspondence with pathologist expectations. Hence, the proposed system has great potential for assisting clinical experts in routine histopathological examinations.

  18. Direct microscopic image and measurement of the atomization process of a port fuel injector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Esmail, Mohamed; Kawahara, Nobuyuki; Tomita, Eiji; Sumida, Mamoru

    2010-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to observe and investigate the phenomena of atomization, i.e. the fuel break-up process very close to the nozzle exit of a practical port fuel injector (PFI). In order to achieve this objective, direct microscopic images of the atomization process were obtained using an ultra-high-speed video camera that could record 102 frames at rates of up to 1 Mfps, coupled with a long-distance microscope and Barlow lens. The experiments were carried out using a PFI in a closed chamber at atmospheric pressure. Time-series images of the spray behaviour were obtained with a high temporal resolution using backlighting. The direct microscopic images of a liquid column break-up were compared with experimental results from laser-induced exciplex fluorescence (LIEF), and the wavelength obtained from the experimental results compared with that predicated from the Kelvin–Helmholtz break-up model. The droplet size diameters from a ligament break-up were compared with results predicated from Weber's analysis. Furthermore, experimental results of the mean droplet diameter from a direct microscopic image were compared with the results obtained from phase Doppler anemometry (PDA) experimental results. Three conclusions were obtained from this study. The atomization processes and detailed characterizations of the break-up of a liquid column were identified; the direct microscopic image results were in good agreement with the results obtained from LIEF, experimental results of the wavelength were in good agreement with those from the Kelvin–Helmholtz break-up model. The break-up process of liquid ligaments into droplets was investigated, and Weber's analysis of the predicated droplet diameter from ligament break-up was found to be applicable only at larger wavelengths. Finally, the direct microscopic image method and PDA method give qualitatively similar trends for droplet size distribution and quantitatively similar values of Sauter mean diameter

  19. Direct microscopic image and measurement of the atomization process of a port fuel injector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmail, Mohamed; Kawahara, Nobuyuki; Tomita, Eiji; Sumida, Mamoru

    2010-07-01

    The main objective of this study is to observe and investigate the phenomena of atomization, i.e. the fuel break-up process very close to the nozzle exit of a practical port fuel injector (PFI). In order to achieve this objective, direct microscopic images of the atomization process were obtained using an ultra-high-speed video camera that could record 102 frames at rates of up to 1 Mfps, coupled with a long-distance microscope and Barlow lens. The experiments were carried out using a PFI in a closed chamber at atmospheric pressure. Time-series images of the spray behaviour were obtained with a high temporal resolution using backlighting. The direct microscopic images of a liquid column break-up were compared with experimental results from laser-induced exciplex fluorescence (LIEF), and the wavelength obtained from the experimental results compared with that predicated from the Kelvin-Helmholtz break-up model. The droplet size diameters from a ligament break-up were compared with results predicated from Weber's analysis. Furthermore, experimental results of the mean droplet diameter from a direct microscopic image were compared with the results obtained from phase Doppler anemometry (PDA) experimental results. Three conclusions were obtained from this study. The atomization processes and detailed characterizations of the break-up of a liquid column were identified; the direct microscopic image results were in good agreement with the results obtained from LIEF, experimental results of the wavelength were in good agreement with those from the Kelvin-Helmholtz break-up model. The break-up process of liquid ligaments into droplets was investigated, and Weber's analysis of the predicated droplet diameter from ligament break-up was found to be applicable only at larger wavelengths. Finally, the direct microscopic image method and PDA method give qualitatively similar trends for droplet size distribution and quantitatively similar values of Sauter mean diameter.

  20. Excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging system for microscopic and endoscopic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayes, Sam A.; Leavesley, Silas J.; Rich, Thomas C.

    2016-04-01

    Current microscopic and endoscopic technologies for cancer screening utilize white-light illumination sources. Hyper-spectral imaging has been shown to improve sensitivity while retaining specificity when compared to white-light imaging in both microscopy and in vivo imaging. However, hyperspectral imaging methods have historically suffered from slow acquisition times due to the narrow bandwidth of spectral filters. Often minutes are required to gather a full image stack. We have developed a novel approach called excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging that provides 2-3 orders of magnitude increased signal strength. This reduces acquisition times significantly, allowing for live video acquisition. Here, we describe a preliminary prototype excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging system that can be coupled with endoscopes or microscopes for hyperspectral imaging of tissues and cells. Our system is comprised of three subsystems: illumination, transmission, and imaging. The illumination subsystem employs light-emitting diode arrays to illuminate at different wavelengths. The transmission subsystem utilizes a unique geometry of optics and a liquid light guide. Software controls allow us to interface with and control the subsystems and components. Digital and analog signals are used to coordinate wavelength intensity, cycling and camera triggering. Testing of the system shows it can cycle 16 wavelengths at as fast as 1 ms per cycle. Additionally, more than 18% of the light transmits through the system. Our setup should allow for hyperspectral imaging of tissue and cells in real time.

  1. Microscopic oxygen imaging based on fluorescein bleaching efficiency measurements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beutler, Martin; Heisterkamp, Ines M.; Piltz, Bastian

    2014-01-01

    by a charge-coupled-device (ccd) camera mounted on a fluorescence microscope allowed a pixelwise estimation of the ratio function in a microscopic image. Use of a microsensor and oxygen-consuming bacteria in a sample chamber enabled the calibration of the system for quantification of absolute oxygen......Photobleaching of the fluorophore fluorescein in an aqueous solution is dependent on the oxygen concentration. Therefore, the time-dependent bleaching behavior can be used to measure of dissolved oxygen concentrations. The method can be combined with epi-fluorescence microscopy. The molecular...... states of the fluorophore can be expressed by a three-state energy model. This leads to a set of differential equations which describe the photobleaching behavior of fluorescein. The numerical solution of these equations shows that in a conventional wide-field fluorescence microscope, the fluorescence...

  2. Quantitative comparison of two independent lateral force calibration techniques for the atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barkley, Sarice S.; Cannara, Rachel J.; Deng Zhao; Gates, Richard S.; Reitsma, Mark G.

    2012-01-01

    Two independent lateral-force calibration methods for the atomic force microscope (AFM)--the hammerhead (HH) technique and the diamagnetic lateral force calibrator (D-LFC)--are systematically compared and found to agree to within 5% or less, but with precision limited to about 15%, using four different tee-shaped HH reference probes. The limitations of each method, both of which offer independent yet feasible paths toward traceable accuracy, are discussed and investigated. We find that stiff cantilevers may produce inconsistent D-LFC values through the application of excessively high normal loads. In addition, D-LFC results vary when the method is implemented using different modes of AFM feedback control, constant height and constant force modes, where the latter is more consistent with the HH method and closer to typical experimental conditions. Specifically, for the D-LFC apparatus used here, calibration in constant height mode introduced errors up to 14 %. In constant force mode using a relatively stiff cantilever, we observed an ≅ 4 % systematic error per μN of applied load for loads ≤ 1 μN. The issue of excessive load typically emerges for cantilevers whose flexural spring constant is large compared with the normal spring constant of the D-LFC setup (such that relatively small cantilever flexural displacements produce relatively large loads). Overall, the HH method carries a larger uncertainty, which is dominated by uncertainty in measurement of the flexural spring constant of the HH cantilever as well as in the effective length dimension of the cantilever probe. The D-LFC method relies on fewer parameters and thus has fewer uncertainties associated with it. We thus show that it is the preferred method of the two, as long as care is taken to perform the calibration in constant force mode with low applied loads.

  3. Specific methodology for capacitance imaging by atomic force microscopy: A breakthrough towards an elimination of parasitic effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Estevez, Ivan [Laboratoire de Génie Électrique de Paris (LGEP), UMR 8507 CNRS-Supélec, Paris-Sud and UPMC Paris 06 Universities, 11 rue Joliot-Curie, Plateau de Moulon, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France); Concept Scientific Instruments, ZA de Courtaboeuf, 2 rue de la Terre de Feu, 91940 Les Ulis (France); Chrétien, Pascal; Schneegans, Olivier; Houzé, Frédéric, E-mail: houze@lgep.supelec.fr [Laboratoire de Génie Électrique de Paris (LGEP), UMR 8507 CNRS-Supélec, Paris-Sud and UPMC Paris 06 Universities, 11 rue Joliot-Curie, Plateau de Moulon, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)

    2014-02-24

    On the basis of a home-made nanoscale impedance measurement device associated with a commercial atomic force microscope, a specific operating process is proposed in order to improve absolute (in sense of “nonrelative”) capacitance imaging by drastically reducing the parasitic effects due to stray capacitance, surface topography, and sample tilt. The method, combining a two-pass image acquisition with the exploitation of approach curves, has been validated on sets of calibration samples consisting in square parallel plate capacitors for which theoretical capacitance values were numerically calculated.

  4. Cometary dust at the smallest scale - latest results of the MIDAS Atomic Force Microscope onboard Rosetta

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bentley, Mark; Torkar, Klaus; Jeszenszky, Harald; Romstedt, Jens; Schmied, Roland; Mannel, Thurid

    2015-04-01

    The MIDAS instrument onboard the Rosetta orbit is a unique combination of a dust collection and handling system and a high resolution Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). By building three-dimensional images of the dust particle topography, MIDAS addresses a range of fundamental questions in Solar System and cometary science. The first few months of dust collection and scanning revealed a deficit of smaller (micron and below) particles but eventually several 10 µm-class grains were discovered. In fact these were unexpectedly large and close to the limit of what is observable with MIDAS. As a result the sharp tip used by the AFM struck the particles from the side, causing particle breakage and distortion. Analyses so far suggest that the collected particles are fluffy aggregates of smaller sub-units, although determination of the size of these sub-units and high resolution re-imaging remains to be done. The latest findings will be presented here, including a description of the particles collected and the implications of these observations for cometary science and the Rosetta mission at comet 67P.

  5. A super-oscillatory lens optical microscope for subwavelength imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rogers, Edward T F; Lindberg, Jari; Roy, Tapashree; Savo, Salvatore; Chad, John E; Dennis, Mark R; Zheludev, Nikolay I

    2012-03-25

    The past decade has seen an intensive effort to achieve optical imaging resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Apart from the Pendry-Veselago negative index superlens, implementation of which in optics faces challenges of losses and as yet unattainable fabrication finesse, other super-resolution approaches necessitate the lens either to be in the near proximity of the object or manufactured on it, or work only for a narrow class of samples, such as intensely luminescent or sparse objects. Here we report a new super-resolution microscope for optical imaging that beats the diffraction limit of conventional instruments and the recently demonstrated near-field optical superlens and hyperlens. This non-invasive subwavelength imaging paradigm uses a binary amplitude mask for direct focusing of laser light into a subwavelength spot in the post-evanescent field by precisely tailoring the interference of a large number of beams diffracted from a nanostructured mask. The new technology, which--in principle--has no physical limits on resolution, could be universally used for imaging at any wavelength and does not depend on the luminescence of the object, which can be tens of micrometres away from the mask. It has been implemented as a straightforward modification of a conventional microscope showing resolution better than λ/6.

  6. Imaging properties of the mesooptical Fourier transform microscope for nuclear research emulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bencze, Gy.L.; Soroko, L.M.

    1987-01-01

    The optical signal transformation in the Mesooptical Fourier Transform Microscope (MFTM) for nuclear emulsion is treated in terms of Fourier Optics. A continuous conversion of the traditional optical microscope into the MFTM is followed. The images of dot-like and straight line objects given by the MFTM are discussed

  7. Radical Chemistry and Charge Manipulation with an Atomic Force Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gross, Leo

    The fuctionalization of tips by atomic manipulation dramatically increased the resolution of atomic force microscopy (AFM). The combination of high-resolution AFM with atomic manipulation now offers the unprecedented possibility to custom-design individual molecules by making and breaking bonds with the tip of the microscope and directly characterizing the products on the atomic scale. We recently applied this technique to generate and study reaction intermediates and to investigate chemical reactions trigged by atomic manipulation. We formed diradicals by dissociating halogen atoms and then reversibly triggered ring-opening and -closing reactions via atomic manipulation, allowing us to switch and control the molecule's reactivity, magnetic and optical properties. Additional information about charge states and charge distributions can be obtained by Kelvin probe force spectroscopy. On multilayer insulating films we investigated single-electron attachment, detachment and transfer between individual molecules. EU ERC AMSEL (682144), EU project PAMS (610446).

  8. Structure Identification in High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopic Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Jacob Schack; Kling, Jens; Dahl, Anders Bjorholm

    2014-01-01

    A connection between microscopic structure and macroscopic properties is expected for almost all material systems. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy is a technique offering insight into the atomic structure, but the analysis of large image series can be time consuming. The present ...

  9. The atomic force microscope as a mechano–electrochemical pen

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Obermair

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrate a method that allows the controlled writing of metallic patterns on the nanometer scale using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM as a “mechano–electrochemical pen”. In contrast to previous experiments, no voltage is applied between the AFM tip and the sample surface. Instead, a passivated sample surface is activated locally due to lateral forces between the AFM tip and the sample surface. In this way, the area of tip–sample interaction is narrowly limited by the mechanical contact between tip and sample, and well-defined metallic patterns can be written reproducibly. Nanoscale structures and lines of copper were deposited, and the line widths ranged between 5 nm and 80 nm, depending on the deposition parameters. A procedure for the sequential writing of metallic nanostructures is introduced, based on the understanding of the passivation process. The mechanism of this mechano–electrochemical writing technique is investigated, and the processes of site-selective surface depassivation, deposition, dissolution and repassivation of electrochemically deposited nanoscale metallic islands are studied in detail.

  10. Origins of phase contrast in the atomic force microscope in liquids

    OpenAIRE

    Melcher, John; Carrasco, Carolina; Xu, Xianfan; Carrascosa, Jose L; Gomez-Herrero, Julio; Jose de Pablo, Pedro; Raman, Arvind

    2009-01-01

    We study the physical origins of phase contrast in dynamic atomic force microscopy (dAFM) in liquids where low-stiffness microcantilever probes are often used for nanoscale imaging of soft biological samples with gentle forces. Under these conditions, we show that the phase contrast derives primarily from a unique energy flow channel that opens up in liquids due to the momentary excitation of higher eigenmodes. Contrary to the common assumption, phase-contrast images in liquids using soft mic...

  11. Development of a SEM-based low-energy in-line electron holography microscope for individual particle imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adaniya, Hidehito; Cheung, Martin; Cassidy, Cathal; Yamashita, Masao; Shintake, Tsumoru

    2018-05-01

    A new SEM-based in-line electron holography microscope has been under development. The microscope utilizes conventional SEM and BF-STEM functionality to allow for rapid searching of the specimen of interest, seamless interchange between SEM, BF-STEM and holographic imaging modes, and makes use of coherent low-energy in-line electron holography to obtain low-dose, high-contrast images of light element materials. We report here an overview of the instrumentation and first experimental results on gold nano-particles and carbon nano-fibers for system performance tests. Reconstructed images obtained from the holographic imaging mode of the new microscope show substantial image contrast and resolution compared to those acquired by SEM and BF-STEM modes, demonstrating the feasibility of high-contrast imaging via low-energy in-line electron holography. The prospect of utilizing the new microscope to image purified biological specimens at the individual particle level is discussed and electron optical issues and challenges to further improve resolution and contrast are considered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Contrast and resolution enhancement of a near-field optical microscope by using a modulation technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Flaxer, Eli; Palachi, Eldad

    2005-01-01

    A new design of a tunneling near-field optical microscope (TNOM) combined with an atomic force microscope (AFM) is presented. This design can be used to generate three different images of the sample's surface: a non-contact (tapping mode) AFM image, a conventional TNOM and an image of a modulation signal of the conventional TNOM, which we call AC-TNOM. The images are obtained simultaneously, using a single light source. It is shown that the AC-TNOM has better resolution (∼200 A) and contrast compared to conventional TNOM (∼400 A)

  13. A framed, 16-image Kirkpatrick-Baez x-ray microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marshall, F. J.; Bahr, R. E.; Goncharov, V. N.; Glebov, V. Yu.; Peng, B.; Regan, S. P.; Sangster, T. C.; Stoeckl, C.

    2017-09-01

    A 16-image Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB)-type x-ray microscope consisting of compact KB mirrors [F. J. Marshall, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 10E518 (2012)] has been assembled for the first time with mirrors aligned to allow it to be coupled to a high-speed framing camera. The high-speed framing camera has four independently gated strips whose emission sampling interval is ˜30 ps. Images are arranged four to a strip with ˜60-ps temporal spacing between frames on a strip. By spacing the timing of the strips, a frame spacing of ˜15 ps is achieved. A framed resolution of ˜6-μm is achieved with this combination in a 400-μm region of laser-plasma x-ray emission in the 2- to 8-keV energy range. A principal use of the microscope is to measure the evolution of the implosion stagnation region of cryogenic DT target implosions on the University of Rochester's OMEGA Laser System [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. The unprecedented time and spatial resolutions achieved with this framed, multi-image KB microscope have made it possible to accurately determine the cryogenic implosion core emission size and shape at the peak of stagnation. These core size measurements, taken in combination with those of ion temperature, neutron-production temporal width, and neutron yield allow for inference of core pressures, currently exceeding 50 Gbar in OMEGA cryogenic target implosions [Regan et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 025001 (2016)].

  14. Internal scanning method as unique imaging method of optical vortex scanning microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popiołek-Masajada, Agnieszka; Masajada, Jan; Szatkowski, Mateusz

    2018-06-01

    The internal scanning method is specific for the optical vortex microscope. It allows to move the vortex point inside the focused vortex beam with nanometer resolution while the whole beam stays in place. Thus the sample illuminated by the focused vortex beam can be scanned just by the vortex point. We show that this method enables high resolution imaging. The paper presents the preliminary experimental results obtained with the first basic image recovery procedure. A prospect of developing more powerful tools for topography recovery with the optical vortex scanning microscope is discussed shortly.

  15. Multi-technology Integration Based on Low-contrast Microscopic Image Enhancement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haoge Ma

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Microscopic image enhancement is an important issue of image processing technique, which is used to improve the visual quality of image. This paper describes a novel multi resolution image segmentation algorithm for low DOF images. The algorithm is designed to separate a sharply focused object of interest from other foreground or background objects. The algorithm is fully automatic in that all parameters are image in dependent. A multiscale-approach based on high frequency wavelet coefficients and their statistics is used to perform context dependent classification of individual blocks of the image. Compared with the state of the art algorithms, this new algorithm provides better accuracy at higher speed.

  16. Measuring minority-carrier diffusion length using a Kelvin probe force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shikler, R.; Fried, N.; Meoded, T.; Rosenwaks, Y.

    2000-01-01

    A method based on Kelvin probe force microscopy for measuring minority-carrier diffusion length in semiconductors is described. The method is based on measuring the surface photovoltage between the tip of an atomic force microscope and the surface of an illuminated semiconductor junction. The photogenerated carriers diffuse to the junction and change the contact potential difference between the tip and the sample, as a function of the distance from the junction. The diffusion length L is then obtained by fitting the measured contact potential difference using the minority-carrier continuity equation. The method was applied to measurements of electron diffusion length in GaP pn and Schottky junctions. The measured diffusion length was found to be ∼2 μm, in good agreement with electron beam induced current measurements

  17. An open source/real-time atomic force microscope architecture to perform customizable force spectroscopy experiments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Materassi, Donatello; Baschieri, Paolo; Tiribilli, Bruno; Zuccheri, Giampaolo; Samorì, Bruno

    2009-08-01

    We describe the realization of an atomic force microscope architecture designed to perform customizable experiments in a flexible and automatic way. Novel technological contributions are given by the software implementation platform (RTAI-LINUX), which is free and open source, and from a functional point of view, by the implementation of hard real-time control algorithms. Some other technical solutions such as a new way to estimate the optical lever constant are described as well. The adoption of this architecture provides many degrees of freedom in the device behavior and, furthermore, allows one to obtain a flexible experimental instrument at a relatively low cost. In particular, we show how such a system has been employed to obtain measures in sophisticated single-molecule force spectroscopy experiments [Fernandez and Li, Science 303, 1674 (2004)]. Experimental results on proteins already studied using the same methodologies are provided in order to show the reliability of the measure system.

  18. Observation of ferromagnetic resonance in a microscopic sample using magnetic resonance force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Z.; Hammel, P.C.; Wigen, P.E.

    1996-01-01

    We report the observation of a ferromagnetic resonance signal arising from a microscopic (∼20μmx40μm) particle of thin (3μm) yttrium iron garnet film using magnetic resonance force microscopy (MRFM). The large signal intensity in the resonance spectra suggests that MRFM could become a powerful microscopic ferromagnetic resonance technique with a micron or sub-micron resolution. We also observe a very strong nonresonance signal which occurs in the field regime where the sample magnetization readily reorients in response to the modulation of the magnetic field. This signal will be the main noise source in applications where a magnet is mounted on the cantilever. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

  19. Novel scanning probe microscope instrumentation with applications in nanotechnology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Humphry, M.J.

    2000-10-01

    A versatile scanning probe microscope controller has been constructed. Its suitability for the control of a range of different scanning probe microscope heads has been demonstrated. These include an ultra high vacuum scanning tunnelling microscope, with which atomic resolution images of Si surfaces was obtained, a custom-built atomic force microscope, and a custom-built photon emission scanning tunnelling microscope. The controller has been designed specifically to facilitate data acquisition during molecular manipulation experiments. Using the controller, the fullerene molecule C 60 has been successfully manipulated on Si(100)-2x1 surfaces and detailed data has been acquired during the manipulation process. Evidence for two distinct modes of manipulation have been observed. A repulsive mode with success rates up to 90% was found to occur with tunnel gap impedances below 2GΩ, while between 2GΩ and 8GΩ attractive manipulation events were observed, with a maximum success rate of ∼8%. It was also found that the step size between feedback updates had a significant effect on tip stability, and that dwell time of the STM tip at each data point had a critical effect on manipulation probability. A multi-function scanning probe microscope head has been developed capable of operation as a scanning tunnelling microscope and an atomic force microscope in vacuum and a magnetic field of 7T. The custom-built controller also presented here was used to control the head. A three-axis inertial sliding motor was developed for the head, capable of reproducible step sizes of <1000A. In addition, an optical fibre interferometer was constructed with a sensitivity of 0.2A/√Hz. Preliminary development of a magnetic resonance force microscope mode has also been performed, with initial results showing such a system to be feasible. (author)

  20. Serum induced degradation of 3D DNA box origami observed by high speed atomic force microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jiang, Zaixing; Zhang, Shuai; Yang, Chuanxu

    2015-01-01

    3D DNA origami holds tremendous potential to encapsulate and selectively release therapeutic drugs. Observations of real-time performance of 3D DNA origami structures in physiological environment will contribute much to its further applications. Here, we investigate the degradation kinetics of 3D...... DNA box origami in serum using high-speed atomic force microscope optimized for imaging 3D DNA origami in real time. The time resolution allows characterizing the stages of serum effects on individual 3D DNA box origami with nanometer resolution. Our results indicate that the whole digest process...... is a combination of a rapid collapse phase and a slow degradation phase. The damages of box origami mainly happen in the collapse phase. Thus, the structure stability of 3D DNA box origami should be further improved, especially in the collapse phase, before clinical applications...

  1. Design and control of multi-actuated atomic force microscope for large-range and high-speed imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Soltani Bozchalooi, I.; Careaga Houck, A. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); AlGhamdi, J. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Dammam, Dammam (Saudi Arabia); Youcef-Toumi, K. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

    2016-01-15

    This paper presents the design and control of a high-speed and large-range atomic force microscopy (AFM). A multi-actuation scheme is proposed where several nano-positioners cooperate to achieve the range and speed requirements. A simple data-based control design methodology is presented to effectively operate the AFM scanner components. The proposed controllers compensate for the coupled dynamics and divide the positioning responsibilities between the scanner components. As a result, the multi-actuated scanner behavior is equivalent to that of a single X–Y–Z positioner with large range and high speed. The scanner of the designed AFM is composed of five nano-positioners, features 6 μm out-of-plane and 120 μm lateral ranges and is capable of high-speed operation. The presented AFM has a modular design with laser spot size of 3.5 μm suitable for small cantilever, an optical view of the sample and probe, a conveniently large waterproof sample stage and a 20 MHz data throughput for high resolution image acquisition at high imaging speeds. This AFM is used to visualize etching of calcite in a solution of sulfuric acid. Layer-by-layer dissolution and pit formation along the crystalline lines in a low pH environment is observed in real time. - Highlights: • High-speed AFM imaging is extended to large lateral and vertical scan ranges. • A general multi-actuation approach to atomic force microscopy is presented. • A high-speed AFM is designed and implemented based on the proposed method. • Multi-actuator control is designed auxiliary to a PID unit to maintain flexibility. • Influence of calcite crystal structure on dissolution is visualized in video form.

  2. Fine-grained leukocyte classification with deep residual learning for microscopic images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Feiwei; Gao, Nannan; Peng, Yong; Wu, Zizhao; Shen, Shuying; Grudtsin, Artur

    2018-08-01

    Leukocyte classification and cytometry have wide applications in medical domain, previous researches usually exploit machine learning techniques to classify leukocytes automatically. However, constrained by the past development of machine learning techniques, for example, extracting distinctive features from raw microscopic images are difficult, the widely used SVM classifier only has relative few parameters to tune, these methods cannot efficiently handle fine-grained classification cases when the white blood cells have up to 40 categories. Based on deep learning theory, a systematic study is conducted on finer leukocyte classification in this paper. A deep residual neural network based leukocyte classifier is constructed at first, which can imitate the domain expert's cell recognition process, and extract salient features robustly and automatically. Then the deep neural network classifier's topology is adjusted according to the prior knowledge of white blood cell test. After that the microscopic image dataset with almost one hundred thousand labeled leukocytes belonging to 40 categories is built, and combined training strategies are adopted to make the designed classifier has good generalization ability. The proposed deep residual neural network based classifier was tested on microscopic image dataset with 40 leukocyte categories. It achieves top-1 accuracy of 77.80%, top-5 accuracy of 98.75% during the training procedure. The average accuracy on the test set is nearly 76.84%. This paper presents a fine-grained leukocyte classification method for microscopic images, based on deep residual learning theory and medical domain knowledge. Experimental results validate the feasibility and effectiveness of our approach. Extended experiments support that the fine-grained leukocyte classifier could be used in real medical applications, assist doctors in diagnosing diseases, reduce human power significantly. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Active Mask Segmentation of Fluorescence Microscope Images

    OpenAIRE

    Srinivasa, Gowri; Fickus, Matthew C.; Guo, Yusong; Linstedt, Adam D.; Kovačević, Jelena

    2009-01-01

    We propose a new active mask algorithm for the segmentation of fluorescence microscope images of punctate patterns. It combines the (a) flexibility offered by active-contour methods, (b) speed offered by multiresolution methods, (c) smoothing offered by multiscale methods, and (d) statistical modeling offered by region-growing methods into a fast and accurate segmentation tool. The framework moves from the idea of the “contour” to that of “inside and outside”, or, masks, allowing for easy mul...

  4. Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taniguchi, Yoshifumi; Matsumoto, Hiroaki; Harada, Ken

    2012-01-01

    An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

  5. Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taniguchi, Yoshifumi; Matsumoto, Hiroaki; Harada, Ken

    2012-08-01

    An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

  6. Foucault imaging by using non-dedicated transmission electron microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taniguchi, Yoshifumi [Science and Medical Systems Business Group, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., Ichige, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-8504 (Japan); Matsumoto, Hiroaki [Corporate Manufacturing Strategy Group, Hitachi High-Technologies Corp., Ishikawa-cho, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki 312-1991 (Japan); Harada, Ken [Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd., Hatoyama, Saitama 350-0395 (Japan)

    2012-08-27

    An electron optical system for observing Foucault images was constructed using a conventional transmission electron microscope without any special equipment for Lorentz microscopy. The objective lens was switched off and an electron beam was converged by a condenser optical system to the crossover on the selected area aperture plane. The selected area aperture was used as an objective aperture to select the deflected beam for Foucault mode, and the successive image-forming lenses were controlled for observation of the specimen images. The irradiation area on the specimen was controlled by selecting the appropriate diameter of the condenser aperture.

  7. Performance limitations of imaging microscopes for soft x-ray applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewotsky, K.L.; Kotha, A.; Harvey, J.E.

    1993-01-01

    Recent advances in the fabrication of nanometer-scale multilayer structures have yielded high-reflectance mirrors operating at near-normal incidence for soft X-ray wavelengths. These developments have stimulated renewed interest in high-resolution soft X-ray microscopy. The design of a Schwarzschild imaging microscope for soft X-ray applications has been reported by Hoover and Shealy. Based upon a geometrical ray-trace analysis of the residual design errors, diffraction-limited performance at a wavelength of 100 angstrom was predicted over an object size (diameter) of 0.4 mm. In this paper the authors expand upon the previous analysis of the Schwarzschild X-ray microscope design by determining the total image degradation due to diffraction, geometrical aberrations, alignment errors, and realistic assumptions concerning optical fabrication errors. NASA's Optical Surface Analysis Code (OSAC) is used to model the image degradation effects of residual surface irregularities over the entire range of relevant spatial frequencies. This includes small angle scattering effects due to mid spatial frequency surface errors falling between the traditional figure and finish specifications. Performance predictions are presented parametrically to provide some insight into the optical fabrication and alignment tolerances necessary to meet a particular image quality requirement

  8. Microscopic derivation of the force on a dielectric fluid in an electromagnetic field

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, H.M.; Suen, W.M.; Young, K.

    1982-01-01

    The force acting on a Clausius-Mossotti fluid in an electromagnetic field is evaluated microscopically. Owing to the modification of the two-particle density by the electric field, an additional mechanical force Δf/sup( M/) is found. When this is added to the electrical force f/sup( E/), the total force in the static case becomes identical to that deduced macroscopically by Helmholtz. The analysis is extended to various time-dependent cases, and it is pointed out that Δf/sup( M/) essentially assumes its static value on time scales longer than T/sub c/, the relaxation time of the two-particle density, but is otherwise negligibly small. Thus Peierls's theory of the momentum of light is valid only for pulses much shorter than T/sub c/; the necessary correction due to Δf/sup( M/) in other cases is given and discussed

  9. Ghost microscope imaging system from the perspective of coherent-mode representation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Qian; Bai, Yanfeng; Shi, Xiaohui; Nan, Suqin; Qu, Lijie; Li, Hengxing; Fu, Xiquan

    2018-03-01

    The coherent-mode representation theory of partially coherent fields is firstly used to analyze a two-arm ghost microscope imaging system. It is shown that imaging quality of the generated images depend crucially on the distribution of the decomposition coefficients of the object imaged when the light source is fixed. This theory is also suitable for demonstrating the effects from the distance the object is moved away from the original plane on imaging quality. Our results are verified theoretically and experimentally.

  10. Force Limited Vibration Test of HESSI Imager

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amato, Deborah; Pankow, David; Thomsen, Knud

    2000-01-01

    The High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) is a solar x-ray and gamma-ray observatory scheduled for launch in November 2000. Vibration testing of the HESSI imager flight unit was performed in August 1999. The HESSI imager consists of a composite metering tube, two aluminum trays mounted to the tube on titanium flexure mounts, and nine modulation grids mounted on each tray. The vibration tests were acceleration controlled and force limited, in order to prevent overtesting. The force limited strategy reduced the shaker force and notched the acceleration at resonances. The test set-up, test levels, and results are presented. The development of the force limits is also discussed. The imager successfully survived the vibration testing.

  11. Focal depth measurement of scanning helium ion microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Hongxuan; Itoh, Hiroshi; Wang, Chunmei; Zhang, Han; Fujita, Daisuke

    2014-01-01

    When facing the challenges of critical dimension measurement of complicated nanostructures, such as of the three dimension integrated circuit, characterization of the focal depth of microscopes is important. In this Letter, we developed a method for characterizing the focal depth of a scanning helium ion microscope (HIM) by using an atomic force microscope tip characterizer (ATC). The ATC was tilted in a sample chamber at an angle to the scanning plan. Secondary electron images (SEIs) were obtained at different positions of the ATC. The edge resolution of the SEIs shows the nominal diameters of the helium ion beam at different focal levels. With this method, the nominal shapes of the helium ion beams were obtained with different apertures. Our results show that a small aperture is necessary to get a high spatial resolution and high depth of field images with HIM. This work provides a method for characterizing and improving the performance of HIM.

  12. Characterizing absolute piezoelectric microelectromechanical system displacement using an atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, J.; Chapman, S.

    2014-01-01

    Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is a popular tool for the study of ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials at the nanometer level. Progress in the development of piezoelectric MEMS fabrication is highlighting the need to characterize absolute displacement at the nanometer and Ångstrom scales, something Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) might do but PFM cannot. Absolute displacement is measured by executing a polarization measurement of the ferroelectric or piezoelectric capacitor in question while monitoring the absolute vertical position of the sample surface with a stationary AFM cantilever. Two issues dominate the execution and precision of such a measurement: (1) the small amplitude of the electrical signal from the AFM at the Ångstrom level and (2) calibration of the AFM. The authors have developed a calibration routine and test technique for mitigating the two issues, making it possible to use an atomic force microscope to measure both the movement of a capacitor surface as well as the motion of a micro-machine structure actuated by that capacitor. The theory, procedures, pitfalls, and results of using an AFM for absolute piezoelectric measurement are provided

  13. Characterizing absolute piezoelectric microelectromechanical system displacement using an atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Evans, J., E-mail: radiant@ferrodevices.com; Chapman, S., E-mail: radiant@ferrodevices.com [Radiant Technologies, Inc., 2835C Pan American Fwy NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87107 (United States)

    2014-08-14

    Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is a popular tool for the study of ferroelectric and piezoelectric materials at the nanometer level. Progress in the development of piezoelectric MEMS fabrication is highlighting the need to characterize absolute displacement at the nanometer and Ångstrom scales, something Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) might do but PFM cannot. Absolute displacement is measured by executing a polarization measurement of the ferroelectric or piezoelectric capacitor in question while monitoring the absolute vertical position of the sample surface with a stationary AFM cantilever. Two issues dominate the execution and precision of such a measurement: (1) the small amplitude of the electrical signal from the AFM at the Ångstrom level and (2) calibration of the AFM. The authors have developed a calibration routine and test technique for mitigating the two issues, making it possible to use an atomic force microscope to measure both the movement of a capacitor surface as well as the motion of a micro-machine structure actuated by that capacitor. The theory, procedures, pitfalls, and results of using an AFM for absolute piezoelectric measurement are provided.

  14. Nanoscale X-Ray Microscopic Imaging of Mammalian Mineralized Tissue

    OpenAIRE

    Andrews, Joy C.; Almeida, Eduardo; van der Meulen, Marjolein C.H.; Alwood, Joshua S.; Lee, Chialing; Liu, Yijin; Chen, Jie; Meirer, Florian; Feser, Michael; Gelb, Jeff; Rudati, Juana; Tkachuk, Andrei; Yun, Wenbing; Pianetta, Piero

    2010-01-01

    A novel hard transmission X-ray microscope (TXM) at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Light-source operating from 5 to 15 keV X-ray energy with 14 to 30 µm2 field of view has been used for high-resolution (30–40 nm) imaging and density quantification of mineralized tissue. TXM is uniquely suited for imaging of internal cellular structures and networks in mammalian mineralized tissues using relatively thick (50 µm), untreated samples that preserve tissue micro- and nanostructure. To test this...

  15. Fidelity imaging for atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghosal, Sayan, E-mail: ghos0087@umn.edu; Salapaka, Murti, E-mail: murtis@umn.edu [Nanodynamics Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 (United States)

    2015-01-05

    Atomic force microscopy is widely employed for imaging material at the nanoscale. However, real-time measures on image reliability are lacking in contemporary atomic force microscopy literature. In this article, we present a real-time technique that provides an image of fidelity for a high bandwidth dynamic mode imaging scheme. The fidelity images define channels that allow the user to have additional authority over the choice of decision threshold that facilitates where the emphasis is desired, on discovering most true features on the sample with the possible detection of high number of false features, or emphasizing minimizing instances of false detections. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of fidelity imaging.

  16. Use of an axisymmetric microscope with electronic readout for collecting soft X-ray images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cavailler, C.; Henry, P.; Launspach, J.; De Mascureau, J.; Millerioux, M.; Rostaing, M.; Sauneuf, R.

    1984-08-01

    The axisymmetric microscope, first discussed by Wolter, provides high resolution and sensitivity for investigating the soft X-ray emission of laser-driven plasmas. Such a device having a 10 X magnification has been constructed. We present a comparison between the images of laser-driven plasmas given by this microscope and by a 10 X pinhole camera. Until now these images were recorded on X-ray film. We have shown that film could be replaced by C.C.D. in a pinhole camera when the photon energy lies within the 1-10 keV range. Below 1 keV the quantum yield is too low so we have used an image converter tube made by RTC. It is a diode-inverter tube with a soft X-ray photocathode and a P20 phosphor deposited on an optic fiber plate. The electronic image appearing on the screen is read by a C.C.D. working in the visible spectral fields. An electronic image readout chain, which is identical to those associated with streak cameras, then processes automatically and immediately the images given by the microscope [fr

  17. Origins of phase contrast in the atomic force microscope in liquids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melcher, John; Carrasco, Carolina; Xu, Xin; Carrascosa, José L; Gómez-Herrero, Julio; José de Pablo, Pedro; Raman, Arvind

    2009-08-18

    We study the physical origins of phase contrast in dynamic atomic force microscopy (dAFM) in liquids where low-stiffness microcantilever probes are often used for nanoscale imaging of soft biological samples with gentle forces. Under these conditions, we show that the phase contrast derives primarily from a unique energy flow channel that opens up in liquids due to the momentary excitation of higher eigenmodes. Contrary to the common assumption, phase-contrast images in liquids using soft microcantilevers are often maps of short-range conservative interactions, such as local elastic response, rather than tip-sample dissipation. The theory is used to demonstrate variations in local elasticity of purple membrane and bacteriophage 29 virions in buffer solutions using the phase-contrast images.

  18. Contrast artifacts in tapping tip atomic force microscopy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kyhle, Anders; Sørensen, Alexis Hammer; Zandbergen, Julie Bjerring

    1998-01-01

    When recording images with an atomic force microscope using the resonant vibrating cantilever mode, surprising strange results are often achieved. Typical artifacts are strange contours, unexpected height shifts, and sudden changes of the apparent resolution in the acquired images. Such artifacts...

  19. Measurements of dispersion forces between colloidal latex particles with the atomic force microscope and comparison with Lifshitz theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elzbieciak-Wodka, Magdalena; Ruiz-Cabello, F. Javier Montes; Trefalt, Gregor; Maroni, Plinio; Borkovec, Michal, E-mail: michal.borkovec@unige.ch [Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, University of Geneva, Sciences II, 30, Quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1205 Geneva (Switzerland); Popescu, Mihail N. [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia)

    2014-03-14

    Interaction forces between carboxylate colloidal latex particles of about 2 μm in diameter immersed in aqueous solutions of monovalent salts were measured with the colloidal probe technique, which is based on the atomic force microscope. We have systematically varied the ionic strength, the type of salt, and also the surface charge densities of the particles through changes in the solution pH. Based on these measurements, we have accurately measured the dispersion forces acting between the particles and estimated the apparent Hamaker constant to be (2.0 ± 0.5) × 10{sup −21} J at a separation distance of about 10 nm. This value is basically independent of the salt concentration and the type of salt. Good agreement with Lifshitz theory is found when roughness effects are taken into account. The combination of retardation and roughness effects reduces the value of the apparent Hamaker constant and its ionic strength dependence with respect to the case of ideally smooth surfaces.

  20. The Reaction Microscope: Imaging and Pulse Shaping Control in Photodynamics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vredenborg, A.; Lehmann, C.S.; Irimia, D.; Roeterdink, W.; Janssen, M.H.M.

    2011-01-01

    Herein, we review the current capabilities and potential of advanced single-particle imaging techniques to study photodynamics in isolated molecules. These reaction microscopes are able to measure the full three-dimensional energy and angular distribution of (correlated) particles such as electrons

  1. A multiphoton laser scanning microscope setup for transcranial in vivo brain imaging on mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nase, Gabriele; Helm, P. Johannes; Reppen, Trond; Ottersen, Ole Petter

    2005-12-01

    We describe a multiphoton laser scanning microscope setup for transcranial in vivo brain imaging in mice. The modular system is based on a modified industrial standard Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (CSLM) and is assembled mainly from commercially available components. A special multifunctional stage, which is optimized for both laser scanning microscopic observation and preparative animal surgery, has been developed and built. The detection unit includes a highly efficient photomultiplier tube installed in a Peltier-cooled thermal box shielding the detector from changes in room temperature and from distortions caused by external electromagnetic fields. The images are recorded using a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter. Depending on the characteristics of the staining, individual nerve cells can be imaged down to at least 100μm below the intact cranium and down to at least 200μm below the opened cranium.

  2. Atomic force microscopy for cellular level manipulation: imaging intracellular structures and DNA delivery through a membrane hole.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afrin, Rehana; Zohora, Umme Salma; Uehara, Hironori; Watanabe-Nakayama, Takahiro; Ikai, Atsushi

    2009-01-01

    The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a versatile tool for imaging, force measurement and manipulation of proteins, DNA, and living cells basically at the single molecular level. In the cellular level manipulation, extraction, and identification of mRNA's from defined loci of a cell, insertion of plasmid DNA and pulling of membrane proteins, for example, have been reported. In this study, AFM was used to create holes at defined loci on the cell membrane for the investigation of viability of the cells after hole creation, visualization of intracellular structure through the hole and for targeted gene delivery into living cells. To create large holes with an approximate diameter of 5-10 microm, a phospholipase A(2) coated bead was added to the AFM cantilever and the bead was allowed to touch the cell surface for approximately 5-10 min. The evidence of hole creation was obtained mainly from fluorescent image of Vybrant DiO labeled cell before and after the contact with the bead and the AFM imaging of the contact area. In parallel, cells with a hole were imaged by AFM to reveal intracellular structures such as filamentous structures presumably actin fibers and mitochondria which were identified with fluorescent labeling with rhodamine 123. Targeted gene delivery was also attempted by inserting an AFM probe that was coated with the Monster Green Fluorescent Protein phMGFP Vector for transfection of the cell. Following targeted transfection, the gene expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed and confirmed by the fluorescence microscope. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Dielectrophoretic positioning of single nanoparticles on atomic force microscope tips for tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leiterer, Christian; Deckert-Gaudig, Tanja; Singh, Prabha; Wirth, Janina; Deckert, Volker; Fritzsche, Wolfgang

    2015-05-01

    Tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, a combination of Raman spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy, is a powerful technique to detect the vibrational fingerprint of molecules at the nanometer scale. A metal nanoparticle at the apex of an atomic force microscope tip leads to a large enhancement of the electromagnetic field when illuminated with an appropriate wavelength, resulting in an increased Raman signal. A controlled positioning of individual nanoparticles at the tip would improve the reproducibility of the probes and is quite demanding due to usually serial and labor-intensive approaches. In contrast to commonly used submicron manipulation techniques, dielectrophoresis allows a parallel and scalable production, and provides a novel approach toward reproducible and at the same time affordable tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy tips. We demonstrate the successful positioning of an individual plasmonic nanoparticle on a commercial atomic force microscope tip by dielectrophoresis followed by experimental proof of the Raman signal enhancing capabilities of such tips. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. The asymmetrical structure of Golgi apparatus membranes revealed by in situ atomic force microscope.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haijiao Xu

    Full Text Available The Golgi apparatus has attracted intense attentions due to its fascinating morphology and vital role as the pivot of cellular secretory pathway since its discovery. However, its complex structure at the molecular level remains elusive due to limited approaches. In this study, the structure of Golgi apparatus, including the Golgi stack, cisternal structure, relevant tubules and vesicles, were directly visualized by high-resolution atomic force microscope. We imaged both sides of Golgi apparatus membranes and revealed that the outer leaflet of Golgi membranes is relatively smooth while the inner membrane leaflet is rough and covered by dense proteins. With the treatment of methyl-β-cyclodextrin and Triton X-100, we confirmed the existence of lipid rafts in Golgi apparatus membrane, which are mostly in the size of 20 nm -200 nm and appear irregular in shape. Our results may be of significance to reveal the structure-function relationship of the Golgi complex and pave the way for visualizing the endomembrane system in mammalian cells at the molecular level.

  5. A microscopic approach to Casimir and Casimir–Polder forces between metallic bodies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barcellona, Pablo; Passante, Roberto

    2015-01-01

    We consider the Casimir–Polder interaction energy between a metallic nanoparticle and a metallic plate, as well as the Casimir interaction energy between two macroscopic metal plates, in terms of the many-body dispersion interactions between their constituents. Expressions for two- and three-body dispersion interactions between the microscopic parts of a real metal are first obtained, both in the retarded and non-retarded limits. These expressions are then used to evaluate the overall two- and three-body contributions to the macroscopic Casimir–Polder and Casimir force, and to compare them with each other, for the two following geometries: metal nanoparticle/half-space and half-space/half-space, where all the materials are assumed perfect conductors. The above evaluation is obtained by summing up the contributions from the microscopic constituents of the bodies (metal nanoparticles). In the case of nanoparticle/half-space, our results fully agree with those that can be extracted from the corresponding macroscopic results, and explicitly show the non-applicability of the pairwise approximation for the geometry considered. In both cases, we find that, while the overall two-body contribution yields an attractive force, the overall three-body contribution is repulsive. Also, they turn out to be of the same order, consistently with the known non applicability of the pairwise approximation. The issue of the rapidity of convergence of the many-body expansion is also briefly discussed

  6. Evaluating EUV mask pattern imaging with two EUV microscopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldberg, Kenneth A.; Takase, Kei; Naulleau, Patrick P.; Han, Hakseung; Barty, Anton; Kinoshita, Hiroo; Hamamoto, Kazuhiro

    2008-01-01

    Aerial image measurement plays a key role in the development of patterned reticles for each generation of lithography. Studying the field transmitted (reflected) from EUV masks provides detailed information about potential disruptions caused by mask defects, and the performance of defect repair strategies, without the complications of photoresist imaging. Furthermore, by measuring the continuously varying intensity distribution instead of a thresholded, binary resist image, aerial image measurement can be used as feedback to improve mask and lithography system modeling methods. Interest in EUV, at-wavelength, aerial image measurement lead to the creation of several research tools worldwide. These tools are used in advanced mask development work, and in the evaluation of the need for commercial at-wavelength inspection tools. They describe performance measurements of two such tools, inspecting the same EUV mask in a series of benchmarking tests that includes brightfield and darkfield patterns. One tool is the SEMATECH Berkeley Actinic Inspection Tool (AIT) operating on a bending magnet beamline at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source. The AIT features an EUV Fresnel zoneplate microscope that emulates the numerical aperture of a 0.25-NA stepper, and projects the aerial image directly onto a CCD camera, with 700x magnification. The second tool is an EUV microscope (EUVM) operating at the NewSUBARU synchrotron in Hyogo, Japan. The NewSUBARU tool projects the aerial image using a reflective, 30x Schwarzschild objective lens, followed by a 10-200x x-ray zooming tube. The illumination conditions and the imaging etendue are different for the two tools. The benchmarking measurements were used to determine many imaging and performance properties of the tools, including resolution, modulation transfer function (MTF), aberration magnitude, aberration field-dependence (including focal-plane tilt), illumination uniformity, line-edge roughness, and flare

  7. Spectro-refractometry of individual microscopic objects using swept-source quantitative phase imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Jae-Hwang; Jang, Jaeduck; Park, Yongkeun

    2013-11-05

    We present a novel spectroscopic quantitative phase imaging technique with a wavelength swept-source, referred to as swept-source diffraction phase microscopy (ssDPM), for quantifying the optical dispersion of microscopic individual samples. Employing the swept-source and the principle of common-path interferometry, ssDPM measures the multispectral full-field quantitative phase imaging and spectroscopic microrefractometry of transparent microscopic samples in the visible spectrum with a wavelength range of 450-750 nm and a spectral resolution of less than 8 nm. With unprecedented precision and sensitivity, we demonstrate the quantitative spectroscopic microrefractometry of individual polystyrene beads, 30% bovine serum albumin solution, and healthy human red blood cells.

  8. Computer processing of microscopic images of bacteria : morphometry and fluorimetry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilkinson, Michael H.F.; Jansen, Gijsbert J.; Waaij, Dirk van der

    1994-01-01

    Several techniques that use computer analysis of microscopic images have been developed to study the complicated microbial flora in the human intestine, including measuring the shape and fluorescence intensity of bacteria. These techniques allow rapid assessment of changes in the intestinal flora

  9. Image alignment for tomography reconstruction from synchrotron X-ray microscopic images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chang-Chieh Cheng

    Full Text Available A synchrotron X-ray microscope is a powerful imaging apparatus for taking high-resolution and high-contrast X-ray images of nanoscale objects. A sufficient number of X-ray projection images from different angles is required for constructing 3D volume images of an object. Because a synchrotron light source is immobile, a rotational object holder is required for tomography. At a resolution of 10 nm per pixel, the vibration of the holder caused by rotating the object cannot be disregarded if tomographic images are to be reconstructed accurately. This paper presents a computer method to compensate for the vibration of the rotational holder by aligning neighboring X-ray images. This alignment process involves two steps. The first step is to match the "projected feature points" in the sequence of images. The matched projected feature points in the x-θ plane should form a set of sine-shaped loci. The second step is to fit the loci to a set of sine waves to compute the parameters required for alignment. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms two previously proposed methods, Xradia and SPIDER. The developed software system can be downloaded from the URL, http://www.cs.nctu.edu.tw/~chengchc/SCTA or http://goo.gl/s4AMx.

  10. Image alignment for tomography reconstruction from synchrotron X-ray microscopic images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Chang-Chieh; Chien, Chia-Chi; Chen, Hsiang-Hsin; Hwu, Yeukuang; Ching, Yu-Tai

    2014-01-01

    A synchrotron X-ray microscope is a powerful imaging apparatus for taking high-resolution and high-contrast X-ray images of nanoscale objects. A sufficient number of X-ray projection images from different angles is required for constructing 3D volume images of an object. Because a synchrotron light source is immobile, a rotational object holder is required for tomography. At a resolution of 10 nm per pixel, the vibration of the holder caused by rotating the object cannot be disregarded if tomographic images are to be reconstructed accurately. This paper presents a computer method to compensate for the vibration of the rotational holder by aligning neighboring X-ray images. This alignment process involves two steps. The first step is to match the "projected feature points" in the sequence of images. The matched projected feature points in the x-θ plane should form a set of sine-shaped loci. The second step is to fit the loci to a set of sine waves to compute the parameters required for alignment. The experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms two previously proposed methods, Xradia and SPIDER. The developed software system can be downloaded from the URL, http://www.cs.nctu.edu.tw/~chengchc/SCTA or http://goo.gl/s4AMx.

  11. Atomic force microscopy employed as the final imaging stage for soft x-ray contact microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cotton, R.A.; Stead, A.D.; Ford, T.W.; Fletcher, J.H.

    1993-01-01

    Soft X-ray contact microscopy (SXCM) enables a high resolution image of a living biological specimen to be recorded in an X-ray sensitive photoresist at unity magnification. Until recently scanning electron microscopes (SEM) have been employed to obtain the final magnified image. Although this has been successful in producing many high resolution images, this method of viewing the resist has several disadvantages. Firstly, a metallic coating has to be applied to the resist surface to provide electrical conductivity, rendering further development of the resist impossible. Also, electron beam damage to the resist surface can occur, in addition to poor resolution and image quality. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) allows uncoated resists to be imaged at a superior resolution, without damage to the surface. The use of AFM is seen as a major advancement in SXCM. The advantages and disadvantages of the two technologies are discussed, with illustrations from recent studies of a wide variety of hydrated biological specimens imaged using SXCM

  12. A Novel Atomic Force Microscope with Multi-Mode Scanner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Chun; Zhang, Haijun; Xu, Rui; Han, Xu; Wang, Shuying

    2016-01-01

    A new type of atomic force microscope (AFM) with multi-mode scanner is proposed. The AFM system provides more than four scanning modes using a specially designed scanner with three tube piezoelectric ceramics and three stack piezoelectric ceramics. Sample scanning of small range with high resolution can be realized by using tube piezos, meanwhile, large range scanning can be achieved by stack piezos. Furthermore, the combination with tube piezos and stack piezos not only realizes high-resolution scanning of small samples with large- scale fluctuation structure, but also achieves small range area-selecting scanning. Corresponding experiments are carried out in terms of four different scanning modes showing that the AFM is of reliable stability, high resolution and can be widely applied in the fields of micro/nano-technology. (paper)

  13. Influence of the atomic force microscope tip on the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klapetek, Petr; Ohlidal, Ivan; Bilek, Jindrich

    2004-01-01

    In this paper, the influence of atomic force microscope tip on the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces is discussed. This analysis is based on two methods, i.e. on the correlation function method and the wavelet transform modulus maxima method. The principles of both methods are briefly described. Both methods are applied to simulated rough surfaces (simulation is performed by the spectral synthesis method). It is shown that the finite dimensions of the microscope tip misrepresent the values of the quantities expressing the multifractal analysis of rough surfaces within both the methods. Thus, it was concretely shown that the influence of the finite dimensions of the microscope tip changed mono-fractal properties of simulated rough surface to multifractal ones. Further, it is shown that a surface reconstruction method developed for removing the negative influence of the microscope tip does not improve the results obtained in a substantial way. The theoretical procedures concerning both the methods, i.e. the correlation function method and the wavelet transform modulus maxima method, are illustrated for the multifractal analysis of randomly rough gallium arsenide surfaces prepared by means of the thermal oxidation of smooth gallium arsenide surfaces and subsequent dissolution of the oxide films

  14. Inverted light-sheet microscope for imaging mouse pre-implantation development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strnad, Petr; Gunther, Stefan; Reichmann, Judith; Krzic, Uros; Balazs, Balint; de Medeiros, Gustavo; Norlin, Nils; Hiiragi, Takashi; Hufnagel, Lars; Ellenberg, Jan

    2016-02-01

    Despite its importance for understanding human infertility and congenital diseases, early mammalian development has remained inaccessible to in toto imaging. We developed an inverted light-sheet microscope that enabled us to image mouse embryos from zygote to blastocyst, computationally track all cells and reconstruct a complete lineage tree of mouse pre-implantation development. We used this unique data set to show that the first cell fate specification occurs at the 16-cell stage.

  15. Sub-Angstrom oscillation amplitude non-contact atomic force microscopy for lateral force gradient measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Atabak, Mehrdad; Unverdi, Ozhan; Ozer, H. Ozguer; Oral, Ahmet

    2009-01-01

    We report the first results from novel sub-Angstrom oscillation amplitude non-contact atomic force microscopy developed for lateral force gradient measurements. Quantitative lateral force gradients between a tungsten tip and Si(1 1 1)-(7 x 7) surface can be measured using this microscope. Simultaneous lateral force gradient and scanning tunnelling microscope images of single and multi atomic steps are obtained. In our measurement, tunnel current is used as feedback. The lateral stiffness contrast has been observed to be 2.5 N/m at single atomic step, in contrast to 13 N/m at multi atomic step on Si(1 1 1) surface. We also carried out a series of lateral stiffness-distance spectroscopy. We observed lateral stiffness-distance curves exhibit sharp increase in the stiffness as the sample is approached towards the surface. We usually observed positive stiffness and sometimes going into slightly negative region.

  16. Towards quantitative determination of the spring constant of a scanning force microscope cantilever with a microelectromechanical nano-force actuator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Sai; Herrmann, Konrad; Zhang, Zhikai; Wu, Yong

    2010-01-01

    The calibration of the performance of an SFM (scanning force microscope) cantilever has gained more and more interest in the past years, particularly due to increasing applications of SFMs for the determination of the mechanical properties of materials, such as biological structures and organic molecules. In this paper, a MEMS-based nano-force actuator with a force resolution up to nN (10 −9 N) is presented to quantitatively determine the stiffness of an SFM cantilever. The principle, structure design and realization of the nano-force actuator are detailed. Preliminary experiments demonstrate that the long-term self-calibration stability of the actuator is better than 3.7 × 10 −3 N m −1 (1σ) over 1 h. With careful calibration of the stiffness of the actuator, the MEMS actuator has the capability to determine the stiffness of various types of cantilevers (from 100 N m −1 down to 0.1 N m −1 ) with high accuracy. In addition, thanks to the large displacement and force range (up to 8 µm and 1 mN, respectively) of the actuator, the calibration procedure with our MEMS nano-force actuator features simple and active operation, and therefore applicability for different types of quantitative SFMs

  17. Microscopic validation of whole mouse micro-metastatic tumor imaging agents using cryo-imaging and sliding organ image registration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yiqiao; Zhou, Bo; Qutaish, Mohammed; Wilson, David L.

    2016-03-01

    We created a metastasis imaging, analysis platform consisting of software and multi-spectral cryo-imaging system suitable for evaluating emerging imaging agents targeting micro-metastatic tumor. We analyzed CREKA-Gd in MRI, followed by cryo-imaging which repeatedly sectioned and tiled microscope images of the tissue block face, providing anatomical bright field and molecular fluorescence, enabling 3D microscopic imaging of the entire mouse with single metastatic cell sensitivity. To register MRI volumes to the cryo bright field reference, we used our standard mutual information, non-rigid registration which proceeded: preprocess --> affine --> B-spline non-rigid 3D registration. In this report, we created two modified approaches: mask where we registered locally over a smaller rectangular solid, and sliding organ. Briefly, in sliding organ, we segmented the organ, registered the organ and body volumes separately and combined results. Though sliding organ required manual annotation, it provided the best result as a standard to measure other registration methods. Regularization parameters for standard and mask methods were optimized in a grid search. Evaluations consisted of DICE, and visual scoring of a checkerboard display. Standard had accuracy of 2 voxels in all regions except near the kidney, where there were 5 voxels sliding. After mask and sliding organ correction, kidneys sliding were within 2 voxels, and Dice overlap increased 4%-10% in mask compared to standard. Mask generated comparable results with sliding organ and allowed a semi-automatic process.

  18. Software for imaging phase-shift interference microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malinovski, I.; França, R. S.; Couceiro, I. B.

    2018-03-01

    In recent years absolute interference microscope was created at National Metrology Institute of Brazil (INMETRO). The instrument by principle of operation is imaging phase-shifting interferometer (PSI) equipped with two stabilized lasers of different colour as traceable reference wavelength sources. We report here some progress in development of the software for this instrument. The status of undergoing internal validation and verification of the software is also reported. In contrast with standard PSI method, different methodology of phase evaluation is applied. Therefore, instrument specific procedures for software validation and verification are adapted and discussed.

  19. A Low-Cost Digital Microscope with Real-Time Fluorescent Imaging Capability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, Md Mehedi; Alam, Mohammad Wajih; Wahid, Khan A; Miah, Sayem; Lukong, Kiven Erique

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the development of a prototype of a low-cost digital fluorescent microscope built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The prototype was tested to detect malignant tumor cells taken from a living organism in a preclinical setting. This experiment was accomplished by using Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate dye attached to the cancer cells. Our prototype utilizes a torch along with an excitation filter as a light source for fluorophore excitation, a dichroic mirror to reflect the excitation and pass the emitted green light from the sample under test and a barrier filter to permit only appropriate wavelength. The system is designed out of a microscope using its optical zooming property and an assembly of exciter filter, dichroic mirror and transmitter filter. The microscope is connected to a computer or laptop through universal serial bus (USB) that allows real-time transmission of captured florescence images; this also offers real-time control of the microscope. The designed system has comparable features of high-end commercial fluorescent microscopes while reducing cost, power, weight and size.

  20. A Low-Cost Digital Microscope with Real-Time Fluorescent Imaging Capability.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Mehedi Hasan

    Full Text Available This paper describes the development of a prototype of a low-cost digital fluorescent microscope built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS components. The prototype was tested to detect malignant tumor cells taken from a living organism in a preclinical setting. This experiment was accomplished by using Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate dye attached to the cancer cells. Our prototype utilizes a torch along with an excitation filter as a light source for fluorophore excitation, a dichroic mirror to reflect the excitation and pass the emitted green light from the sample under test and a barrier filter to permit only appropriate wavelength. The system is designed out of a microscope using its optical zooming property and an assembly of exciter filter, dichroic mirror and transmitter filter. The microscope is connected to a computer or laptop through universal serial bus (USB that allows real-time transmission of captured florescence images; this also offers real-time control of the microscope. The designed system has comparable features of high-end commercial fluorescent microscopes while reducing cost, power, weight and size.

  1. A Low-Cost Digital Microscope with Real-Time Fluorescent Imaging Capability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, Md. Mehedi; Wahid, Khan A.; Miah, Sayem; Lukong, Kiven Erique

    2016-01-01

    This paper describes the development of a prototype of a low-cost digital fluorescent microscope built from commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components. The prototype was tested to detect malignant tumor cells taken from a living organism in a preclinical setting. This experiment was accomplished by using Alexa Fluor 488 conjugate dye attached to the cancer cells. Our prototype utilizes a torch along with an excitation filter as a light source for fluorophore excitation, a dichroic mirror to reflect the excitation and pass the emitted green light from the sample under test and a barrier filter to permit only appropriate wavelength. The system is designed out of a microscope using its optical zooming property and an assembly of exciter filter, dichroic mirror and transmitter filter. The microscope is connected to a computer or laptop through universal serial bus (USB) that allows real-time transmission of captured florescence images; this also offers real-time control of the microscope. The designed system has comparable features of high-end commercial fluorescent microscopes while reducing cost, power, weight and size. PMID:27977709

  2. Super-resolution for everybody: An image processing workflow to obtain high-resolution images with a standard confocal microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, France; Cladière, Damien; Guillaume, Cyndélia; Wassmann, Katja; Bolte, Susanne

    2017-02-15

    In the presented work we aimed at improving confocal imaging to obtain highest possible resolution in thick biological samples, such as the mouse oocyte. We therefore developed an image processing workflow that allows improving the lateral and axial resolution of a standard confocal microscope. Our workflow comprises refractive index matching, the optimization of microscope hardware parameters and image restoration by deconvolution. We compare two different deconvolution algorithms, evaluate the necessity of denoising and establish the optimal image restoration procedure. We validate our workflow by imaging sub resolution fluorescent beads and measuring the maximum lateral and axial resolution of the confocal system. Subsequently, we apply the parameters to the imaging and data restoration of fluorescently labelled meiotic spindles of mouse oocytes. We measure a resolution increase of approximately 2-fold in the lateral and 3-fold in the axial direction throughout a depth of 60μm. This demonstrates that with our optimized workflow we reach a resolution that is comparable to 3D-SIM-imaging, but with better depth penetration for confocal images of beads and the biological sample. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Open-dish incubator for live cell imaging with an inverted microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidemann, Steven R; Lamoureux, Phillip; Ngo, Kha; Reynolds, Matthew; Buxbaum, Robert E

    2003-10-01

    Here we describe the design and fabrication of an inexpensive cell culture incubator for the stage of an inverted light microscope for use in live cell imaging. This device maintains the temperature of the cell culture at 37 degrees C with great stability and, after reaching equilibrium, provides focal stability of an image for 20-25 min with oil-immersion lenses. We describe two versions of the incubator: one for use with standard 60-mm plastic culture dishes, and the other version for imaging of cells on glass coverslips. Either can be made for less than $400. Most components are widely available commercially, and it requires only simple wiring and 3 h to assemble. Although the device is generally useful for live cell imaging on an inverted microscope, it is particularly suitable for work in which instruments are introduced into the culture, such as electrophysiology or micromanipulation. The design is based on the principle that control performance is limited by the lag time between detection and response. The key element of the design is a heated, temperature-controlled aluminum ring serving as a mini-incubator surrounding the culture vessel. For this reason, we call our design a "ringcubator."

  4. Martian Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    The microscopic imager (circular device in center) is in clear view above the surface at Meridiani Planum, Mars, in this approximate true-color image taken by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity. The image was taken on the 9th sol of the rover's journey. The microscopic imager is located on the rover's instrument deployment device, or arm. The arrow is pointing to the lens of the instrument. Note the dust cover, which flips out to the left of the lens, is open. This approximated color image was created using the camera's violet and infrared filters as blue and red.

  5. Active mask segmentation of fluorescence microscope images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasa, Gowri; Fickus, Matthew C; Guo, Yusong; Linstedt, Adam D; Kovacević, Jelena

    2009-08-01

    We propose a new active mask algorithm for the segmentation of fluorescence microscope images of punctate patterns. It combines the (a) flexibility offered by active-contour methods, (b) speed offered by multiresolution methods, (c) smoothing offered by multiscale methods, and (d) statistical modeling offered by region-growing methods into a fast and accurate segmentation tool. The framework moves from the idea of the "contour" to that of "inside and outside," or masks, allowing for easy multidimensional segmentation. It adapts to the topology of the image through the use of multiple masks. The algorithm is almost invariant under initialization, allowing for random initialization, and uses a few easily tunable parameters. Experiments show that the active mask algorithm matches the ground truth well and outperforms the algorithm widely used in fluorescence microscopy, seeded watershed, both qualitatively, as well as quantitatively.

  6. Nanodot deposition and its application with atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Zenglei, E-mail: liuzenglei@sia.cn; Jiao Niandong, E-mail: ndjiao@sia.cn [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation (China); Xu Ke [Shenyang Jianzhu University (China); Wang, Zhidong [Chiba Institute of Technology (Japan); Dong Zaili; Liu Lianqing [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation (China)

    2013-06-15

    Nanodot deposition using atomic force microscope (AFM) is investigated. To realize repeatable and precise deposition of nanodots, the detailed control method is discussed. The electric field between AFM tip and substrate is analyzed, and a convenient method to control tip-substrate separation is proposed. In experiments, two nanodot matrixes are fabricated and the heights of the nanodots are analyzed. Experimental results testify that the control method can lead to repeatable and precise fabrication of deposited nanodots. As an application of deposited nanodots, a carbon nanotube (CNT) is soldered on gold electrodes with deposited Au nanodots. After soldering, the contact resistances between the CNT and the electrodes decrease greatly. AFM-based nanodot deposition can be used to fabricate special nanopatterns; also it can be used to solder nanomaterials on substrates to improve the electrical connection, which has a promising future for nanodevice fabrication.

  7. An image processing approach to analyze morphological features of microscopic images of muscle fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Comin, Cesar Henrique; Xu, Xiaoyin; Wang, Yaming; Costa, Luciano da Fontoura; Yang, Zhong

    2014-12-01

    We present an image processing approach to automatically analyze duo-channel microscopic images of muscular fiber nuclei and cytoplasm. Nuclei and cytoplasm play a critical role in determining the health and functioning of muscular fibers as changes of nuclei and cytoplasm manifest in many diseases such as muscular dystrophy and hypertrophy. Quantitative evaluation of muscle fiber nuclei and cytoplasm thus is of great importance to researchers in musculoskeletal studies. The proposed computational approach consists of steps of image processing to segment and delineate cytoplasm and identify nuclei in two-channel images. Morphological operations like skeletonization is applied to extract the length of cytoplasm for quantification. We tested the approach on real images and found that it can achieve high accuracy, objectivity, and robustness. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. High contrast imaging and flexible photomanipulation for quantitative in vivo multiphoton imaging with polygon scanning microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yongxiao; Montague, Samantha J; Brüstle, Anne; He, Xuefei; Gillespie, Cathy; Gaus, Katharina; Gardiner, Elizabeth E; Lee, Woei Ming

    2018-02-28

    In this study, we introduce two key improvements that overcome limitations of existing polygon scanning microscopes while maintaining high spatial and temporal imaging resolution over large field of view (FOV). First, we proposed a simple and straightforward means to control the scanning angle of the polygon mirror to carry out photomanipulation without resorting to high speed optical modulators. Second, we devised a flexible data sampling method directly leading to higher image contrast by over 2-fold and digital images with 100 megapixels (10 240 × 10 240) per frame at 0.25 Hz. This generates sub-diffraction limited pixels (60 nm per pixels over the FOV of 512 μm) which increases the degrees of freedom to extract signals computationally. The unique combined optical and digital control recorded fine fluorescence recovery after localized photobleaching (r ~10 μm) within fluorescent giant unilamellar vesicles and micro-vascular dynamics after laser-induced injury during thrombus formation in vivo. These new improvements expand the quantitative biological-imaging capacity of any polygon scanning microscope system. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. New method for thickness determination and microscopic imaging of graphene-like two-dimensional materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin Xudong; Chen Yonghai; Liu Yu; Zhu Laipan; Li Yuan; Wu Qing; Huang Wei

    2016-01-01

    We employed the microscopic reflectance difference spectroscopy (micro-RDS) to determine the layer-number and microscopically image the surface topography of graphene and MoS 2 samples. The contrast image shows the efficiency and reliability of this new clipping technique. As a low-cost, quantifiable, no-contact and non-destructive method, it is not concerned with the characteristic signal of certain materials and can be applied to arbitrary substrates. Therefore it is a perfect candidate for characterizing the thickness of graphene-like two-dimensional materials. (paper)

  10. Tip Effect of the Tapping Mode of Atomic Force Microscope in Viscous Fluid Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Hua-Ju; Shih, Po-Jen

    2015-07-28

    Atomic force microscope with applicable types of operation in a liquid environment is widely used to scan the contours of biological specimens. The contact mode of operation allows a tip to touch a specimen directly but sometimes it damages the specimen; thus, a tapping mode of operation may replace the contact mode. The tapping mode triggers the cantilever of the microscope approximately at resonance frequencies, and so the tip periodically knocks the specimen. It is well known that the cantilever induces extra liquid pressure that leads to drift in the resonance frequency. Studies have noted that the heights of protein surfaces measured via the tapping mode of an atomic force microscope are ~25% smaller than those measured by other methods. This discrepancy may be attributable to the induced superficial hydrodynamic pressure, which is worth investigating. In this paper, we introduce a semi-analytical method to analyze the pressure distribution of various tip geometries. According to our analysis, the maximum hydrodynamic pressure on the specimen caused by a cone-shaped tip is ~0.5 Pa, which can, for example, pre-deform a cell by several nanometers in compression before the tip taps it. Moreover, the pressure calculated on the surface of the specimen is 20 times larger than the pressure without considering the tip effect; these results have not been motioned in other papers. Dominating factors, such as surface heights of protein surface, mechanical stiffness of protein increasing with loading velocity, and radius of tip affecting the local pressure of specimen, are also addressed in this study.

  11. Modulus design multiwavelength polarization microscope for transmission Mueller matrix imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Jialing; He, Honghui; Chen, Zhenhua; Wang, Ye; Ma, Hui

    2018-01-01

    We have developed a polarization microscope based on a commercial transmission microscope. We replace the halogen light source by a collimated LED light source module of six different colors. We use achromatic polarized optical elements that can cover the six different wavelength ranges in the polarization state generator (PSG) and polarization state analyzer (PSA) modules. The dual-rotating wave plate method is used to measure the Mueller matrix of samples, which requires the simultaneous rotation of the two quarter-wave plates in both PSG and PSA at certain angular steps. A scientific CCD detector is used as the image receiving module. A LabView-based software is developed to control the rotation angels of the wave plates and the exposure time of the detector to allow the system to run fully automatically in preprogrammed schedules. Standard samples, such as air, polarizers, and quarter-wave plates, are used to calibrate the intrinsic Mueller matrix of optical components, such as the objectives, using the eigenvalue calibration method. Errors due to the images walk-off in the PSA are studied. Errors in the Mueller matrices are below 0.01 using air and polarizer as standard samples. Data analysis based on Mueller matrix transformation and Mueller matrix polarization decomposition is used to demonstrate the potential application of this microscope in pathological diagnosis. (2018) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE).

  12. Immunogold labels: cell-surface markers in atomic force microscopy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Putman, Constant A.J.; Putman, C.A.J.; de Grooth, B.G.; Hansma, Paul K.; van Hulst, N.F.; Greve, Jan

    1993-01-01

    The feasibility of using immunogold labels as cell-surface markers in atomic force microscopy is shown in this paper. The atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to image the surface of immunogold-labeled human lymphocytes. The lymphocytes were isolated from whole blood and labeled by an indirect

  13. Microscope self-calibration based on micro laser line imaging and soft computing algorithms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Apolinar Muñoz Rodríguez, J.

    2018-06-01

    A technique to perform microscope self-calibration via micro laser line and soft computing algorithms is presented. In this technique, the microscope vision parameters are computed by means of soft computing algorithms based on laser line projection. To implement the self-calibration, a microscope vision system is constructed by means of a CCD camera and a 38 μm laser line. From this arrangement, the microscope vision parameters are represented via Bezier approximation networks, which are accomplished through the laser line position. In this procedure, a genetic algorithm determines the microscope vision parameters by means of laser line imaging. Also, the approximation networks compute the three-dimensional vision by means of the laser line position. Additionally, the soft computing algorithms re-calibrate the vision parameters when the microscope vision system is modified during the vision task. The proposed self-calibration improves accuracy of the traditional microscope calibration, which is accomplished via external references to the microscope system. The capability of the self-calibration based on soft computing algorithms is determined by means of the calibration accuracy and the micro-scale measurement error. This contribution is corroborated by an evaluation based on the accuracy of the traditional microscope calibration.

  14. Preclinical evaluation and intraoperative human retinal imaging with a high-resolution microscope-integrated spectral domain optical coherence tomography device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hahn, Paul; Migacz, Justin; O'Donnell, Rachelle; Day, Shelley; Lee, Annie; Lin, Phoebe; Vann, Robin; Kuo, Anthony; Fekrat, Sharon; Mruthyunjaya, Prithvi; Postel, Eric A; Izatt, Joseph A; Toth, Cynthia A

    2013-01-01

    The authors have recently developed a high-resolution microscope-integrated spectral domain optical coherence tomography (MIOCT) device designed to enable OCT acquisition simultaneous with surgical maneuvers. The purpose of this report is to describe translation of this device from preclinical testing into human intraoperative imaging. Before human imaging, surgical conditions were fully simulated for extensive preclinical MIOCT evaluation in a custom model eye system. Microscope-integrated spectral domain OCT images were then acquired in normal human volunteers and during vitreoretinal surgery in patients who consented to participate in a prospective institutional review board-approved study. Microscope-integrated spectral domain OCT images were obtained before and at pauses in surgical maneuvers and were compared based on predetermined diagnostic criteria to images obtained with a high-resolution spectral domain research handheld OCT system (HHOCT; Bioptigen, Inc) at the same time point. Cohorts of five consecutive patients were imaged. Successful end points were predefined, including ≥80% correlation in identification of pathology between MIOCT and HHOCT in ≥80% of the patients. Microscope-integrated spectral domain OCT was favorably evaluated by study surgeons and scrub nurses, all of whom responded that they would consider participating in human intraoperative imaging trials. The preclinical evaluation identified significant improvements that were made before MIOCT use during human surgery. The MIOCT transition into clinical human research was smooth. Microscope-integrated spectral domain OCT imaging in normal human volunteers demonstrated high resolution comparable to tabletop scanners. In the operating room, after an initial learning curve, surgeons successfully acquired human macular MIOCT images before and after surgical maneuvers. Microscope-integrated spectral domain OCT imaging confirmed preoperative diagnoses, such as full-thickness macular hole

  15. Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Obermair

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM as a “mechano-electrochemical pen”, locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, “write”, “read”, “delete” and “re-write”, were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

  16. Reversible mechano-electrochemical writing of metallic nanostructures with the tip of an atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obermair, Christian; Kress, Marina; Wagner, Andreas; Schimmel, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    We recently introduced a method that allows the controlled deposition of nanoscale metallic patterns at defined locations using the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) as a "mechano-electrochemical pen", locally activating a passivated substrate surface for site-selective electrochemical deposition. Here, we demonstrate the reversibility of this process and study the long-term stability of the resulting metallic structures. The remarkable stability for more than 1.5 years under ambient air without any observable changes can be attributed to self-passivation. After AFM-activated electrochemical deposition of copper nanostructures on a polycrystalline gold film and subsequent AFM imaging, the copper nanostructures could be dissolved by reversing the electrochemical potential. Subsequent AFM-tip-activated deposition of different copper nanostructures at the same location where the previous structures were deleted, shows that there is no observable memory effect, i.e., no effect of the previous writing process on the subsequent writing process. Thus, the four processes required for reversible information storage, "write", "read", "delete" and "re-write", were successfully demonstrated on the nanometer scale.

  17. Fully low voltage and large area searching scanning tunneling microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pang, Zongqiang; Wang, Jihui; Lu, Qingyou

    2009-01-01

    We present a novel scanning tunneling microscope (STM), which allows the tip to travel a large distance (millimeters) on the sample and take images (to find microscopic targets) anywhere it reaches without losing atomic resolution. This broad range searching capability, together with the coarse approach and scan motion, is all done with only one single piezoelectric tube scanner as well as with only low voltages (<15 V). Simple structure, low interference and high precision are thus achieved. To this end, a pillar and a tube scanner are mounted in parallel on a base with one ball glued on the pillar top and two balls glued on the scanner top. These three balls form a narrow triangle, which supports a triangular slider piece. By inertial stepping, the scanner can move the slider toward the pillar (coarse approach) or rotate the slider about the pillar (travel along sample surface). Since all the stepping motions are driven by the scanner's lateral bending which is large per unit voltage, high voltages are unnecessary. The technology is also applicable to scanning force microscopes (SFM) such as atomic force microscopes (AFM), etc

  18. Microscope image based fully automated stomata detection and pore measurement method for grapevines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiranya Jayakody

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Stomatal behavior in grapevines has been identified as a good indicator of the water stress level and overall health of the plant. Microscope images are often used to analyze stomatal behavior in plants. However, most of the current approaches involve manual measurement of stomatal features. The main aim of this research is to develop a fully automated stomata detection and pore measurement method for grapevines, taking microscope images as the input. The proposed approach, which employs machine learning and image processing techniques, can outperform available manual and semi-automatic methods used to identify and estimate stomatal morphological features. Results First, a cascade object detection learning algorithm is developed to correctly identify multiple stomata in a large microscopic image. Once the regions of interest which contain stomata are identified and extracted, a combination of image processing techniques are applied to estimate the pore dimensions of the stomata. The stomata detection approach was compared with an existing fully automated template matching technique and a semi-automatic maximum stable extremal regions approach, with the proposed method clearly surpassing the performance of the existing techniques with a precision of 91.68% and an F1-score of 0.85. Next, the morphological features of the detected stomata were measured. Contrary to existing approaches, the proposed image segmentation and skeletonization method allows us to estimate the pore dimensions even in cases where the stomatal pore boundary is only partially visible in the microscope image. A test conducted using 1267 images of stomata showed that the segmentation and skeletonization approach was able to correctly identify the stoma opening 86.27% of the time. Further comparisons made with manually traced stoma openings indicated that the proposed method is able to estimate stomata morphological features with accuracies of 89.03% for area

  19. Early skin tumor detection from microscopic images through image processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddiqi, A.A.; Narejo, G.B.; Khan, A.M.

    2017-01-01

    The research is done to provide appropriate detection technique for skin tumor detection. The work is done by using the image processing toolbox of MATLAB. Skin tumors are unwanted skin growth with different causes and varying extent of malignant cells. It is a syndrome in which skin cells mislay the ability to divide and grow normally. Early detection of tumor is the most important factor affecting the endurance of a patient. Studying the pattern of the skin cells is the fundamental problem in medical image analysis. The study of skin tumor has been of great interest to the researchers. DIP (Digital Image Processing) allows the use of much more complex algorithms for image processing, and hence, can offer both more sophisticated performance at simple task, and the implementation of methods which would be impossibly by analog means. It allows much wider range of algorithms to be applied to the input data and can avoid problems such as build up of noise and signal distortion during processing. The study shows that few works has been done on cellular scale for the images of skin. This research allows few checks for the early detection of skin tumor using microscopic images after testing and observing various algorithms. After analytical evaluation the result has been observed that the proposed checks are time efficient techniques and appropriate for the tumor detection. The algorithm applied provides promising results in lesser time with accuracy. The GUI (Graphical User Interface) that is generated for the algorithm makes the system user friendly. (author)

  20. Cryogenic immersion microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Gros, Mark; Larabell, Carolyn A.

    2010-12-14

    A cryogenic immersion microscope whose objective lens is at least partially in contact with a liquid reservoir of a cryogenic liquid, in which reservoir a sample of interest is immersed is disclosed. When the cryogenic liquid has an index of refraction that reduces refraction at interfaces between the lens and the sample, overall resolution and image quality are improved. A combination of an immersion microscope and x-ray microscope, suitable for imaging at cryogenic temperatures is also disclosed.

  1. Tissue imaging with a stigmatic mass microscope using laser desorption/ionization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awazu, Kunio; Hazama, Hisanao; Hamanaka, Tomonori; Aoki, Jun; Toyoda, Michisato; Naito, Yasuhide

    2012-03-01

    A novel stigmatic mass microscope using laser desorption/ionization and a multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometer, MULTUM-IMG, has been developed. Stigmatic ion images of crystal violet masked by a fine square mesh grid with a 12.7 μm pitch were clearly observed, and the estimated spatial resolution was about 3 μm in the linear mode with a 20-fold ion optical magnification. Tissue sections of a brain and eyes of a mouse stained with crystal violet and methylene blue were observed in the linear mode, and the stigmatic total ion images of crystal violet and methylene blue agreed well with the optical photomicrograph of the same sections. Especially, the fine structure in the cornea tissue was clearly observed with a spatial resolution in the range of micrometers. Although the total measurement time of the stigmatic ion image for the whole-eye section was about 59 minutes using a laser with a 10 Hz repetition rate, the measurement time could be reduced to about 35 s using a laser with a 1 kHz repetition rate and automation of measurements. The stigmatic mass microscope developed in this research should be suitable for high-spatial resolution and high-throughput imaging mass spectrometry for pathology, pharmacokinetics, and so on.

  2. High-speed adaptive contact-mode atomic force microscopy imaging with near-minimum-force

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, Juan; Zou, Qingze, E-mail: qzzou@rci.rutgers.edu [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Rutgers University, 98 Brett Rd, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854 (United States)

    2014-07-15

    In this paper, an adaptive contact-mode imaging approach is proposed to replace the traditional contact-mode imaging by addressing the major concerns in both the speed and the force exerted to the sample. The speed of the traditional contact-mode imaging is largely limited by the need to maintain precision tracking of the sample topography over the entire imaged sample surface, while large image distortion and excessive probe-sample interaction force occur during high-speed imaging. In this work, first, the image distortion caused by the topography tracking error is accounted for in the topography quantification. Second, the quantified sample topography is utilized in a gradient-based optimization method to adjust the cantilever deflection set-point for each scanline closely around the minimal level needed for maintaining stable probe-sample contact, and a data-driven iterative feedforward control that utilizes a prediction of the next-line topography is integrated to the topography feeedback loop to enhance the sample topography tracking. The proposed approach is demonstrated and evaluated through imaging a calibration sample of square pitches at both high speeds (e.g., scan rate of 75 Hz and 130 Hz) and large sizes (e.g., scan size of 30 μm and 80 μm). The experimental results show that compared to the traditional constant-force contact-mode imaging, the imaging speed can be increased by over 30 folds (with the scanning speed at 13 mm/s), and the probe-sample interaction force can be reduced by more than 15% while maintaining the same image quality.

  3. High-speed adaptive contact-mode atomic force microscopy imaging with near-minimum-force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren, Juan; Zou, Qingze

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, an adaptive contact-mode imaging approach is proposed to replace the traditional contact-mode imaging by addressing the major concerns in both the speed and the force exerted to the sample. The speed of the traditional contact-mode imaging is largely limited by the need to maintain precision tracking of the sample topography over the entire imaged sample surface, while large image distortion and excessive probe-sample interaction force occur during high-speed imaging. In this work, first, the image distortion caused by the topography tracking error is accounted for in the topography quantification. Second, the quantified sample topography is utilized in a gradient-based optimization method to adjust the cantilever deflection set-point for each scanline closely around the minimal level needed for maintaining stable probe-sample contact, and a data-driven iterative feedforward control that utilizes a prediction of the next-line topography is integrated to the topography feeedback loop to enhance the sample topography tracking. The proposed approach is demonstrated and evaluated through imaging a calibration sample of square pitches at both high speeds (e.g., scan rate of 75 Hz and 130 Hz) and large sizes (e.g., scan size of 30 μm and 80 μm). The experimental results show that compared to the traditional constant-force contact-mode imaging, the imaging speed can be increased by over 30 folds (with the scanning speed at 13 mm/s), and the probe-sample interaction force can be reduced by more than 15% while maintaining the same image quality

  4. MM99.50 - Surface Topography Characterization Using an Atomic Force Microscope Mounted on a Coordinate Measuring Machine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chiffre, Leonardo De; Hansen, Hans Nørgaard; Kofod, Niels

    1999-01-01

    The paper describes the construction, testing and use of an integrated system for topographic characterization of fine surfaces on parts having relatively big dimensions. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was mounted on a manual three-coordinate measuring machine (CMM) achieving free positioning o...

  5. Annular dark field electron microscope images with better than 2 A resolution at 100 kV

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shin, D.H.; Kirkland, E.J.; Silcox, J.

    1989-01-01

    High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) images in the annular dark field (ADF) imaging mode approaching the theoretical point-to-point resolution limit are presented. The ADF images were obtained from a high T c superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x thin-film specimen at 100 kV. The 1.9 A resolution lattice image, which is the smallest lattice spacing in the specimen, corresponds to the minimum resolvable spatial frequency with 5% contrast in the contrast transfer function for annular dark field, and is smaller than the resolution limit given by the Rayleigh criterion. This demonstrates that STEM ADF imaging can have a resolution approximately 40% better than that of the bright field conventional transmission electron microscope (CTEM) imaging at Scherzer condition

  6. X-ray generation by femtosecond laser pulses and its application to soft X-ray imaging microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, Kenichi; Kotaki, Hideyuki; Nakajima, Kazuhisa

    2002-01-01

    We have developed laser-produced plasma X-ray sources using femtosecond laser pulses at 10Hz repetition rate in a table-top size in order to investigate basic mechanism of X-ray emission from laser-matter interactions and its application to a X-ray microscope. In a soft X-ray region over 5 nm wavelength, laser-plasma X-ray emission from a solid target achieved an intense flux of photons of the order of 1011 photons/rad per pulse with duration of a few 100 ps, which is intense enough to make a clear imaging in a short time exposure. As an application of laser-produced plasma X-ray source, we have developed a soft X-ray imaging microscope operating in the wavelength range around 14 nm. The microscope consists of a cylindrically ellipsoidal condenser mirror and a Schwarzshird objective mirror with highly-reflective multilayers. We report preliminary results of performance tests of the soft X-ray imaging microscope with a compact laser-produced plasma X-ray source

  7. Microscopic analysis of the non-dissipative force on a line vortex in a superconductor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaitan, F.

    1994-12-01

    A microscopic analysis of the non-dissipative force F nd acting on a line vortex in a type-II superconductor at T = 0 is given. All work presented assumes a charged BCS superconductor. We first examine the Berry phase induced in the BCS superconducting ground state by movement of the vortex and show how this phase enters into the hydro-dynamic action S hyd of the superconducting condensate. Appropriate variation of S hyd gives F nd and variation of the Berry phase term is seen to contribute the Magnus or lift force of classical hydrodynamics to F nd . This analysis, based on the BCS ground state of a charged superconductor, confirms in detail the arguments of Ao and Thouless within the context of the BCS model. Our Berry phase, in the limit e → 0, is seen to reproduce the Berry phase determined by these authors for a neutral superfluid. We also provide a second, independent, determination on F nd through a microscopic derivation of the continuity equation for the condensate linear momentum. This equation yields the acceleration equation for the superflow and shows that the vortex acts as a sink for the condensate linear momentum. The rate at which momentum is lost to the vortex determines F nd in this second approach and the result obtained agrees identically with the previous Berry phase calculation. The Magnus force contribution to F nd is seen in both calculations to be a consequence of the vortex topology and motion. (author). 10 refs

  8. Extended morphological processing: a practical method for automatic spot detection of biological markers from microscopic images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kimori, Yoshitaka; Baba, Norio; Morone, Nobuhiro

    2010-07-08

    A reliable extraction technique for resolving multiple spots in light or electron microscopic images is essential in investigations of the spatial distribution and dynamics of specific proteins inside cells and tissues. Currently, automatic spot extraction and characterization in complex microscopic images poses many challenges to conventional image processing methods. A new method to extract closely located, small target spots from biological images is proposed. This method starts with a simple but practical operation based on the extended morphological top-hat transformation to subtract an uneven background. The core of our novel approach is the following: first, the original image is rotated in an arbitrary direction and each rotated image is opened with a single straight line-segment structuring element. Second, the opened images are unified and then subtracted from the original image. To evaluate these procedures, model images of simulated spots with closely located targets were created and the efficacy of our method was compared to that of conventional morphological filtering methods. The results showed the better performance of our method. The spots of real microscope images can be quantified to confirm that the method is applicable in a given practice. Our method achieved effective spot extraction under various image conditions, including aggregated target spots, poor signal-to-noise ratio, and large variations in the background intensity. Furthermore, it has no restrictions with respect to the shape of the extracted spots. The features of our method allow its broad application in biological and biomedical image information analysis.

  9. Ultrawidefield microscope for high-speed fluorescence imaging and targeted optogenetic stimulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werley, Christopher A; Chien, Miao-Ping; Cohen, Adam E

    2017-12-01

    The rapid increase in the number and quality of fluorescent reporters and optogenetic actuators has yielded a powerful set of tools for recording and controlling cellular state and function. To achieve the full benefit of these tools requires improved optical systems with high light collection efficiency, high spatial and temporal resolution, and patterned optical stimulation, in a wide field of view (FOV). Here we describe our 'Firefly' microscope, which achieves these goals in a Ø6 mm FOV. The Firefly optical system is optimized for simultaneous photostimulation and fluorescence imaging in cultured cells. All but one of the optical elements are commercially available, yet the microscope achieves 10-fold higher light collection efficiency at its design magnification than the comparable commercially available microscope using the same objective. The Firefly microscope enables all-optical electrophysiology ('Optopatch') in cultured neurons with a throughput and information content unmatched by other neuronal phenotyping systems. This capability opens possibilities in disease modeling and phenotypic drug screening. We also demonstrate applications of the system to voltage and calcium recordings in human induced pluripotent stem cell derived cardiomyocytes.

  10. Analytical electron microscope based on scanning transmission electron microscope with wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy to realize highly sensitive elemental imaging especially for light elements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koguchi, Masanari; Tsuneta, Ruriko; Anan, Yoshihiro; Nakamae, Koji

    2017-01-01

    An analytical electron microscope based on the scanning transmission electron microscope with wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (STEM-WDX) to realize highly sensitive elemental imaging especially for light elements has been developed. In this study, a large-solid-angle multi-capillary x-rays lens with a focal length of 5 mm, long-time data acquisition (e.g. longer than 26 h), and a drift-free system made it possible to visualize boron-dopant images in a Si substrate at a detection limit of 0.2 atomic percent. (paper)

  11. STM-SQUID probe microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Tadayuki; Tachiki, Minoru; Itozaki, Hideo

    2007-01-01

    We have developed a STM-SQUID probe microscope. A high T C SQUID probe microscope was combined with a scanning tunneling microscope for investigation of samples at room temperature in air. A high permeability probe needle was used as a magnetic flux guide to improve the spatial resolution. The probe with tip radius of less than 100 nm was prepared by microelectropolishing. The probe was also used as a scanning tunneling microscope tip. Topography of the sample surface could be measured by the scanning tunneling microscope with high spatial resolution prior to observation by SQUID microscopy. The SQUID probe microscope image could be observed while keeping the distance from the sample surface to the probe tip constant. We observed a topographic image and a magnetic image of Ni fine pattern and also a magnetically recorded hard disk. Furthermore we have investigated a sample vibration method of the static magnetic field emanating from a sample with the aim of achieving a higher signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio

  12. Adaptive and automatic red blood cell counting method based on microscopic hyperspectral imaging technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xi; Zhou, Mei; Qiu, Song; Sun, Li; Liu, Hongying; Li, Qingli; Wang, Yiting

    2017-12-01

    Red blood cell counting, as a routine examination, plays an important role in medical diagnoses. Although automated hematology analyzers are widely used, manual microscopic examination by a hematologist or pathologist is still unavoidable, which is time-consuming and error-prone. This paper proposes a full-automatic red blood cell counting method which is based on microscopic hyperspectral imaging of blood smears and combines spatial and spectral information to achieve high precision. The acquired hyperspectral image data of the blood smear in the visible and near-infrared spectral range are firstly preprocessed, and then a quadratic blind linear unmixing algorithm is used to get endmember abundance images. Based on mathematical morphological operation and an adaptive Otsu’s method, a binaryzation process is performed on the abundance images. Finally, the connected component labeling algorithm with magnification-based parameter setting is applied to automatically select the binary images of red blood cell cytoplasm. Experimental results show that the proposed method can perform well and has potential for clinical applications.

  13. Field programmable gate array based reconfigurable scanning probe/optical microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nowak, Derek B; Lawrence, A J; Dzegede, Zechariah K; Hiester, Justin C; Kim, Cliff; Sánchez, Erik J

    2011-10-01

    The increasing popularity of nanometrology and nanospectroscopy has pushed researchers to develop complex new analytical systems. This paper describes the development of a platform on which to build a microscopy tool that will allow for flexibility of customization to suit research needs. The novelty of the described system lies in its versatility of capabilities. So far, one version of this microscope has allowed for successful near-field and far-field fluorescence imaging with single molecule detection sensitivity. This system is easily adapted for reflection, polarization (Kerr magneto-optical (MO)), Raman, super-resolution techniques, and other novel scanning probe imaging and spectroscopic designs. While collecting a variety of forms of optical images, the system can simultaneously monitor topographic information of a sample with an integrated tuning fork based shear force system. The instrument has the ability to image at room temperature and atmospheric pressure or under liquid. The core of the design is a field programmable gate array (FPGA) data acquisition card and a single, low cost computer to control the microscope with analog control circuitry using off-the-shelf available components. A detailed description of electronics, mechanical requirements, and software algorithms as well as examples of some different forms of the microscope developed so far are discussed.

  14. High resolution magnetic force microscopy using focussed ion beam modified tips

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Phillips, G.N.; Siekman, Martin Herman; Abelmann, Leon; Lodder, J.C.

    2002-01-01

    Summary form only given. Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is well established for imaging surface magnetic stray fields. With commercial microscopes and magnetic tips, images with 50 nm resolution are quite routine; however, obtaining higher resolutions is experimentally more demanding. Higher

  15. Modification of calcite crystal growth by abalone shell proteins: an atomic force microscope study.

    OpenAIRE

    Walters, D A; Smith, B L; Belcher, A M; Paloczi, G T; Stucky, G D; Morse, D E; Hansma, P K

    1997-01-01

    A family of soluble proteins from the shell of Haliotis rufescens was introduced over a growing calcite crystal being scanned in situ by an atomic force microscope (AFM). Atomic step edges on the crystal surface were altered in shape and speed of growth by the proteins. Proteins attached nonuniformly to the surface, indicating different interactions with crystallographically different step edges. The observed changes were consistent with the habit modification induced by this family of protei...

  16. Microscopic image processing system for measuring nonuniform film thickness profiles: Image scanning ellipsometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, A.H.; Plawsky, J.L.; Wayner, P.C. Jr.

    1993-01-01

    The long-term objective of this research program is to determine the stability and heat transfer characteristics of evaporating thin films. The current objective is to develop and use a microscopic image-processing system (IPS) which has two parts: an image analyzing interferometer (IAI) and an image scanning ellipsometer (ISE). The primary purpose of this paper is to present the basic concept of ISE, which is a novel technique to measure the two dimensional thickness profile of a non-uniform, thin film, from several nm up to several μm, in a steady state as well as in a transient state. It is a full-field imaging technique which can study every point on the surface simultaneously with high spatial resolution and thickness sensitivity, i.e., it can measure and map the 2-D film thickness profile. The ISE was tested by measuring the thickness profile and the refractive index of a nonuniform solid film

  17. A transmission positron microscope and a scanning positron microscope being built at KEK, Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doyama, M.; Inoue, M.; Kogure, Y.; Kurihara, T.; Yagishita, A.; Shidara, T.; Nakahara, K.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoshiie, T.

    2001-01-01

    This paper reports the plans of positron microscopes being built at KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization), Tsukuba, Japan improving used electron microscopes. The kinetic energies of positron produced by accelerators or by nuclear decays have not a unique value but show a spread over in a wide range. Positron beam will be guided near electron microscopes, a transmission electron microscope (JEM100S) and a scanning electron microscope (JSM25S). Positrons are slowed down by a tungsten foil, accelerated and focused on a nickel sheet. The monochromatic focused beam will be injected into an electron microscope. The focusing of positrons and electrons is achieved by magnetic system of the electron microscopes. Imaging plates are used to record positron images for the transmission electron microscope. (orig.)

  18. Proper alignment of the microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rottenfusser, Rudi

    2013-01-01

    The light microscope is merely the first element of an imaging system in a research facility. Such a system may include high-speed and/or high-resolution image acquisition capabilities, confocal technologies, and super-resolution methods of various types. Yet more than ever, the proverb "garbage in-garbage out" remains a fact. Image manipulations may be used to conceal a suboptimal microscope setup, but an artifact-free image can only be obtained when the microscope is optimally aligned, both mechanically and optically. Something else is often overlooked in the quest to get the best image out of the microscope: Proper sample preparation! The microscope optics can only do its job when its design criteria are matched to the specimen or vice versa. The specimen itself, the mounting medium, the cover slip, and the type of immersion medium (if applicable) are all part of the total optical makeup. To get the best results out of a microscope, understanding the functions of all of its variable components is important. Only then one knows how to optimize these components for the intended application. Different approaches might be chosen to discuss all of the microscope's components. We decided to follow the light path which starts with the light source and ends at the camera or the eyepieces. To add more transparency to this sequence, the section up to the microscope stage was called the "Illuminating Section", to be followed by the "Imaging Section" which starts with the microscope objective. After understanding the various components, we can start "working with the microscope." To get the best resolution and contrast from the microscope, the practice of "Koehler Illumination" should be understood and followed by every serious microscopist. Step-by-step instructions as well as illustrations of the beam path in an upright and inverted microscope are included in this chapter. A few practical considerations are listed in Section 3. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights

  19. Reversible electrochemical modification of the surface of a semiconductor by an atomic-force microscope probe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kozhukhov, A. S., E-mail: antonkozhukhov@yandex.ru; Sheglov, D. V.; Latyshev, A. V. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics, Siberian Branch (Russian Federation)

    2017-04-15

    A technique for reversible surface modification with an atomic-force-microscope (AFM) probe is suggested. In this method, no significant mechanical or topographic changes occur upon a local variation in the surface potential of a sample under the AFM probe. The method allows a controlled relative change in the ohmic resistance of a channel in a Hall bridge within the range 20–25%.

  20. A wireless centrifuge force microscope (CFM) enables multiplexed single-molecule experiments in a commercial centrifuge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoang, Tony; Patel, Dhruv S; Halvorsen, Ken

    2016-08-01

    The centrifuge force microscope (CFM) was recently introduced as a platform for massively parallel single-molecule manipulation and analysis. Here we developed a low-cost and self-contained CFM module that works directly within a commercial centrifuge, greatly improving accessibility and ease of use. Our instrument incorporates research grade video microscopy, a power source, a computer, and wireless transmission capability to simultaneously monitor many individually tethered microspheres. We validated the instrument by performing single-molecule force shearing of short DNA duplexes. For a 7 bp duplex, we observed over 1000 dissociation events due to force dependent shearing from 2 pN to 12 pN with dissociation times in the range of 10-100 s. We extended the measurement to a 10 bp duplex, applying a 12 pN force clamp and directly observing single-molecule dissociation over an 85 min experiment. Our new CFM module facilitates simple and inexpensive experiments that dramatically improve access to single-molecule analysis.

  1. Quantitative 3D-KPFM imaging with simultaneous electrostatic force and force gradient detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Collins, L; Rodriguez, B J; Okatan, M B; Li, Q; Kravenchenko, I I; Lavrik, N V; Kalinin, S V; Jesse, S

    2015-01-01

    Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) is a powerful characterization technique for imaging local electrochemical and electrostatic potential distributions and has been applied across a broad range of materials and devices. Proper interpretation of the local KPFM data can be complicated, however, by convolution of the true surface potential under the tip with additional contributions due to long range capacitive coupling between the probe (e.g. cantilever, cone, tip apex) and the sample under test. In this work, band excitation (BE)-KPFM is used to negate such effects. In contrast to traditional single frequency KPFM, multifrequency BE-KPFM is shown to afford dual sensitivity to both the electrostatic force and the force gradient detection, analogous to simultaneous amplitude modulated and frequency modulated KPFM imaging. BE-KPFM is demonstrated on a Pt/Au/SiO x test structure and electrostatic force gradient detection is found to lead to an improved lateral resolution compared to electrostatic force detection. Finally, a 3D-KPFM imaging technique is developed. Force volume (FV) BE-KPFM allows the tip–sample distance dependence of the electrostatic interactions (force and force gradient) to be recorded at each point across the sample surface. As such, FVBE-KPFM provides a much needed pathway towards complete tip–sample capacitive de-convolution in KPFM measurements and will enable quantitative surface potential measurements with nanoscale resolution. (paper)

  2. Spatio-temporal imaging of voltage pulses with an ultrafast scanning tunneling microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jacob Riis; Keil, Ulrich Dieter Felix; Hvam, Jørn Märcher

    1997-01-01

    Measurements on an ultrafast scanning tunneling microscope with simultaneous spatial and temporal resolution are presented. We show images of picosecond pulses propagating on a coplanar waveguide and resolve their mode structures. The influence of transmission line discontinuities on the mode...

  3. Automated setpoint adjustment for biological contact mode atomic force microscopy imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casuso, Ignacio; Scheuring, Simon

    2010-01-01

    Contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the most frequently used AFM imaging mode in biology. It is about 5-10 times faster than oscillating mode imaging (in conventional AFM setups), and provides topographs of biological samples with sub-molecular resolution and at a high signal-to-noise ratio. Unfortunately, contact mode imaging is sensitive to the applied force and intrinsic force drift: inappropriate force applied by the AFM tip damages the soft biological samples. We present a methodology that automatically searches for and maintains high resolution imaging forces. We found that the vertical and lateral vibrations of the probe during scanning are valuable signals for the characterization of the actual applied force by the tip. This allows automated adjustment and correction of the setpoint force during an experiment. A system that permanently performs this methodology steered the AFM towards high resolution imaging forces and imaged purple membrane at molecular resolution and live cells at high signal-to-noise ratio for hours without an operator.

  4. Investigation of graphite composite anodes surfaces by atomic force microscopy and related techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hirasawa, Karen Akemi; Nishioka, Keiko; Sato, Tomohiro; Yamaguchi, Shoji; Mori, Shoichiro [Mitsubishi Chemical Corp., Tsukuba Research Center, Ibaraki (Japan)

    1997-11-01

    The surface of a synthetic graphite (KS-44) and polyvinylidene difluoride binder (PVDF) anode for lithium-ion secondary batteries is imaged using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and several related scanning probe microscope (SPM) instruments including: dynamic force microscopy (DFM), friction force microscopy (FFM), laterally-modulated friction force microscopy (LM-FFM), visco-elasticity atomic force microscopy (VE-AFM), and AFM/simultaneous current measurement mode (SCM). DFM is found to be an exceptional mode for topographic imaging while FFM results in the clearest contrast distinction between PVDF binder and KS-44 graphite regions. (orig.)

  5. Shear force distance control in a scanning near-field optical microscope: in resonance excitation of the fiber probe versus out of resonance excitation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lapshin, D.A.; Letokhov, V.S.; Shubeita, G.T.; Sekatskii, S.K.; Dietler, G.

    2004-01-01

    The experimental results of the direct measurement of the absolute value of interaction force between the fiber probe of a scanning near-field optical microscope (SNOM) operated in shear force mode and a sample, which were performed using combined SNOM-atomic force microscope setup, are discussed for the out-of-resonance fiber probe excitation mode. We demonstrate that the value of the tapping component of the total force for this mode at typical dither amplitudes is of the order of 10 nN and thus is quite comparable with the value of this force for in resonance fiber probe excitation mode. It is also shown that for all modes this force component is essentially smaller than the usually neglected static attraction force, which is of the order of 200 nN. The true contact nature of the tip-sample interaction during the out of resonance mode is proven. From this, we conclude that such a detection mode is very promising for operation in liquids, where other modes encounter great difficulties

  6. In situ atomic force microscope imaging of supported lipid bilayers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaasgaard, Thomas; Leidy, Chad; Ipsen, John Hjorth

    2001-01-01

    In situ AFM images of phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) hydrolysis of mica-supported one- and two-component lipid bilayers are presented. For one-component DPPC bilayers an enhanced enzymatic activity is observed towards preexisting defects in the bilayer. Phase separation is observed in two-co...

  7. Detection of nuclei in 4D Nomarski DIC microscope images of early Caenorhabditis elegans embryos using local image entropy and object tracking

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamahashi Shugo

    2005-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ability to detect nuclei in embryos is essential for studying the development of multicellular organisms. A system of automated nuclear detection has already been tested on a set of four-dimensional (4D Nomarski differential interference contrast (DIC microscope images of Caenorhabditis elegans embryos. However, the system needed laborious hand-tuning of its parameters every time a new image set was used. It could not detect nuclei in the process of cell division, and could detect nuclei only from the two- to eight-cell stages. Results We developed a system that automates the detection of nuclei in a set of 4D DIC microscope images of C. elegans embryos. Local image entropy is used to produce regions of the images that have the image texture of the nucleus. From these regions, those that actually detect nuclei are manually selected at the first and last time points of the image set, and an object-tracking algorithm then selects regions that detect nuclei in between the first and last time points. The use of local image entropy makes the system applicable to multiple image sets without the need to change its parameter values. The use of an object-tracking algorithm enables the system to detect nuclei in the process of cell division. The system detected nuclei with high sensitivity and specificity from the one- to 24-cell stages. Conclusion A combination of local image entropy and an object-tracking algorithm enabled highly objective and productive detection of nuclei in a set of 4D DIC microscope images of C. elegans embryos. The system will facilitate genomic and computational analyses of C. elegans embryos.

  8. Imaging of surface plasmon polariton interference using phase-sensitive scanning tunneling microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jose, J.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Korterik, Jeroen P.; Herek, Jennifer Lynn; Offerhaus, Herman L.

    2011-01-01

    We report the surface plasmon polariton interference, generated via a ‘buried’ gold grating, and imaged using a phase-sensitive Photon Scanning Tunneling Microscope (PSTM). The phase-resolved PSTM measurement unravels the complex surface plasmon polariton interference fields at the gold-air

  9. Investigation of specific interactions between T7 promoter and T7 RNA polymerase by force spectroscopy using atomic force microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaojuan; Yao, Zhixuan; Duan, Yanting; Zhang, Xiaomei; Shi, Jinsong; Xu, Zhenghong

    2018-01-11

    The specific recognition and binding of promoter and RNA polymerase is the first step of transcription initiation in bacteria and largely determines transcription activity. Therefore, direct analysis of the interaction between promoter and RNA polymerase in vitro may be a new strategy for promoter characterization, to avoid interference due to the cell's biophysical condition and other regulatory elements. In the present study, the specific interaction between T7 promoter and T7 RNA polymerase was studied as a model system using force spectroscopy based on atomic force microscope (AFM). The specific interaction between T7 promoter and T7 RNA polymerase was verified by control experiments, and the rupture force in this system was measured as 307.2 ± 6.7 pN. The binding between T7 promoter mutants with various promoter activities and T7 RNA polymerase was analyzed. Interaction information including rupture force, rupture distance and binding percentage were obtained in vitro , and reporter gene expression regulated by these promoters was also measured according to a traditional promoter activity characterization method in vivo Using correlation analysis, it was found that the promoter strength characterized by reporter gene expression was closely correlated with rupture force and the binding percentage by force spectroscopy. These results indicated that the analysis of the interaction between promoter and RNA polymerase using AFM-based force spectroscopy was an effective and valid approach for the quantitative characterization of promoters. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  10. Observation of Switchable Photoresponse of a Monolayer WSe 2 –MoS 2 Lateral Heterostructure via Photocurrent Spectral Atomic Force Microscopic Imaging

    KAUST Repository

    Son, Youngwoo; Li, Ming-yang; Cheng, Chia-Chin; Wei, Kung-Hwa; Liu, Pingwei; Wang, Qing Hua; Li, Lain-Jong; Strano, Michael S.

    2016-01-01

    spectral atomic force microscopy to image the current and photocurrent generated between a biased PtIr tip and a monolayer WSe2-MoS2 lateral heterostructure. Current measurements in the dark in both forward and reverse bias reveal an opposite characteristic

  11. Characterization of platelet adhesion under flow using microscopic image sequence analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machin, M; Santomaso, A; Cozzi, M R; Battiston, M; Mazzuccato, M; De Marco, L; Canu, P

    2005-07-01

    A method for quantitative analysis of platelet deposition under flow is discussed here. The model system is based upon perfusion of blood platelets over an adhesive substrate immobilized on a glass coverslip acting as the lower surface of a rectangular flow chamber. The perfusion apparatus is mounted onto an inverted microscope equipped with epifluorescent illumination and intensified CCD video camera. Characterization is based on information obtained from a specific image analysis method applied to continuous sequences of microscopical images. Platelet recognition across the sequence of images is based on a time-dependent, bidimensional, gaussian-like pdf. Once a platelet is located,the variation of its position and shape as a function of time (i.e., the platelet history) can be determined. Analyzing the history we can establish if the platelet is moving on the surface, the frequency of this movement and the distance traveled before its resumes the velocity of a non-interacting cell. Therefore, we can determine how long the adhesion would last which is correlated to the resistance of the platelet-substrate bond. This algorithm enables the dynamic quantification of trajectories, as well as residence times, arrest and release frequencies for a high numbers of platelets at the same time. Statistically significant conclusions on platelet-surface interactions can then be obtained. An image analysis tool of this kind can dramatically help the investigation and characterization of the thrombogenic properties of artificial surfaces such as those used in artificial organs and biomedical devices.

  12. The optics of microscope image formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolf, David E

    2013-01-01

    Although geometric optics gives a good understanding of how the microscope works, it fails in one critical area, which is explaining the origin of microscope resolution. To accomplish this, one must consider the microscope from the viewpoint of physical optics. This chapter describes the theory of the microscope-relating resolution to the highest spatial frequency that a microscope can collect. The chapter illustrates how Huygens' principle or construction can be used to explain the propagation of a plane wave. It is shown that this limit increases with increasing numerical aperture (NA). As a corollary to this, resolution increases with decreasing wavelength because of how NA depends on wavelength. The resolution is higher for blue light than red light. Resolution is dependent on contrast, and the higher the contrast, the higher the resolution. This last point relates to issues of signal-to-noise and dynamic range. The use of video and new digital cameras has necessitated redefining classical limits such as those of Rayleigh's criterion. Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Rapid identification of salmonella serotypes with stereo and hyperspectral microscope imaging Methods

    Science.gov (United States)

    The hyperspectral microscope imaging (HMI) method can reduce detection time within 8 hours including incubation process. The early and rapid detection with this method in conjunction with the high throughput capabilities makes HMI method a prime candidate for implementation for the food industry. Th...

  14. High resolution imaging of dielectric surfaces with an evanescent field optical microscope

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Hulst, N.F.; Segerink, Franciscus B.; Bölger, B.

    1992-01-01

    An evanescent field optical microscope (EFOM) is presented which employs frustrated total internal reflection o­n a localized scale by scanning a dielectric tip in close proximity to a sample surface. High resolution images of dielectric gratings and spheres containing both topographic and

  15. Imaging of Interlayer Coupling in van der Waals Heterostructures Using a Bright-Field Optical Microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexeev, Evgeny M; Catanzaro, Alessandro; Skrypka, Oleksandr V; Nayak, Pramoda K; Ahn, Seongjoon; Pak, Sangyeon; Lee, Juwon; Sohn, Jung Inn; Novoselov, Kostya S; Shin, Hyeon Suk; Tartakovskii, Alexander I

    2017-09-13

    Vertically stacked atomic layers from different layered crystals can be held together by van der Waals forces, which can be used for building novel heterostructures, offering a platform for developing a new generation of atomically thin, transparent, and flexible devices. The performance of these devices is critically dependent on the layer thickness and the interlayer electronic coupling, influencing the hybridization of the electronic states as well as charge and energy transfer between the layers. The electronic coupling is affected by the relative orientation of the layers as well as by the cleanliness of their interfaces. Here, we demonstrate an efficient method for monitoring interlayer coupling in heterostructures made from transition metal dichalcogenides using photoluminescence imaging in a bright-field optical microscope. The color and brightness in such images are used here to identify mono- and few-layer crystals and to track changes in the interlayer coupling and the emergence of interlayer excitons after thermal annealing in heterobilayers composed of mechanically exfoliated flakes and as a function of the twist angle in atomic layers grown by chemical vapor deposition. Material and crystal thickness sensitivity of the presented imaging technique makes it a powerful tool for characterization of van der Waals heterostructures assembled by a wide variety of methods, using combinations of materials obtained through mechanical or chemical exfoliation and crystal growth.

  16. Attachment of carbon nanotubes to atomic force microscope probes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibson, Christopher T.; Carnally, Stewart; Roberts, Clive J.

    2007-01-01

    In atomic force microscopy (AFM) the accuracy of data is often limited by the tip geometry and the effect on this geometry of wear. One way to improve the tip geometry is to attach carbon nanotubes (CNT) to AFM tips. CNTs are ideal because they have a small diameter (typically between 1 and 20 nm), high aspect ratio, high strength, good conductivity, and almost no wear. A number of methods for CNT attachment have been proposed and explored including chemical vapour deposition (CVD), dielectrophoresis, arc discharge and mechanical attachment. In this work we will use CVD to deposit nanotubes onto a silicon surface and then investigate improved methods to pick-up and attach CNTs to tapping mode probes. Conventional pick-up methods involve using standard tapping mode or non-contact mode so as to attach only those CNTs that are aligned vertically on the surface. We have developed improved methods to attach CNTs using contact mode and reduced set-point tapping mode imaging. Using these techniques the AFM tip is in contact with a greater number of CNTs and the rate and stability of CNT pick-up is improved. The presence of CNTs on the modified AFM tips was confirmed by high-resolution AFM imaging, analysis of the tips dynamic force curves and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

  17. Note: A scanning electron microscope sample holder for bidirectional characterization of atomic force microscope probe tips

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eisenstein, Alon; Goh, M. Cynthia [Department of Chemistry and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto M5S 3H6 (Canada)

    2012-03-15

    A novel sample holder that enables atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips to be mounted inside a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for the purpose of characterizing the AFM tips is described. The holder provides quick and easy handling of tips by using a spring clip to hold them in place. The holder can accommodate two tips simultaneously in two perpendicular orientations, allowing both top and side view imaging of the tips by the SEM.

  18. Three Dimensional Imaging of Cold Atoms in a Magneto Optical Trap with a Light Field Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-09-14

    with a Light Field Microscope Gordon E. Lott Follow this and additional works at: https://scholar.afit.edu/etd Part of the Atomic, Molecular and......https://scholar.afit.edu/etd/774 THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING OF COLD ATOMS IN A MAGNETO-OPTICAL TRAP WITH A LIGHT FIELD MICROSCOPE DISSERTATION Gordon E

  19. Improved social force model based on exit selection for microscopic pedestrian simulation in subway station

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    郑勋; 李海鹰; 孟令云; 许心越; 陈旭

    2015-01-01

    An improved social force model based on exit selection is proposed to simulate pedestrians’ microscopic behaviors in subway station. The modification lies in considering three factors of spatial distance, occupant density and exit width. In addition, the problem of pedestrians selecting exit frequently is solved as follows: not changing to other exits in the affected area of one exit, using the probability of remaining preceding exit and invoking function of exit selection after several simulation steps. Pedestrians in subway station have some special characteristics, such as explicit destinations, different familiarities with subway station. Finally, Beijing Zoo Subway Station is taken as an example and the feasibility of the model results is verified through the comparison of the actual data and simulation data. The simulation results show that the improved model can depict the microscopic behaviors of pedestrians in subway station.

  20. A Student-Built Scanning Tunneling Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekkens, Tom

    2015-01-01

    Many introductory and nanotechnology textbooks discuss the operation of various microscopes including atomic force (AFM), scanning tunneling (STM), and scanning electron microscopes (SEM). In a nanotechnology laboratory class, students frequently utilize microscopes to obtain data without a thought about the detailed operation of the tool itself.…

  1. Advances in imaging and electron physics the scanning transmission electron microscope

    CERN Document Server

    Hawkes, Peter W

    2009-01-01

    Advances in Imaging and Electron Physics merges two long-running serials--Advances in Electronics and Electron Physics and Advances in Optical and Electron Microscopy. This series features extended articles on the physics of electron devices (especially semiconductor devices), particle optics at high and low energies, microlithography, image science and digital image processing, electromagnetic wave propagation, electron microscopy, and the computing methods used in all these domains.  This particular volume presents several timely articles on the scanning transmission electron microscope. Updated with contributions from leading international scholars and industry experts Discusses hot topic areas and presents current and future research trends Provides an invaluable reference and guide for physicists, engineers and mathematicians.

  2. Correlation between resistance-change effect in transition-metal oxides and secondary-electron contrast of scanning electron microscope images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kinoshita, K.; Kishida, S.; Yoda, T.

    2011-01-01

    Conductive atomic-force microscopy (C-AFM) writing is attracting attention as a technique for clarifying the switching mechanism of resistive random-access memory by providing a wide area filled with filaments, which can be regarded as one filament with large radius. The writing area on a nickel-oxide (NiO) film formed by conductive atomic-force microscopy was observed by scanning electron microscope, and a correlation between the contrast in a secondary-electron image (SEI) and the resistance written by C-AFM was revealed. In addition, the dependence of the SEI contrast on the beam accelerating voltage (V accel ) suggests that the resistance-change effect occurs near the surface of the NiO film. As for the effects of electron irradiation and vacuum annealing on the C-AFM writing area, it was shown that the resistance-change effect is caused by exchange of oxygen with the atmosphere at the surface of the NiO film. This result suggests that the low-resistance and high-resistance areas are, respectively, p-type Ni 1+δ O (δ 1+δ O (δ≥ 0).

  3. Compensator design for improved counterbalancing in high speed atomic force microscopy

    OpenAIRE

    Bozchalooi, I. S.; Youcef-Toumi, K.; Burns, D. J.; Fantner, G. E.

    2011-01-01

    High speed atomic force microscopy can provide the possibility of many new scientific observations and applications ranging from nano-manufacturing to the study of biological processes. However, the limited imaging speed has been an imperative drawback of the atomic force microscopes. One of the main reasons behind this limitation is the excitation of the AFM dynamics at high scan speeds, severely undermining the reliability of the acquired images. In this research, we propose a piezo based, ...

  4. Scanning Microscopes Using X Rays and Microchannels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yu

    2003-01-01

    Scanning microscopes that would be based on microchannel filters and advanced electronic image sensors and that utilize x-ray illumination have been proposed. Because the finest resolution attainable in a microscope is determined by the wavelength of the illumination, the xray illumination in the proposed microscopes would make it possible, in principle, to achieve resolutions of the order of nanometers about a thousand times as fine as the resolution of a visible-light microscope. Heretofore, it has been necessary to use scanning electron microscopes to obtain such fine resolution. In comparison with scanning electron microscopes, the proposed microscopes would likely be smaller, less massive, and less expensive. Moreover, unlike in scanning electron microscopes, it would not be necessary to place specimens under vacuum. The proposed microscopes are closely related to the ones described in several prior NASA Tech Briefs articles; namely, Miniature Microscope Without Lenses (NPO-20218), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 22, No. 8 (August 1998), page 43; and Reflective Variants of Miniature Microscope Without Lenses (NPO-20610), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 26, No. 9 (September 2002) page 6a. In all of these microscopes, the basic principle of design and operation is the same: The focusing optics of a conventional visible-light microscope are replaced by a combination of a microchannel filter and a charge-coupled-device (CCD) image detector. A microchannel plate containing parallel, microscopic-cross-section holes much longer than they are wide is placed between a specimen and an image sensor, which is typically the CCD. The microchannel plate must be made of a material that absorbs the illuminating radiation reflected or scattered from the specimen. The microchannels must be positioned and dimensioned so that each one is registered with a pixel on the image sensor. Because most of the radiation incident on the microchannel walls becomes absorbed, the radiation that reaches the

  5. Atomic force microscope adhesion measurements and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations at different humidities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seppä, Jeremias; Sairanen, Hannu; Korpelainen, Virpi; Husu, Hannu; Heinonen, Martti; Lassila, Antti; Reischl, Bernhard; Raiteri, Paolo; Rohl, Andrew L; Nordlund, Kai

    2017-01-01

    Due to their operation principle atomic force microscopes (AFMs) are sensitive to all factors affecting the detected force between the probe and the sample. Relative humidity is an important and often neglected—both in experiments and simulations—factor in the interaction force between AFM probe and sample in air. This paper describes the humidity control system designed and built for the interferometrically traceable metrology AFM (IT-MAFM) at VTT MIKES. The humidity control is based on circulating the air of the AFM enclosure via dryer and humidifier paths with adjustable flow and mixing ratio of dry and humid air. The design humidity range of the system is 20–60 %rh. Force–distance adhesion studies at humidity levels between 25 %rh and 53 %rh are presented and compared to an atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The uncertainty level of the thermal noise method implementation used for force constant calibration of the AFM cantilevers is 10 %, being the dominant component of the interaction force measurement uncertainty. Comparing the simulation and the experiment, the primary uncertainties are related to the nominally 7 nm radius and shape of measurement probe apex, possible wear and contamination, and the atomistic simulation technique details. The interaction forces are of the same order of magnitude in simulation and measurement (5 nN). An elongation of a few nanometres of the water meniscus between probe tip and sample, before its rupture, is seen in simulation upon retraction of the tip in higher humidity. This behaviour is also supported by the presented experimental measurement data but the data is insufficient to conclusively verify the quantitative meniscus elongation. (paper)

  6. Garnet film rotator applied in polarizing microscope for domain image modulation (abstract)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wakabayashi, K.; Numata, T.; Inokuchi, S.

    1991-04-01

    A garnet film polarization rotator placed before the analyzer in a polarizing microscope was investigated to obtain the difference image of a positive and a negative one of magnetic domain in real time along with an image processor. In the difference image, a nonmagnetic image can be reduced and hence the weak magnetic contrast enhanced. Theoretical calculation of S/N and contrast C of the domain image as a function of the rotation shows they take maxima at the rotation angle of 2.6° and 0.1°, respectively, with the extinction ratio of e=4×10-6 of a polarizing microscope. Thus, since the thickness of the garnet film required is 1 μm or so, the absorption by the garnet rotator does not bring a serious problem even in a visible region for the domain observation. The optimum rotation of the rotator for a high quality observation was obtained by a quantitative study of images obtained experimentally as well as by a visual evaluation. A magnetically unsaturated garnet film with perpendicular magnetization (i.e., multidomain) was employed as a rotator, in which the polarization rotation angle θm of the undeflected beam with respect to the light diffraction could be continuously varied by an applied magnetic field. The dependences of S/N and C on θm were measured, resulting in a well agreement between the measured and the calculated. The visually best image was obtained at θm=0.5° which made the product of S/N and C maximum. The domain image of the Kerr rotation angle of θk=0.22° was observed in S/N=47 dB and C=0.4 when Ar+ laser (λ=515 nm) of tenths of a watt was employed as a light source. Since the domain image with 47 dB S/N does not need an image summation for a noise reduction, a garnet film rotator makes it possible to invert the contrast of a domain image in a real time for an improved domain observation.

  7. Hyperspectral microscope for in vivo imaging of microstructures and cells in tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demos,; Stavros, G [Livermore, CA

    2011-05-17

    An optical hyperspectral/multimodal imaging method and apparatus is utilized to provide high signal sensitivity for implementation of various optical imaging approaches. Such a system utilizes long working distance microscope objectives so as to enable off-axis illumination of predetermined tissue thereby allowing for excitation at any optical wavelength, simplifies design, reduces required optical elements, significantly reduces spectral noise from the optical elements and allows for fast image acquisition enabling high quality imaging in-vivo. Such a technology provides a means of detecting disease at the single cell level such as cancer, precancer, ischemic, traumatic or other type of injury, infection, or other diseases or conditions causing alterations in cells and tissue micro structures.

  8. Track sensitivity and the surface roughness measurements of CR-39 with atomic force microscope

    CERN Document Server

    Yasuda, N; Amemiya, K; Takahashi, H; Kyan, A; Ogura, K

    1999-01-01

    Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) has been applied to evaluate the surface roughness and the track sensitivity of CR-39 track detector. We experimentally confirmed the inverse correlation between the track sensitivity and the roughness of the detector surface after etching. The surface of CR-39 (CR-39 doped with antioxidant (HARZLAS (TD-1)) and copolymer of CR-39/NIPAAm (TNF-1)) with high sensitivity becomes rough by the etching, while the pure CR-39 (BARYOTRAK) with low sensitivity keeps its original surface clarity even for the long etching.

  9. An image processing pipeline to detect and segment nuclei in muscle fiber microscopic images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yanen; Xu, Xiaoyin; Wang, Yuanyuan; Wang, Yaming; Xia, Shunren; Yang, Zhong

    2014-08-01

    Muscle fiber images play an important role in the medical diagnosis and treatment of many muscular diseases. The number of nuclei in skeletal muscle fiber images is a key bio-marker of the diagnosis of muscular dystrophy. In nuclei segmentation one primary challenge is to correctly separate the clustered nuclei. In this article, we developed an image processing pipeline to automatically detect, segment, and analyze nuclei in microscopic image of muscle fibers. The pipeline consists of image pre-processing, identification of isolated nuclei, identification and segmentation of clustered nuclei, and quantitative analysis. Nuclei are initially extracted from background by using local Otsu's threshold. Based on analysis of morphological features of the isolated nuclei, including their areas, compactness, and major axis lengths, a Bayesian network is trained and applied to identify isolated nuclei from clustered nuclei and artifacts in all the images. Then a two-step refined watershed algorithm is applied to segment clustered nuclei. After segmentation, the nuclei can be quantified for statistical analysis. Comparing the segmented results with those of manual analysis and an existing technique, we find that our proposed image processing pipeline achieves good performance with high accuracy and precision. The presented image processing pipeline can therefore help biologists increase their throughput and objectivity in analyzing large numbers of nuclei in muscle fiber images. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Assessing various Infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques for post-mortem interval evaluation of human skeletal remains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roider, Clemens; Ritsch-Marte, Monika; Pemberger, Nadin; Cemper-Kiesslich, Jan; Hatzer-Grubwieser, Petra; Parson, Walther; Pallua, Johannes Dominikus

    2017-01-01

    Due to the influence of many environmental processes, a precise determination of the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains is known to be very complicated. Although methods for the investigation of the PMI exist, there still remains much room for improvement. In this study the applicability of infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques such as reflection-, ATR- and Raman- microscopic imaging for the estimation of the PMI of human skeletal remains was tested. PMI specific features were identified and visualized by overlaying IR imaging data with morphological tissue structures obtained using light microscopy to differentiate between forensic and archaeological bone samples. ATR and reflection spectra revealed that a more prominent peak at 1042 cm-1 (an indicator for bone mineralization) was observable in archeological bone material when compared with forensic samples. Moreover, in the case of the archaeological bone material, a reduction in the levels of phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acid sugars, complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars was detectable at (reciprocal wavelengths/energies) between 3000 cm-1 to 2800 cm-1. Raman spectra illustrated a similar picture with less ν2PO43−at 450 cm-1 and ν4PO43− from 590 cm-1 to 584 cm-1, amide III at 1272 cm-1 and protein CH2 deformation at 1446 cm-1 in archeological bone material/samples/sources. A semi-quantitative determination of various distributions of biomolecules by chemi-maps of reflection- and ATR- methods revealed that there were less carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars in archaeological samples compared with forensic bone samples. Raman- microscopic imaging data showed a reduction in B-type carbonate and protein α-helices after a PMI of 3 years. The calculated mineral content ratio and the organic to mineral ratio displayed that the mineral content ratio increases, while the organic to mineral ratio decreases with

  11. Assessing various Infrared (IR microscopic imaging techniques for post-mortem interval evaluation of human skeletal remains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Woess

    Full Text Available Due to the influence of many environmental processes, a precise determination of the post-mortem interval (PMI of skeletal remains is known to be very complicated. Although methods for the investigation of the PMI exist, there still remains much room for improvement. In this study the applicability of infrared (IR microscopic imaging techniques such as reflection-, ATR- and Raman- microscopic imaging for the estimation of the PMI of human skeletal remains was tested. PMI specific features were identified and visualized by overlaying IR imaging data with morphological tissue structures obtained using light microscopy to differentiate between forensic and archaeological bone samples. ATR and reflection spectra revealed that a more prominent peak at 1042 cm-1 (an indicator for bone mineralization was observable in archeological bone material when compared with forensic samples. Moreover, in the case of the archaeological bone material, a reduction in the levels of phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acid sugars, complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars was detectable at (reciprocal wavelengths/energies between 3000 cm-1 to 2800 cm-1. Raman spectra illustrated a similar picture with less ν2PO43-at 450 cm-1 and ν4PO43- from 590 cm-1 to 584 cm-1, amide III at 1272 cm-1 and protein CH2 deformation at 1446 cm-1 in archeological bone material/samples/sources. A semi-quantitative determination of various distributions of biomolecules by chemi-maps of reflection- and ATR- methods revealed that there were less carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars in archaeological samples compared with forensic bone samples. Raman- microscopic imaging data showed a reduction in B-type carbonate and protein α-helices after a PMI of 3 years. The calculated mineral content ratio and the organic to mineral ratio displayed that the mineral content ratio increases, while the organic to mineral ratio

  12. Assessing various Infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques for post-mortem interval evaluation of human skeletal remains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woess, Claudia; Unterberger, Seraphin Hubert; Roider, Clemens; Ritsch-Marte, Monika; Pemberger, Nadin; Cemper-Kiesslich, Jan; Hatzer-Grubwieser, Petra; Parson, Walther; Pallua, Johannes Dominikus

    2017-01-01

    Due to the influence of many environmental processes, a precise determination of the post-mortem interval (PMI) of skeletal remains is known to be very complicated. Although methods for the investigation of the PMI exist, there still remains much room for improvement. In this study the applicability of infrared (IR) microscopic imaging techniques such as reflection-, ATR- and Raman- microscopic imaging for the estimation of the PMI of human skeletal remains was tested. PMI specific features were identified and visualized by overlaying IR imaging data with morphological tissue structures obtained using light microscopy to differentiate between forensic and archaeological bone samples. ATR and reflection spectra revealed that a more prominent peak at 1042 cm-1 (an indicator for bone mineralization) was observable in archeological bone material when compared with forensic samples. Moreover, in the case of the archaeological bone material, a reduction in the levels of phospholipids, proteins, nucleic acid sugars, complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars was detectable at (reciprocal wavelengths/energies) between 3000 cm-1 to 2800 cm-1. Raman spectra illustrated a similar picture with less ν2PO43-at 450 cm-1 and ν4PO43- from 590 cm-1 to 584 cm-1, amide III at 1272 cm-1 and protein CH2 deformation at 1446 cm-1 in archeological bone material/samples/sources. A semi-quantitative determination of various distributions of biomolecules by chemi-maps of reflection- and ATR- methods revealed that there were less carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates as well as amorphous or fully hydrated sugars in archaeological samples compared with forensic bone samples. Raman- microscopic imaging data showed a reduction in B-type carbonate and protein α-helices after a PMI of 3 years. The calculated mineral content ratio and the organic to mineral ratio displayed that the mineral content ratio increases, while the organic to mineral ratio decreases with time

  13. Image simulation and surface reconstruction of undercut features in atomic force microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qian, Xiaoping; Villarrubia, John; Tian, Fenglei; Dixson, Ronald

    2007-03-01

    CD-AFMs (critical dimension atomic force microscopes) are instruments with servo-control of the tip in more than one direction. With appropriately "boot-shaped" or flared tips, such instruments can image vertical or even undercut features. As with any AFM, the image is a dilation of the sample shape with the tip shape. Accurate extraction of the CD requires a correction for the tip effect. Analytical methods to correct images for the tip shape have been available for some time for the traditional (vertical feedback only) AFMs, but were until recently unavailable for instruments with multi-dimensional feedback. Dahlen et al. [J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B23, pp. 2297-2303, (2005)] recently introduced a swept-volume approach, implemented for 2-dimensional (2D) feedback. It permits image simulation and sample reconstruction, techniques previously developed for the traditional instruments, to be extended for the newer tools. We have introduced [X. Qian and J. S. Villarrubia, Ultramicroscopy, in press] an alternative dexel-based method, that does the same in either 2D or 3D. This paper describes the application of this method to sample shapes of interest in semiconductor manufacturing. When the tip shape is known (e.g., by prior measurement using a tip characterizer) a 3D sample surface may be reconstructed from its 3D image. Basing the CD measurement upon such a reconstruction is shown here to remove some measurement artifacts that are not removed (or are incompletely removed) by the existing measurement procedures.

  14. Scanning tunneling microscopy and atomic force microscopy: application to biology and technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansma, P K; Elings, V B; Marti, O; Bracker, C E

    1988-10-14

    The scanning tunneling microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) are scanning probe microscopes capable of resolving surface detail down to the atomic level. The potential of these microscopes for revealing subtle details of structure is illustrated by atomic resolution images including graphite, an organic conductor, an insulating layered compound, and individual adsorbed oxygen atoms on a semiconductor. Application of the STM for imaging biological materials directly has been hampered by the poor electron conductivity of most biological samples. The use of thin conductive metal coatings and replicas has made it possible to image some biological samples, as indicated by recently obtained images of a recA-DNA complex, a phospholipid bilayer, and an enzyme crystal. The potential of the AFM, which does not require a conductive sample, is shown with molecular resolution images of a nonconducting organic monolayer and an amino acid crystal that reveals individual methyl groups on the ends of the amino acids. Applications of these new microscopes to technology are demonstrated with images of an optical disk stamper, a diffraction grating, a thin-film magnetic recording head, and a diamond cutting tool. The STM has even been used to improve the quality of diffraction gratings and magnetic recording heads.

  15. The system of digital-image optical microscope in semiconductor particle detector development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han Lixiang; Li Zhankui; Jin Genming; Wang Zhusheng; Xiao Guoqing

    2009-01-01

    Optical microscopic detection is very important in the process of semiconductor particle detector development. A system of digital-image optical microscope has been constructed with rather low price, which performance is comparable with the moderate-level imports. The system mounts powerful dry objective, and a 2μm resolution could be achieved. Observations with bright and dark field, polarized light,and interference light can be carried out on it. The system have large area on-line monitor,and the photographic device can be controlled by PC. It can be used in the control of defects and contaminations, pattern test, identification of crystal backing, inspection of the smoothness and the flatness of the crystal surface. It can also be used in some precise procedures, such as test, assembly, packaging and repairing. The quality of the bond could be examined by observing the appearance of the bond point and the microscopic structure of the solder. The surface fluctuation can be precisely measured under the microscope with the technology of multi-beam interference. In the article, the application of this system for semiconductor particle detector development has been illustrated, and the construction information has been described in detail. (authors)

  16. Automated force volume image processing for biological samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Polyakov

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Atomic force microscopy (AFM has now become a powerful technique for investigating on a molecular level, surface forces, nanomechanical properties of deformable particles, biomolecular interactions, kinetics, and dynamic processes. This paper specifically focuses on the analysis of AFM force curves collected on biological systems, in particular, bacteria. The goal is to provide fully automated tools to achieve theoretical interpretation of force curves on the basis of adequate, available physical models. In this respect, we propose two algorithms, one for the processing of approach force curves and another for the quantitative analysis of retraction force curves. In the former, electrostatic interactions prior to contact between AFM probe and bacterium are accounted for and mechanical interactions operating after contact are described in terms of Hertz-Hooke formalism. Retraction force curves are analyzed on the basis of the Freely Jointed Chain model. For both algorithms, the quantitative reconstruction of force curves is based on the robust detection of critical points (jumps, changes of slope or changes of curvature which mark the transitions between the various relevant interactions taking place between the AFM tip and the studied sample during approach and retraction. Once the key regions of separation distance and indentation are detected, the physical parameters describing the relevant interactions operating in these regions are extracted making use of regression procedure for fitting experiments to theory. The flexibility, accuracy and strength of the algorithms are illustrated with the processing of two force-volume images, which collect a large set of approach and retraction curves measured on a single biological surface. For each force-volume image, several maps are generated, representing the spatial distribution of the searched physical parameters as estimated for each pixel of the force-volume image.

  17. A portable confocal hyperspectral microscope without any scan or tube lens and its application in fluorescence and Raman spectral imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingwei; Cai, Fuhong; Dong, Yongjiang; Zhu, Zhenfeng; Sun, Xianhe; Zhang, Hequn; He, Sailing

    2017-06-01

    In this study, a portable confocal hyperspectral microscope is developed. In traditional confocal laser scanning microscopes, scan lens and tube lens are utilized to achieve a conjugate relationship between the galvanometer and the back focal plane of the objective, in order to achieve a better resolution. However, these lenses make it difficult to scale down the volume of the system. In our portable confocal hyperspectral microscope (PCHM), the objective is placed directly next to the galvomirror. Thus, scan lens and tube lens are not included in our system and the size of this system is greatly reduced. Furthermore, the resolution is also acceptable in many biomedical and food-safety applications. Through reducing the optical length of the system, the signal detection efficiency is enhanced. This is conducive to realizing both the fluorescence and Raman hyperspectral imaging. With a multimode fiber as a pinhole, an improved image contrast is also achieved. Fluorescent spectral images for HeLa cells/fingers and Raman spectral images of kumquat pericarp are present. The spectral resolution and spatial resolutions are about 0.4 nm and 2.19 μm, respectively. These results demonstrate that this portable hyperspectral microscope can be used in in-vivo fluorescence imaging and in situ Raman spectral imaging.

  18. Computer Aided Solution for Automatic Segmenting and Measurements of Blood Leucocytes Using Static Microscope Images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulhay, Enas; Mohammed, Mazin Abed; Ibrahim, Dheyaa Ahmed; Arunkumar, N; Venkatraman, V

    2018-02-17

    Blood leucocytes segmentation in medical images is viewed as difficult process due to the variability of blood cells concerning their shape and size and the difficulty towards determining location of Blood Leucocytes. Physical analysis of blood tests to recognize leukocytes is tedious, time-consuming and liable to error because of the various morphological components of the cells. Segmentation of medical imagery has been considered as a difficult task because of complexity of images, and also due to the non-availability of leucocytes models which entirely captures the probable shapes in each structures and also incorporate cell overlapping, the expansive variety of the blood cells concerning their shape and size, various elements influencing the outer appearance of the blood leucocytes, and low Static Microscope Image disparity from extra issues outcoming about because of noise. We suggest a strategy towards segmentation of blood leucocytes using static microscope images which is a resultant of three prevailing systems of computer vision fiction: enhancing the image, Support vector machine for segmenting the image, and filtering out non ROI (region of interest) on the basis of Local binary patterns and texture features. Every one of these strategies are modified for blood leucocytes division issue, in this manner the subsequent techniques are very vigorous when compared with its individual segments. Eventually, we assess framework based by compare the outcome and manual division. The findings outcome from this study have shown a new approach that automatically segments the blood leucocytes and identify it from a static microscope images. Initially, the method uses a trainable segmentation procedure and trained support vector machine classifier to accurately identify the position of the ROI. After that, filtering out non ROI have proposed based on histogram analysis to avoid the non ROI and chose the right object. Finally, identify the blood leucocytes type using

  19. Super-resolution imaging of ciliary microdomains in isolated olfactory sensory neurons using a custom two-color stimulated emission depletion microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Stephanie A.; Ozbay, Baris N.; Potcoava, Mariana; Salcedo, Ernesto; Restrepo, Diego; Gibson, Emily A.

    2016-06-01

    We performed stimulated emission depletion (STED) imaging of isolated olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) using a custom-built microscope. The STED microscope uses a single pulsed laser to excite two separate fluorophores, Atto 590 and Atto 647N. A gated timing circuit combined with temporal interleaving of the different color excitation/STED laser pulses filters the two channel detection and greatly minimizes crosstalk. We quantified the instrument resolution to be ˜81 and ˜44 nm, for the Atto 590 and Atto 647N channels. The spatial separation between the two channels was measured to be under 10 nm, well below the resolution limit. The custom-STED microscope is incorporated onto a commercial research microscope allowing brightfield, differential interference contrast, and epifluorescence imaging on the same field of view. We performed immunolabeling of OSNs in mice to image localization of ciliary membrane proteins involved in olfactory transduction. We imaged Ca2+-permeable cyclic nucleotide gated (CNG) channel (Atto 594) and adenylyl cyclase type III (ACIII) (Atto 647N) in distinct cilia. STED imaging resolved well-separated subdiffraction limited clusters for each protein. We quantified the size of each cluster to have a mean value of 88±48 nm and 124±43 nm, for CNG and ACIII, respectively. STED imaging showed separated clusters that were not resolvable in confocal images.

  20. Helium Ion Microscope: A New Tool for Sub-nanometer Imaging of Soft Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shutthanandan, V.; Arey, B.; Smallwood, C. R.; Evans, J. E.

    2017-12-01

    High-resolution inspection of surface details is needed in many biological and environmental researches to understand the Soil organic material (SOM)-mineral interactions along with identifying microbial communities and their interactions. SOM shares many imaging characteristics with biological samples and getting true surface details from these materials are challenging since they consist of low atomic number materials. FE-SEM imaging is the main imagining technique used to image these materials in the past. These SEM images often show loss of resolution and increase noise due to beam damage and charging issues. Newly developed Helium Ion Microscope (HIM), on the other hand can overcome these difficulties and give very fine details. HIM is very similar to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) but instead of using electrons as a probe beam, HIM uses helium ions with energy ranges from 5 to 40 keV. HIM offers a series of advantages compared to SEM such as nanometer and sub-nanometer image resolutions (about 0.35 nm), detailed surface topography, high surface sensitivity, low Z material imaging (especially for polymers and biological samples), high image contrast, and large depth of field. In addition, HIM also has the ability to image insulating materials without any conductive coatings so that surface details are not modified. In this presentation, several scientific applications across biology and geochemistry will be presented to highlight the effectiveness of this powerful microscope. Acknowledgements: Research was performed using the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a national scientific user facility sponsored by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at PNNL. Work was supported by DOE-BER Mesoscale to Molecules Bioimaging Project FWP# 66382.

  1. Noise removal in extended depth of field microscope images through nonlinear signal processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahreddine, Ramzi N; Cormack, Robert H; Cogswell, Carol J

    2013-04-01

    Extended depth of field (EDF) microscopy, achieved through computational optics, allows for real-time 3D imaging of live cell dynamics. EDF is achieved through a combination of point spread function engineering and digital image processing. A linear Wiener filter has been conventionally used to deconvolve the image, but it suffers from high frequency noise amplification and processing artifacts. A nonlinear processing scheme is proposed which extends the depth of field while minimizing background noise. The nonlinear filter is generated via a training algorithm and an iterative optimizer. Biological microscope images processed with the nonlinear filter show a significant improvement in image quality and signal-to-noise ratio over the conventional linear filter.

  2. Label-free cellular structure imaging with 82 nm lateral resolution using an electron-beam excitation-assisted optical microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuta, Masahiro; Masuda, Yuriko; Inami, Wataru; Kawata, Yoshimasa

    2016-07-25

    We present label-free and high spatial-resolution imaging for specific cellular structures using an electron-beam excitation-assisted optical microscope (EXA microscope). Images of the actin filament and mitochondria of stained HeLa cells, obtained by fluorescence and EXA microscopy, were compared to identify cellular structures. Based on these results, we demonstrated the feasibility of identifying label-free cellular structures at a spatial resolution of 82 nm. Using numerical analysis, we calculated the imaging depth region and determined the spot size of a cathodoluminescent (CL) light source to be 83 nm at the membrane surface.

  3. Imaging of a large collection of human embryo using a super-parallel MR microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsuda, Yoshimasa; Ono, Shinya; Otake, Yosuke; Handa, Shinya; Kose, Katsumi; Haishi, Tomoyuki; Yamada, Shigeto; Uwabe, Chikako; Shiota, Kohei

    2007-01-01

    Using 4 and 8-channel super-parallel magnetic resonance (MR) microscopes with a horizontal bore 2.34T superconducting magnet developed for 3-dimensional MR microscopy of the large Kyoto Collection of Human Embryos, we acquired T 1 -weighted 3D images of 1204 embryos at a spatial resolution of (40 μm) 3 to (150 μm) 3 in about 2 years. Similarity of image contrast between the T 1 -weighted images and stained anatomical sections indicated that T 1 -weighted 3D images could be used for an anatomical 3D image database for human embryology. (author)

  4. Atomic force microscopy deep trench and sidewall imaging with an optical fiber probe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xie, Hui, E-mail: xiehui@hit.edu.cn; Hussain, Danish; Yang, Feng [The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2 Yikuang, 150080 Harbin (China); Sun, Lining [The State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, 2 Yikuang, 150080 Harbin (China); Robotics and Microsystems Center, Soochow University, 215021 Suzhou (China)

    2014-12-15

    We report a method to measure critical dimensions of micro- and nanostructures using the atomic force microscope (AFM) with an optical fiber probe (OFP). This method is capable of scanning narrow and deep trenches due to the long and thin OFP tip, as well as imaging of steep sidewalls with unique profiling possibilities by laterally tilting the OFP without any modifications of the optical lever. A switch control scheme is developed to measure the sidewall angle by flexibly transferring feedback control between the Z- and Y-axis, for a serial scan of the horizontal surface (raster scan on XY-plane) and sidewall (raster scan on the YZ-plane), respectively. In experiments, a deep trench with tapered walls (243.5 μm deep) and a microhole (about 14.9 μm deep) have been imaged with the orthogonally aligned OFP, as well as a silicon sidewall (fabricated by deep reactive ion etching) has been characterized with the tilted OFP. Moreover, the sidewall angle of TGZ3 (AFM calibration grating) was accurately measured using the switchable scan method.

  5. Atomic force and optical near-field microscopic investigations of polarization holographic gratings in a liquid crystalline azobenzene side-chain polyester

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ramanujam, P.S.; Holme, N.C.R.; Hvilsted, S.

    1996-01-01

    Atomic force and scanning near-field optical microscopic investigations have been carried out on a polarization holographic grating recorded in an azobenzene side-chain Liquid crystalline polyester. It has been found that immediately following laser irradiation, a topographic surface grating...

  6. The virtual microscopy database-sharing digital microscope images for research and education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Lisa M J; Goldman, Haviva M; Hortsch, Michael

    2018-02-14

    Over the last 20 years, virtual microscopy has become the predominant modus of teaching the structural organization of cells, tissues, and organs, replacing the use of optical microscopes and glass slides in a traditional histology or pathology laboratory setting. Although virtual microscopy image files can easily be duplicated, creating them requires not only quality histological glass slides but also an expensive whole slide microscopic scanner and massive data storage devices. These resources are not available to all educators and researchers, especially at new institutions in developing countries. This leaves many schools without access to virtual microscopy resources. The Virtual Microscopy Database (VMD) is a new resource established to address this problem. It is a virtual image file-sharing website that allows researchers and educators easy access to a large repository of virtual histology and pathology image files. With the support from the American Association of Anatomists (Bethesda, MD) and MBF Bioscience Inc. (Williston, VT), registration and use of the VMD are currently free of charge. However, the VMD site is restricted to faculty and staff of research and educational institutions. Virtual Microscopy Database users can upload their own collection of virtual slide files, as well as view and download image files for their own non-profit educational and research purposes that have been deposited by other VMD clients. Anat Sci Educ. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

  7. Imaging C. elegans embryos using an epifluorescent microscope and open source software.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verbrugghe, Koen J C; Chan, Raymond C

    2011-03-24

    Cellular processes, such as chromosome assembly, segregation and cytokinesis,are inherently dynamic. Time-lapse imaging of living cells, using fluorescent-labeled reporter proteins or differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy, allows for the examination of the temporal progression of these dynamic events which is otherwise inferred from analysis of fixed samples(1,2). Moreover, the study of the developmental regulations of cellular processes necessitates conducting time-lapse experiments on an intact organism during development. The Caenorhabiditis elegans embryo is light-transparent and has a rapid, invariant developmental program with a known cell lineage(3), thus providing an ideal experiment model for studying questions in cell biology(4,5)and development(6-9). C. elegans is amendable to genetic manipulation by forward genetics (based on random mutagenesis(10,11)) and reverse genetics to target specific genes (based on RNAi-mediated interference and targeted mutagenesis(12-15)). In addition, transgenic animals can be readily created to express fluorescently tagged proteins or reporters(16,17). These traits combine to make it easy to identify the genetic pathways regulating fundamental cellular and developmental processes in vivo(18-21). In this protocol we present methods for live imaging of C. elegans embryos using DIC optics or GFP fluorescence on a compound epifluorescent microscope. We demonstrate the ease with which readily available microscopes, typically used for fixed sample imaging, can also be applied for time-lapse analysis using open-source software to automate the imaging process.

  8. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy microscopic imaging classification based on spatial-spectral features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Lian; Yang, Xiukun; Zhong, Mingliang; Liu, Yao; Jing, Xiaojun; Yang, Qin

    2018-04-01

    The discrete fractional Brownian incremental random (DFBIR) field is used to describe the irregular, random, and highly complex shapes of natural objects such as coastlines and biological tissues, for which traditional Euclidean geometry cannot be used. In this paper, an anisotropic variable window (AVW) directional operator based on the DFBIR field model is proposed for extracting spatial characteristics of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) microscopic imaging. Probabilistic principal component analysis first extracts spectral features, and then the spatial features of the proposed AVW directional operator are combined with the former to construct a spatial-spectral structure, which increases feature-related information and helps a support vector machine classifier to obtain more efficient distribution-related information. Compared to Haralick’s grey-level co-occurrence matrix, Gabor filters, and local binary patterns (e.g. uniform LBPs, rotation-invariant LBPs, uniform rotation-invariant LBPs), experiments on three FTIR spectroscopy microscopic imaging datasets show that the proposed AVW directional operator is more advantageous in terms of classification accuracy, particularly for low-dimensional spaces of spatial characteristics.

  9. Structural analysis of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations by atomic force microscope (AFM) before and after Giemsa staining

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murakami, M.; Kanda, R.; Minamihisamatsu, M.; Hayata, I.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: We have studied structures of chromosome aberration induced by ionizing radiation by an atomic force microscope (AFM). The AFM could visualize the fine structure of chromosomes on Giemsa stained or unstained samples, although it was difficult to visualize unstained chromosomes by light microscope. The height data of chromosomes obtained by AFM provided useful information to describe detailed structure of chromatid gaps induced by heavy ion irradiation. A fibrous structure was observed on the unstained chromosome and these structures were considered to be the 30nm fibers on the chromosome. These types of structures were observed in the gaps as well as on surface of the chromosome. Further more, other types of chromosome aberration induced by ionizing radiation visualized by AFM will be presented

  10. Femtosecond photoelectron point projection microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quinonez, Erik; Handali, Jonathan; Barwick, Brett

    2013-01-01

    By utilizing a nanometer ultrafast electron source in a point projection microscope we demonstrate that images of nanoparticles with spatial resolutions of the order of 100 nanometers can be obtained. The duration of the emission process of the photoemitted electrons used to make images is shown to be of the order of 100 fs using an autocorrelation technique. The compact geometry of this photoelectron point projection microscope does not preclude its use as a simple ultrafast electron microscope, and we use simple analytic models to estimate temporal resolutions that can be expected when using it as a pump-probe ultrafast electron microscope. These models show a significant increase in temporal resolution when comparing to ultrafast electron microscopes based on conventional designs. We also model the microscopes spectroscopic abilities to capture ultrafast phenomena such as the photon induced near field effect

  11. Virtual pinhole confocal microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    George, J.S.; Rector, D.M.; Ranken, D.M. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States). Biophysics Group; Peterson, B. [SciLearn Inc. (United States); Kesteron, J. [VayTech Inc. (United States)

    1999-06-01

    Scanned confocal microscopes enhance imaging capabilities, providing improved contrast and image resolution in 3-D, but existing systems have significant technical shortcomings and are expensive. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a novel approach--virtual pinhole confocal microscopy--that uses state of the art illumination, detection, and data processing technologies to produce an imager with a number of advantages: reduced cost, faster imaging, improved efficiency and sensitivity, improved reliability and much greater flexibility. Work at Los Alamos demonstrated proof of principle; prototype hardware and software have been used to demonstrate technical feasibility of several implementation strategies. The system uses high performance illumination, patterned in time and space. The authors have built functional confocal imagers using video display technologies (LCD or DLP) and novel scanner based on a micro-lens array. They have developed a prototype system for high performance data acquisition and processing, designed to support realtime confocal imaging. They have developed algorithms to reconstruct confocal images from a time series of spatially sub-sampled images; software development remains an area of active development. These advances allow the collection of high quality confocal images (in fluorescence, reflectance and transmission modes) with equipment that can inexpensively retrofit to existing microscopes. Planned future extensions to these technologies will significantly enhance capabilities for microscopic imaging in a variety of applications, including confocal endoscopy, and confocal spectral imaging.

  12. Reconstruction of the Tip-Surface Interaction Potential by Analysis of the Brownian Motion of an Atomic Force Microscope Tip

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Willemsen, O.H.; Kuipers, L.; van der Werf, Kees; de Grooth, B.G.; Greve, Jan

    2000-01-01

    The thermal movement of an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip is used to reconstruct the tip-surface interaction potential. If a tip is brought into the vicinity of a surface, its movement is governed by the sum of the harmonic cantilever potential and the tip-surface interaction potential. By

  13. Automatic segmentation of Leishmania parasite in microscopic images using a modified CV level set method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farahi, Maria; Rabbani, Hossein; Talebi, Ardeshir; Sarrafzadeh, Omid; Ensafi, Shahab

    2015-12-01

    Visceral Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that affects liver, spleen and bone marrow. According to World Health Organization report, definitive diagnosis is possible just by direct observation of the Leishman body in the microscopic image taken from bone marrow samples. We utilize morphological and CV level set method to segment Leishman bodies in digital color microscopic images captured from bone marrow samples. Linear contrast stretching method is used for image enhancement and morphological method is applied to determine the parasite regions and wipe up unwanted objects. Modified global and local CV level set methods are proposed for segmentation and a shape based stopping factor is used to hasten the algorithm. Manual segmentation is considered as ground truth to evaluate the proposed method. This method is tested on 28 samples and achieved 10.90% mean of segmentation error for global model and 9.76% for local model.

  14. Imaging of soft and hard materials using a Boersch phase plate in a transmission electron microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alloyeau, D., E-mail: alloyeau.damien@gmail.com [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Hsieh, W.K. [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Anderson, E.H.; Hilken, L. [Center for X-ray Optics, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA 94720 (United States); Benner, G. [Carl Zeiss NTS GmbH, Oberkochen 73447 (Germany); Meng, X. [Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1770 (United States); Chen, F.R. [Department of Engineering and System Science, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Kisielowski, C. [National Center for Electron Microscopy, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, MS/72, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

    2010-04-15

    Using two levels of electron beam lithography, vapor phase deposition techniques, and FIB etching, we have fabricated an electrostatic Boersch phase plate for contrast enhancement of weak phase objects in a transmission electron microscope. The phase plate has suitable dimensions for the imaging of small biological samples without compromising the high-resolution capabilities of the microscope. A micro-structured electrode allows for phase tuning of the unscattered electron beam, which enables the recording of contrast enhanced in-focus images and in-line holograms. We have demonstrated experimentally that our phase plate improves the contrast of carbon nanotubes while maintaining high-resolution imaging performance, which is demonstrated for the case of an AlGaAs heterostructure. The development opens a new way to study interfaces between soft and hard materials.

  15. Automatic detection of the hippocampal region associated with Alzheimer's disease from microscopic images of mice brain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Albaidhani, Tahseen; Hawkes, Cheryl; Jassim, Sabah; Al-Assam, Hisham

    2016-05-01

    The hippocampus is the region of the brain that is primarily associated with memory and spatial navigation. It is one of the first brain regions to be damaged when a person suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Recent research in this field has focussed on the assessment of damage to different blood vessels within the hippocampal region from a high throughput brain microscopic images. The ultimate aim of our research is the creation of an automatic system to count and classify different blood vessels such as capillaries, veins, and arteries in the hippocampus region. This work should provide biologists with efficient and accurate tools in their investigation of the causes of Alzheimer's disease. Locating the boundary of the Region of Interest in the hippocampus from microscopic images of mice brain is the first essential stage towards developing such a system. This task benefits from the variation in colour channels and texture between the two sides of the hippocampus and the boundary region. Accordingly, the developed initial step of our research to locating the hippocampus edge uses a colour-based segmentation of the brain image followed by Hough transforms on the colour channel that isolate the hippocampus region. The output is then used to split the brain image into two sides of the detected section of the boundary: the inside region and the outside region. Experimental results on a sufficiently number of microscopic images demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed solution.

  16. A frameless stereotaxic operating microscope for neurosurgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Friets, E.M.; Strohbehn, J.W.; Hatch, J.F.; Roberts, D.W.

    1989-01-01

    A new system, which we call the frameless stereotaxic operating microscope, is discussed. Its purpose is to display CT or other image data in the operating microscope in the correct scale, orientation, and position without the use of a stereotaxic frame. A nonimaging ultrasonic rangefinder allows the position of the operating microscope and the position of the patient to be determined. Discrete fiducial points on the patient's external anatomy are located in both image space and operating room space, linking the image data and the operating room. Physician-selected image information, e.g., tumor contours or guidance to predetermined targets, is projected through the optics of the operating microscope using a miniature cathode ray tube and a beam splitter. Projected images superpose the surgical field, reconstructed from image data to match the focal plane of the operating microscope. The algorithms on which the system is based are described, and the sources and effects of errors are discussed. The system's performance is simulated, providing an estimate of accuracy. Two phantoms are used to measure accuracy experimentally. Clinical results and observations are given

  17. A frameless stereotaxic operating microscope for neurosurgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friets, E M; Strohbehn, J W; Hatch, J F; Roberts, D W

    1989-06-01

    A new system, which we call the frameless stereotaxic operating microscope, is discussed. Its purpose is to display CT or other image data in the operating microscope in the correct scale, orientation, and position without the use of a stereotaxic frame. A nonimaging ultrasonic rangefinder allows the position of the operating microscope and the position of the patient to be determined. Discrete fiducial points on the patient's external anatomy are located in both image space and operating room space, linking the image data and the operating room. Physician-selected image information, e.g., tumor contours or guidance to predetermined targets, is projected through the optics of the operating microscope using a miniature cathode ray tube and a beam splitter. Projected images superpose the surgical field, reconstructed from image data to match the focal plane of the operating microscope. The algorithms on which the system is based are described, and the sources and effects of errors are discussed. The system's performance is simulated, providing an estimate of accuracy. Two phantoms are used to measure accuracy experimentally. Clinical results and observations are given.

  18. Scanning tunneling microscopic images and scanning tunneling spectra for coupled rectangular quantum corrals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitsuoka, Shigenori; Tamura, Akira

    2011-01-01

    Assuming that an electron confined by double δ-function barriers lies in a quasi-stationary state, we derived eigenstates and eigenenergies of the electron. Such an electron has a complex eigenenergy, and the imaginary part naturally leads to the lifetime of the electron associated with tunneling through barriers. We applied this point of view to the electron confined in a rectangular quantum corral (QC) on a noble metal surface, and obtained scanning tunneling microscopic images and a scanning tunneling spectrum consistent with experimental ones. We investigated the electron states confined in coupled QCs and obtained the coupled states constructed with bonding and anti-bonding states. Using those energy levels and wavefunctions we specified scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images and scanning tunneling spectra (STS) for the doubly and triply coupled QCs. In addition we pointed out the feature of resonant electron states associated with the same QCs at both ends of the triply coupled QCs.

  19. Calibration of an interfacial force microscope for MEMS metrology : FY08-09 activities.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Houston, Jack E.; Baker, Michael Sean; Crowson, Douglas A.; Mitchell, John Anthony; Moore, Nathan W.

    2009-10-01

    Progress in MEMS fabrication has enabled a wide variety of force and displacement sensing devices to be constructed. One device under intense development at Sandia is a passive shock switch, described elsewhere (Mitchell 2008). A goal of all MEMS devices, including the shock switch, is to achieve a high degree of reliability. This, in turn, requires systematic methods for validating device performance during each iteration of design. Once a design is finalized, suitable tools are needed to provide quality assurance for manufactured devices. To ensure device performance, measurements on these devices must be traceable to NIST standards. In addition, accurate metrology of MEMS components is needed to validate mechanical models that are used to design devices to accelerate development and meet emerging needs. Progress towards a NIST-traceable calibration method is described for a next-generation, 2D Interfacial Force Microscope (IFM) for applications in MEMS metrology and qualification. Discussed are the results of screening several suitable calibration methods and the known sources of uncertainty in each method.

  20. Inter-Association Task Force Report on Image.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Special Libraries Association, Washington, DC.

    In 1988, the Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association provided funding to a task force to gather data which would determine how certain segments of society perceive librarians, how librarians view themselves and their colleagues, and to provide recommendations for addressing the issue of image. The task force project consisted of…

  1. Fermi surface contours obtained from scanning tunneling microscope images around surface point defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khotkevych-Sanina, N V; Kolesnichenko, Yu A; Van Ruitenbeek, J M

    2013-01-01

    We present a theoretical analysis of the standing wave patterns in scanning tunneling microscope (STM) images, which occur around surface point defects. We consider arbitrary dispersion relations for the surface states and calculate the conductance for a system containing a small-size tunnel contact and a surface impurity. We find rigorous theoretical relations between the interference patterns in the real-space STM images, their Fourier transforms and the Fermi contours of two-dimensional electrons. We propose a new method for reconstructing Fermi contours of surface electron states, directly from the real-space STM images around isolated surface defects. (paper)

  2. Interior tomography in microscopic CT with image reconstruction constrained by full field of view scan at low spatial resolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Shouhua; Shen, Tao; Sun, Yi; Li, Jing; Li, Guang; Tang, Xiangyang

    2018-04-01

    In high resolution (microscopic) CT applications, the scan field of view should cover the entire specimen or sample to allow complete data acquisition and image reconstruction. However, truncation may occur in projection data and results in artifacts in reconstructed images. In this study, we propose a low resolution image constrained reconstruction algorithm (LRICR) for interior tomography in microscopic CT at high resolution. In general, the multi-resolution acquisition based methods can be employed to solve the data truncation problem if the project data acquired at low resolution are utilized to fill up the truncated projection data acquired at high resolution. However, most existing methods place quite strict restrictions on the data acquisition geometry, which greatly limits their utility in practice. In the proposed LRICR algorithm, full and partial data acquisition (scan) at low and high resolutions, respectively, are carried out. Using the image reconstructed from sparse projection data acquired at low resolution as the prior, a microscopic image at high resolution is reconstructed from the truncated projection data acquired at high resolution. Two synthesized digital phantoms, a raw bamboo culm and a specimen of mouse femur, were utilized to evaluate and verify performance of the proposed LRICR algorithm. Compared with the conventional TV minimization based algorithm and the multi-resolution scout-reconstruction algorithm, the proposed LRICR algorithm shows significant improvement in reduction of the artifacts caused by data truncation, providing a practical solution for high quality and reliable interior tomography in microscopic CT applications. The proposed LRICR algorithm outperforms the multi-resolution scout-reconstruction method and the TV minimization based reconstruction for interior tomography in microscopic CT.

  3. Analytical Model of the Nonlinear Dynamics of Cantilever Tip-Sample Surface Interactions for Various Acoustic-Atomic Force Microscopies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantrell, John H., Jr.; Cantrell, Sean A.

    2008-01-01

    A comprehensive analytical model of the interaction of the cantilever tip of the atomic force microscope (AFM) with the sample surface is developed that accounts for the nonlinearity of the tip-surface interaction force. The interaction is modeled as a nonlinear spring coupled at opposite ends to linear springs representing cantilever and sample surface oscillators. The model leads to a pair of coupled nonlinear differential equations that are solved analytically using a standard iteration procedure. Solutions are obtained for the phase and amplitude signals generated by various acoustic-atomic force microscope (A-AFM) techniques including force modulation microscopy, atomic force acoustic microscopy, ultrasonic force microscopy, heterodyne force microscopy, resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscopy (RDF-AFUM), and the commonly used intermittent contact mode (TappingMode) generally available on AFMs. The solutions are used to obtain a quantitative measure of image contrast resulting from variations in the Young modulus of the sample for the amplitude and phase images generated by the A-AFM techniques. Application of the model to RDF-AFUM and intermittent soft contact phase images of LaRC-cp2 polyimide polymer is discussed. The model predicts variations in the Young modulus of the material of 24 percent from the RDF-AFUM image and 18 percent from the intermittent soft contact image. Both predictions are in good agreement with the literature value of 21 percent obtained from independent, macroscopic measurements of sheet polymer material.

  4. Nanosecond Time-Resolved Microscopic Gate-Modulation Imaging of Polycrystalline Organic Thin-Film Transistors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuoka, Satoshi; Tsutsumi, Jun'ya; Matsui, Hiroyuki; Kamata, Toshihide; Hasegawa, Tatsuo

    2018-02-01

    We develop a time-resolved microscopic gate-modulation (μ GM ) imaging technique to investigate the temporal evolution of the channel current and accumulated charges in polycrystalline pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs). A time resolution of as high as 50 ns is achieved by using a fast image-intensifier system that could amplify a series of instantaneous optical microscopic images acquired at various time intervals after the stepped gate bias is switched on. The differential images obtained by subtracting the gate-off image allows us to acquire a series of temporal μ GM images that clearly show the gradual propagation of both channel charges and leaked gate fields within the polycrystalline channel layers. The frontal positions for the propagations of both channel charges and leaked gate fields coincide at all the time intervals, demonstrating that the layered gate dielectric capacitors are successively transversely charged up along the direction of current propagation. The initial μ GM images also indicate that the electric field effect is originally concentrated around a limited area with a width of a few micrometers bordering the channel-electrode interface, and that the field intensity reaches a maximum after 200 ns and then decays. The time required for charge propagation over the whole channel region with a length of 100 μ m is estimated at about 900 ns, which is consistent with the measured field-effect mobility and the temporal-response model for organic TFTs. The effect of grain boundaries can be also visualized by comparison of the μ GM images for the transient and the steady states, which confirms that the potential barriers at the grain boundaries cause the transient shift in the accumulated charges or the transient accumulation of additional charges around the grain boundaries.

  5. High-resolution electron microscope image analysis approach for superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-x

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, J.; Lu, F.; Jia, C.; Hua, Z.

    1991-01-01

    In this paper, an HREM (High-resolution electron microscope) image analysis approach has been developed. The image filtering, segmentation and particles extraction based on gray-scale mathematical morphological operations, are performed on the original HREM image. The final image is a pseudocolor image, with the background removed, relatively uniform brightness, filtered slanting elongation, regular shape for every kind of particle, and particle boundaries that no longer touch each other so that the superconducting material structure can be shown clearly

  6. Surface stress mediated image force and torque on an edge dislocation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raghavendra, R. M.; Divya, Iyer, Ganesh; Kumar, Arun; Subramaniam, Anandh

    2018-07-01

    The proximity of interfaces gives prominence to image forces experienced by dislocations. The presence of surface stress alters the traction-free boundary conditions existing on free-surfaces and hence is expected to alter the magnitude of the image force. In the current work, using a combined simulation of surface stress and an edge dislocation in a semi-infinite body, we evaluate the configurational effects on the system. We demonstrate that if the extra half-plane of the edge dislocation is parallel to the surface, the image force (glide) is not altered due to surface stress; however, the dislocation experiences a torque. The surface stress breaks the 'climb image force' symmetry, thus leading to non-equivalence between positive and negative climb. We discover an equilibrium position for the edge dislocation in the positive 'climb geometry', arising due to a competition between the interaction of the dislocation stress fields with the surface stress and the image dislocation. Torque in the climb configuration is not affected by surface stress (remains zero). Surface stress is computed using a recently developed two-scale model based on Shuttleworth's idea and image forces using a finite element model developed earlier. The effect of surface stress on the image force and torque experienced by the dislocation monopole is analysed using illustrative 3D models.

  7. eSIP: A Novel Solution-Based Sectioned Image Property Approach for Microscope Calibration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malte Butzlaff

    Full Text Available Fluorescence confocal microscopy represents one of the central tools in modern sciences. Correspondingly, a growing amount of research relies on the development of novel microscopic methods. During the last decade numerous microscopic approaches were developed for the investigation of various scientific questions. Thereby, the former qualitative imaging methods became replaced by advanced quantitative methods to gain more and more information from a given sample. However, modern microscope systems being as complex as they are, require very precise and appropriate calibration routines, in particular when quantitative measurements should be compared over longer time scales or between different setups. Multispectral beads with sub-resolution size are often used to describe the point spread function and thus the optical properties of the microscope. More recently, a fluorescent layer was utilized to describe the axial profile for each pixel, which allows a spatially resolved characterization. However, fabrication of a thin fluorescent layer with matching refractive index is technically not solved yet. Therefore, we propose a novel type of calibration concept for sectioned image property (SIP measurements which is based on fluorescent solution and makes the calibration concept available for a broader number of users. Compared to the previous approach, additional information can be obtained by application of this extended SIP chart approach, including penetration depth, detected number of photons, and illumination profile shape. Furthermore, due to the fit of the complete profile, our method is less susceptible to noise. Generally, the extended SIP approach represents a simple and highly reproducible method, allowing setup independent calibration and alignment procedures, which is mandatory for advanced quantitative microscopy.

  8. Low-noise humidity controller for imaging water mediated processes in atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaponenko, I., E-mail: iaroslav.gaponenko@unige.ch; Gamperle, L.; Herberg, K.; Muller, S. C.; Paruch, P. [DQMP, University of Geneva, 24 Quai E. Ansermet, 1211 Geneva 4 (Switzerland)

    2016-06-15

    We demonstrate the construction of a novel low-noise continuous flow humidity controller and its integration with a commercial variable-temperature atomic force microscope fluid cell, allowing precise control of humidity and temperature at the sample during nanoscale measurements. Based on wet and dry gas mixing, the design allows a high mechanical stability to be achieved by means of an ultrasonic atomiser for the generation of water-saturated gas, improving upon previous bubbler-based architectures. Water content in the flow is measured both at the inflow and outflow of the fluid cell, enabling the monitoring of water condensation and icing, and allowing controlled variation of the sample temperature independently of the humidity. To benchmark the performance of the controller, the results of detailed noise studies and time-based imaging of the formation of ice layers on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite are shown.

  9. Low-noise humidity controller for imaging water mediated processes in atomic force microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaponenko, I.; Gamperle, L.; Herberg, K.; Muller, S. C.; Paruch, P.

    2016-06-01

    We demonstrate the construction of a novel low-noise continuous flow humidity controller and its integration with a commercial variable-temperature atomic force microscope fluid cell, allowing precise control of humidity and temperature at the sample during nanoscale measurements. Based on wet and dry gas mixing, the design allows a high mechanical stability to be achieved by means of an ultrasonic atomiser for the generation of water-saturated gas, improving upon previous bubbler-based architectures. Water content in the flow is measured both at the inflow and outflow of the fluid cell, enabling the monitoring of water condensation and icing, and allowing controlled variation of the sample temperature independently of the humidity. To benchmark the performance of the controller, the results of detailed noise studies and time-based imaging of the formation of ice layers on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite are shown.

  10. Low-noise humidity controller for imaging water mediated processes in atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaponenko, I.; Gamperle, L.; Herberg, K.; Muller, S. C.; Paruch, P.

    2016-01-01

    We demonstrate the construction of a novel low-noise continuous flow humidity controller and its integration with a commercial variable-temperature atomic force microscope fluid cell, allowing precise control of humidity and temperature at the sample during nanoscale measurements. Based on wet and dry gas mixing, the design allows a high mechanical stability to be achieved by means of an ultrasonic atomiser for the generation of water-saturated gas, improving upon previous bubbler-based architectures. Water content in the flow is measured both at the inflow and outflow of the fluid cell, enabling the monitoring of water condensation and icing, and allowing controlled variation of the sample temperature independently of the humidity. To benchmark the performance of the controller, the results of detailed noise studies and time-based imaging of the formation of ice layers on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite are shown.

  11. Site-controlled quantum dots fabricated using an atomic-force microscope assisted technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sakuma Y

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractAn atomic-force microscope assisted technique is developed to control the position and size of self-assembled semiconductor quantum dots (QDs. Presently, the site precision is as good as ± 1.5 nm and the size fluctuation is within ± 5% with the minimum controllable lateral diameter of 20 nm. With the ability of producing tightly packed and differently sized QDs, sophisticated QD arrays can be controllably fabricated for the application in quantum computing. The optical quality of such site-controlled QDs is found comparable to some conventionally self-assembled semiconductor QDs. The single dot photoluminescence of site-controlled InAs/InP QDs is studied in detail, presenting the prospect to utilize them in quantum communication as precisely controlled single photon emitters working at telecommunication bands.

  12. SUPERVISED AUTOMATIC HISTOGRAM CLUSTERING AND WATERSHED SEGMENTATION. APPLICATION TO MICROSCOPIC MEDICAL COLOR IMAGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivier Lezoray

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, an approach to the segmentation of microscopic color images is addressed, and applied to medical images. The approach combines a clustering method and a region growing method. Each color plane is segmented independently relying on a watershed based clustering of the plane histogram. The marginal segmentation maps intersect in a label concordance map. The latter map is simplified based on the assumption that the color planes are correlated. This produces a simplified label concordance map containing labeled and unlabeled pixels. The formers are used as an image of seeds for a color watershed. This fast and robust segmentation scheme is applied to several types of medical images.

  13. Dynamic nano-imaging of label-free living cells using electron beam excitation-assisted optical microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuta, Masahiro; Kanamori, Satoshi; Furukawa, Taichi; Nawa, Yasunori; Inami, Wataru; Lin, Sheng; Kawata, Yoshimasa; Terakawa, Susumu

    2015-01-01

    Optical microscopes are effective tools for cellular function analysis because biological cells can be observed non-destructively and non-invasively in the living state in either water or atmosphere condition. Label-free optical imaging technique such as phase-contrast microscopy has been analysed many cellular functions, and it is essential technology for bioscience field. However, the diffraction limit of light makes it is difficult to image nano-structures in a label-free living cell, for example the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi body and the localization of proteins. Here we demonstrate the dynamic imaging of a label-free cell with high spatial resolution by using an electron beam excitation-assisted optical (EXA) microscope. We observed the dynamic movement of the nucleus and nano-scale granules in living cells with better than 100 nm spatial resolution and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) around 10. Our results contribute to the development of cellular function analysis and open up new bioscience applications. PMID:26525841

  14. Dynamic nano-imaging of label-free living cells using electron beam excitation-assisted optical microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukuta, Masahiro; Kanamori, Satoshi; Furukawa, Taichi; Nawa, Yasunori; Inami, Wataru; Lin, Sheng; Kawata, Yoshimasa; Terakawa, Susumu

    2015-11-03

    Optical microscopes are effective tools for cellular function analysis because biological cells can be observed non-destructively and non-invasively in the living state in either water or atmosphere condition. Label-free optical imaging technique such as phase-contrast microscopy has been analysed many cellular functions, and it is essential technology for bioscience field. However, the diffraction limit of light makes it is difficult to image nano-structures in a label-free living cell, for example the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi body and the localization of proteins. Here we demonstrate the dynamic imaging of a label-free cell with high spatial resolution by using an electron beam excitation-assisted optical (EXA) microscope. We observed the dynamic movement of the nucleus and nano-scale granules in living cells with better than 100 nm spatial resolution and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) around 10. Our results contribute to the development of cellular function analysis and open up new bioscience applications.

  15. Enhanced resolution imaging of ultrathin ZnO layers on Ag(111) by multiple hydrogen molecules in a scanning tunneling microscope junction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shuyi; Shiotari, Akitoshi; Baugh, Delroy; Wolf, Martin; Kumagai, Takashi

    2018-05-01

    Molecular hydrogen in a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) junction has been found to enhance the lateral spatial resolution of the STM imaging, referred to as scanning tunneling hydrogen microscopy (STHM). Here we report atomic resolution imaging of 2- and 3-monolayer (ML) thick ZnO layers epitaxially grown on Ag(111) using STHM. The enhanced resolution can be obtained at a relatively large tip to surface distance and resolves a more defective structure exhibiting dislocation defects for 3-ML-thick ZnO than for 2 ML. In order to elucidate the enhanced imaging mechanism, the electric and mechanical properties of the hydrogen molecular junction (HMJ) are investigated by a combination of STM and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the HMJ shows multiple kinklike features in the tip to surface distance dependence of the conductance and frequency shift curves, which are absent in a hydrogen-free junction. Based on a simple modeling, we propose that the junction contains several hydrogen molecules and sequential squeezing of the molecules out of the junction results in the kinklike features in the conductance and frequency shift curves. The model also qualitatively reproduces the enhanced resolution image of the ZnO films.

  16. Handy Microscopic Close-Range Videogrammetry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esmaeili, F.; Ebadi, H.

    2017-09-01

    The modeling of small-scale objects is used in different applications such as medicine, industry, and cultural heritage. The capability of modeling small-scale objects using imaging with the help of hand USB digital microscopes and use of videogrammetry techniques has been implemented and evaluated in this paper. Use of this equipment and convergent imaging of the environment for modeling, provides an appropriate set of images for generation of three-dimensional models. The results of the measurements made with the help of a microscope micrometer calibration ruler have demonstrated that self-calibration of a hand camera-microscope set can help obtain a three-dimensional detail extraction precision of about 0.1 millimeters on small-scale environments.

  17. Classification of gram-positive and gram-negative foodborne pathogenic bacteria with hyperspectral microscope imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Optical method with hyperspectral microscope imaging (HMI) has potential for identification of foodborne pathogenic bacteria from microcolonies rapidly with a cell level. A HMI system that provides both spatial and spectral information could be an effective tool for analyzing spectral characteristic...

  18. Microscopic structure of superdeformed states in Th, U, Pu and Cm isotopes with Gogny force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girod, M.; Delaroche, J.P.; Romain, P.; Libert, J.

    2002-01-01

    The structure properties of the even-even nuclei 226, 228, 230, 232, 234 Th, 230, 232, 234, 236, 238, 240 U, 240, 242, 244, 246 Pu, and 242, 244, 246, 248 Cm have been investigated at normal and superdeformed shapes in microscopic mean-field calculations based on Gogny force. Collective levels are predicted from constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov and configuration mixing calculations. Two quasiparticle states are also predicted from blocking calculations for neutron and proton configurations. Predictions are shown and compared with experimental data at superdeformed shapes. (orig.)

  19. Microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography for image-aided positioning of glaucoma surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiqi; Wei, Ling; Dong, Xuechuan; Huang, Ping; Zhang, Chun; He, Yi; Shi, Guohua; Zhang, Yudong

    2015-07-01

    Most glaucoma surgeries involve creating new aqueous outflow pathways with the use of a small surgical instrument. This article reported a microscope-integrated, real-time, high-speed, swept-source optical coherence tomography system (SS-OCT) with a 1310-nm light source for glaucoma surgery. A special mechanism was designed to produce an adjustable system suitable for use in surgery. A two-graphic processing unit architecture was used to speed up the data processing and real-time volumetric rendering. The position of the surgical instrument can be monitored and measured using the microscope and a grid-inserted image of the SS-OCT. Finally, experiments were simulated to assess the effectiveness of this integrated system. Experimental results show that this system is a suitable positioning tool for glaucoma surgery.

  20. Microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography for image-aided positioning of glaucoma surgery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiqi; Wei, Ling; Dong, Xuechuan; Huang, Ping; Zhang, Chun; He, Yi; Shi, Guohua; Zhang, Yudong

    2015-07-01

    Most glaucoma surgeries involve creating new aqueous outflow pathways with the use of a small surgical instrument. This article reported a microscope-integrated, real-time, high-speed, swept-source optical coherence tomography system (SS-OCT) with a 1310-nm light source for glaucoma surgery. A special mechanism was designed to produce an adjustable system suitable for use in surgery. A two-graphic processing unit architecture was used to speed up the data processing and real-time volumetric rendering. The position of the surgical instrument can be monitored and measured using the microscope and a grid-inserted image of the SS-OCT. Finally, experiments were simulated to assess the effectiveness of this integrated system. Experimental results show that this system is a suitable positioning tool for glaucoma surgery.

  1. Intensity-based segmentation and visualization of cells in 3D microscopic images using the GPU

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Mi-Sun; Lee, Jeong-Eom; Jeon, Woong-ki; Choi, Heung-Kook; Kim, Myoung-Hee

    2013-02-01

    3D microscopy images contain abundant astronomical data, rendering 3D microscopy image processing time-consuming and laborious on a central processing unit (CPU). To solve these problems, many people crop a region of interest (ROI) of the input image to a small size. Although this reduces cost and time, there are drawbacks at the image processing level, e.g., the selected ROI strongly depends on the user and there is a loss in original image information. To mitigate these problems, we developed a 3D microscopy image processing tool on a graphics processing unit (GPU). Our tool provides efficient and various automatic thresholding methods to achieve intensity-based segmentation of 3D microscopy images. Users can select the algorithm to be applied. Further, the image processing tool provides visualization of segmented volume data and can set the scale, transportation, etc. using a keyboard and mouse. However, the 3D objects visualized fast still need to be analyzed to obtain information for biologists. To analyze 3D microscopic images, we need quantitative data of the images. Therefore, we label the segmented 3D objects within all 3D microscopic images and obtain quantitative information on each labeled object. This information can use the classification feature. A user can select the object to be analyzed. Our tool allows the selected object to be displayed on a new window, and hence, more details of the object can be observed. Finally, we validate the effectiveness of our tool by comparing the CPU and GPU processing times by matching the specification and configuration.

  2. Pancam and microscopic imager observations of dust on the Spirit Rovers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaughan....[], Alicia F.; Johnson, Jeffrey R.; Walter, Goetz

    2010-01-01

    This work describes dust deposits on the Spirit Rover over 2000 sols through examination of Pancam and Microscopic Imager observations of specific locations on the rover body, including portions of the solar array, Pancam and Mini-TES calibration targets, and the magnets. This data set reveals...... the three "cleaning events" experienced by Spirit to date, the spectral properties of dust, and the tendency of dust particles to form aggregates 100 um and larger...

  3. Reconstruction of Undersampled Atomic Force Microscopy Images

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Tobias Lindstrøm; Arildsen, Thomas; Østergaard, Jan

    2013-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most advanced tools for high-resolution imaging and manipulation of nanoscale matter. Unfortunately, standard AFM imaging requires a timescale on the order of seconds to minutes to acquire an image which makes it complicated to observe dynamic processes....... Moreover, it is often required to take several images before a relevant observation region is identified. In this paper we show how to significantly reduce the image acquisition time by undersampling. The reconstruction of an undersampled AFM image can be viewed as an inpainting, interpolating problem...... should be reconstructed using interpolation....

  4. Microscope on Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    2004-01-01

    This image taken at Meridiani Planum, Mars by the panoramic camera on the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows the rover's microscopic imager (circular device in center), located on its instrument deployment device, or 'arm.' The image was acquired on the ninth martian day or sol of the rover's mission.

  5. Modulated electron-multiplied fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope: all-solid-state camera for fluorescence lifetime imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Qiaole; Schelen, Ben; Schouten, Raymond; van den Oever, Rein; Leenen, René; van Kuijk, Harry; Peters, Inge; Polderdijk, Frank; Bosiers, Jan; Raspe, Marcel; Jalink, Kees; Geert Sander de Jong, Jan; van Geest, Bert; Stoop, Karel; Young, Ian Ted

    2012-12-01

    We have built an all-solid-state camera that is directly modulated at the pixel level for frequency-domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) measurements. This novel camera eliminates the need for an image intensifier through the use of an application-specific charge coupled device design in a frequency-domain FLIM system. The first stage of evaluation for the camera has been carried out. Camera characteristics such as noise distribution, dark current influence, camera gain, sampling density, sensitivity, linearity of photometric response, and optical transfer function have been studied through experiments. We are able to do lifetime measurement using our modulated, electron-multiplied fluorescence lifetime imaging microscope (MEM-FLIM) camera for various objects, e.g., fluorescein solution, fixed green fluorescent protein (GFP) cells, and GFP-actin stained live cells. A detailed comparison of a conventional microchannel plate (MCP)-based FLIM system and the MEM-FLIM system is presented. The MEM-FLIM camera shows higher resolution and a better image quality. The MEM-FLIM camera provides a new opportunity for performing frequency-domain FLIM.

  6. Automatic analysis of digitized TV-images by a computer-driven optical microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosa, G.; Di Bartolomeo, A.; Grella, G.; Romano, G.

    1997-01-01

    New methods of image analysis and three-dimensional pattern recognition were developed in order to perform the automatic scan of nuclear emulsion pellicles. An optical microscope, with a motorized stage, was equipped with a CCD camera and an image digitizer, and interfaced to a personal computer. Selected software routines inspired the design of a dedicated hardware processor. Fast operation, high efficiency and accuracy were achieved. First applications to high-energy physics experiments are reported. Further improvements are in progress, based on a high-resolution fast CCD camera and on programmable digital signal processors. Applications to other research fields are envisaged. (orig.)

  7. Field-portable pixel super-resolution colour microscope.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alon Greenbaum

    Full Text Available Based on partially-coherent digital in-line holography, we report a field-portable microscope that can render lensfree colour images over a wide field-of-view of e.g., >20 mm(2. This computational holographic microscope weighs less than 145 grams with dimensions smaller than 17×6×5 cm, making it especially suitable for field settings and point-of-care use. In this lensfree imaging design, we merged a colorization algorithm with a source shifting based multi-height pixel super-resolution technique to mitigate 'rainbow' like colour artefacts that are typical in holographic imaging. This image processing scheme is based on transforming the colour components of an RGB image into YUV colour space, which separates colour information from brightness component of an image. The resolution of our super-resolution colour microscope was characterized using a USAF test chart to confirm sub-micron spatial resolution, even for reconstructions that employ multi-height phase recovery to handle dense and connected objects. To further demonstrate the performance of this colour microscope Papanicolaou (Pap smears were also successfully imaged. This field-portable and wide-field computational colour microscope could be useful for tele-medicine applications in resource poor settings.

  8. Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter Hyperspectral Microscope Imaging Method for Characterizing Spectra from Foodborne Pathogens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyperspectral microscope imaging (HMI) method, which provides both spatial and spectral characteristics of samples, can be effective for foodborne pathogen detection. The acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF)-based HMI method can be used to characterize spectral properties of biofilms formed by Salmon...

  9. A new image correction method for live cell atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Y; Sun, J L; Zhang, A; Hu, J; Xu, L X

    2007-01-01

    During live cell imaging via atomic force microscopy (AFM), the interactions between the AFM probe and the membrane yield distorted cell images. In this work, an image correction method was developed based on the force-distance curve and the modified Hertzian model. The normal loading and lateral forces exerted on the cell membrane by the AFM tip were both accounted for during the scanning. Two assumptions were made in modelling based on the experimental measurements: (1) the lateral force on the endothelial cells was linear to the height; (2) the cell membrane Young's modulus could be derived from the displacement measurement of a normal force curve. Results have shown that the model could be used to recover up to 30% of the actual cell height depending on the loading force. The accuracy of the model was also investigated with respect to the loading force and mechanical property of the cell membrane

  10. Reconstruction of an Non-Monochromatically Illuminated Object Imaged through an Electron Microscope with a Fluctuating Electromagnetic Field

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoenders, B.J.

    1975-01-01

    It is shown that a weak phase object imaged by an electron microscope within the presence of instabilities of the lense currents and the acceleration voltage, fluctuating electromagnetic field, can be reconstructed from the intensity distribution in the image plane. Perfectly incoherent illumination

  11. Color Laser Microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awamura, D.; Ode, T.; Yonezawa, M.

    1987-04-01

    A color laser microscope utilizing a new color laser imaging system has been developed for the visual inspection of semiconductors. The light source, produced by three lasers (Red; He-Ne, Green; Ar, Blue; He-Cd), is deflected horizontally by an AOD (Acoustic Optical Deflector) and vertically by a vibration mirror. The laser beam is focused in a small spot which is scanned over the sample at high speed. The light reflected back from the sample is reformed to contain linear information by returning to the original vibration mirror. The linear light is guided to the CCD image sensor where it is converted into a video signal. Individual CCD image sensors are used for each of the three R, G, or B color image signals. The confocal optical system with its laser light source yields a color TV monitor image with no flaring and a much sharper resolution than that of the conventional optical microscope. The AOD makes possible a high speed laser scan and a NTSC or PAL TV video signal is produced in real time without any video memory. Since the light source is composed of R, G, and B laser beams, color separation superior to that of white light illumination is achieved. Because of the photometric linearity of the image detector, the R, G, and B outputs of the system are most suitably used for hue analysis. The CCD linear image sensors in the optical system produce no geometrical distortion, and good color registration is available principally. The output signal can be used for high accuracy line width measuring. The many features of the color laser microscope make it ideally suited for the visual inspection of semiconductor processing. A number of these systems have already been installed in such a capacity. The Color Laser Microscope can also be a very useful tool for the fields of material engineering and biotechnology.

  12. A more comprehensive modeling of atomic force microscope cantilever

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahdavi, M.H.; Farshidianfar, A.; Tahani, M.; Mahdavi, S.; Dalir, H.

    2008-01-01

    This paper focuses on the development of a complete model of an atomic force microscope (AFM) micro-cantilever beam, based on considering the effects of four major factors in modeling the cantilever. They are: rotary inertia and shear deformation of the beam and mass and rotary inertia of the tip. A method based on distributed-parameter modeling approach is proposed to solve the governing equations. The comparisons generally show a very good agreement between the present results and the results of other investigators. As expected, rotary inertia and shear deformation of the beam decrease resonance frequency especially at high ratio of cantilever thickness to its length, and it is relatively more pronounced for higher-order frequencies, than lower ones. Mass and rotary inertia of the tip have similar effects when the mass-ratio of the tip to the cantilever is high. Moreover, the influence of each of these four factors, thickness of the cantilever, density of the tip and inclination of the cantilever on the resonance frequencies has been investigated, separately. It is felt that this work might help the engineers in reducing AFM micro-cantilever design time, by providing insight into the effects of various parameters with the micro-cantilever.

  13. Reliable measurement of elastic modulus of cells by nanoindentation in an atomic force microscope

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Zhoulong; Ngan, Alfonso H W; Tang, Bin; Wang, Anxun

    2012-01-01

    The elastic modulus of an oral cancer cell line UM1 is investigated by nanoindentation in an atomic force microscope with a flat-ended tip. The commonly used Hertzian method gives apparent elastic modulus which increases with the loading rate, indicating strong effects of viscoelasticity. On the contrary, a rate-jump method developed for viscoelastic materials gives elastic modulus values which are independent of the rate-jump magnitude. The results show that the rate-jump method can be used as a standard protocol for measuring elastic stiffness of living cells, since the measured values are intrinsic properties of the cells. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Reliable measurement of elastic modulus of cells by nanoindentation in an atomic force microscope

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Zhoulong

    2012-04-01

    The elastic modulus of an oral cancer cell line UM1 is investigated by nanoindentation in an atomic force microscope with a flat-ended tip. The commonly used Hertzian method gives apparent elastic modulus which increases with the loading rate, indicating strong effects of viscoelasticity. On the contrary, a rate-jump method developed for viscoelastic materials gives elastic modulus values which are independent of the rate-jump magnitude. The results show that the rate-jump method can be used as a standard protocol for measuring elastic stiffness of living cells, since the measured values are intrinsic properties of the cells. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

  15. Reducing charging effects in scanning electron microscope images by Rayleigh contrast stretching method (RCS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan Ismail, W Z; Sim, K S; Tso, C P; Ting, H Y

    2011-01-01

    To reduce undesirable charging effects in scanning electron microscope images, Rayleigh contrast stretching is developed and employed. First, re-scaling is performed on the input image histograms with Rayleigh algorithm. Then, contrast stretching or contrast adjustment is implemented to improve the images while reducing the contrast charging artifacts. This technique has been compared to some existing histogram equalization (HE) extension techniques: recursive sub-image HE, contrast stretching dynamic HE, multipeak HE and recursive mean separate HE. Other post processing methods, such as wavelet approach, spatial filtering, and exponential contrast stretching, are compared as well. Overall, the proposed method produces better image compensation in reducing charging artifacts. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. A method for automatic grain segmentation of multi-angle cross-polarized microscopic images of sandstone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Feng; Gu, Qing; Hao, Huizhen; Li, Na; Wang, Bingqian; Hu, Xiumian

    2018-06-01

    Automatic grain segmentation of sandstone is to partition mineral grains into separate regions in the thin section, which is the first step for computer aided mineral identification and sandstone classification. The sandstone microscopic images contain a large number of mixed mineral grains where differences among adjacent grains, i.e., quartz, feldspar and lithic grains, are usually ambiguous, which make grain segmentation difficult. In this paper, we take advantage of multi-angle cross-polarized microscopic images and propose a method for grain segmentation with high accuracy. The method consists of two stages, in the first stage, we enhance the SLIC (Simple Linear Iterative Clustering) algorithm, named MSLIC, to make use of multi-angle images and segment the images as boundary adherent superpixels. In the second stage, we propose the region merging technique which combines the coarse merging and fine merging algorithms. The coarse merging merges the adjacent superpixels with less evident boundaries, and the fine merging merges the ambiguous superpixels using the spatial enhanced fuzzy clustering. Experiments are designed on 9 sets of multi-angle cross-polarized images taken from the three major types of sandstones. The results demonstrate both the effectiveness and potential of the proposed method, comparing to the available segmentation methods.

  17. Micropore Structure Representation of Sandstone in Petroleum Reservoirs Using an Atomic Force Microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai Yong-Qiang; Zhu Xing; Wu Jun-Zheng; Bai Wen-Guang

    2011-01-01

    The pore structure of sandstone in an oil reservoir is investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). At nanoscale resolution, AFM images of sandstone show us the fine structure. The real height data of images display the three-dimensional space structure of sandstone effectively. The three-dimensional analysis results show that the AFM images of sandstone have unique characteristics that, like fingerprints, can identify different structural properties of sandstones. The results demonstrate that AFM is an effective method used to represent original sandstone in petroleum reservoirs, and may help geologists to appreciate the sandstone in oil reservoirs fully. (general)

  18. Neurite density imaging versus imaging of microscopic anisotropy in diffusion MRI: A model comparison using spherical tensor encoding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampinen, Björn; Szczepankiewicz, Filip; Mårtensson, Johan; van Westen, Danielle; Sundgren, Pia C; Nilsson, Markus

    2017-02-15

    In diffusion MRI (dMRI), microscopic diffusion anisotropy can be obscured by orientation dispersion. Separation of these properties is of high importance, since it could allow dMRI to non-invasively probe elongated structures such as neurites (axons and dendrites). However, conventional dMRI, based on single diffusion encoding (SDE), entangles microscopic anisotropy and orientation dispersion with intra-voxel variance in isotropic diffusivity. SDE-based methods for estimating microscopic anisotropy, such as the neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) method, must thus rely on model assumptions to disentangle these features. An alternative approach is to directly quantify microscopic anisotropy by the use of variable shape of the b-tensor. Along those lines, we here present the 'constrained diffusional variance decomposition' (CODIVIDE) method, which jointly analyzes data acquired with diffusion encoding applied in a single direction at a time (linear tensor encoding, LTE) and in all directions (spherical tensor encoding, STE). We then contrast the two approaches by comparing neurite density estimated using NODDI with microscopic anisotropy estimated using CODIVIDE. Data were acquired in healthy volunteers and in glioma patients. NODDI and CODIVIDE differed the most in gray matter and in gliomas, where NODDI detected a neurite fraction higher than expected from the level of microscopic diffusion anisotropy found with CODIVIDE. The discrepancies could be explained by the NODDI tortuosity assumption, which enforces a connection between the neurite density and the mean diffusivity of tissue. Our results suggest that this assumption is invalid, which leads to a NODDI neurite density that is inconsistent between LTE and STE data. Using simulations, we demonstrate that the NODDI assumptions result in parameter bias that precludes the use of NODDI to map neurite density. With CODIVIDE, we found high levels of microscopic anisotropy in white matter

  19. Quantitative measurements of electromechanical response with a combined optical beam and interferometric atomic force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Labuda, Aleksander; Proksch, Roger [Asylum Research an Oxford Instruments Company, Santa Barbara, California 93117 (United States)

    2015-06-22

    An ongoing challenge in atomic force microscope (AFM) experiments is the quantitative measurement of cantilever motion. The vast majority of AFMs use the optical beam deflection (OBD) method to infer the deflection of the cantilever. The OBD method is easy to implement, has impressive noise performance, and tends to be mechanically robust. However, it represents an indirect measurement of the cantilever displacement, since it is fundamentally an angular rather than a displacement measurement. Here, we demonstrate a metrological AFM that combines an OBD sensor with a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) to enable accurate measurements of the cantilever velocity and displacement. The OBD/LDV AFM allows a host of quantitative measurements to be performed, including in-situ measurements of cantilever oscillation modes in piezoresponse force microscopy. As an example application, we demonstrate how this instrument can be used for accurate quantification of piezoelectric sensitivity—a longstanding goal in the electromechanical community.

  20. A concept for automated nanoscale atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements using a priori knowledge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Recknagel, C; Rothe, H

    2009-01-01

    The nanometer coordinate measuring machine (NCMM) is developed for comparatively fast large area scans with high resolution. The system combines a metrological atomic force microscope (AFM) with a precise positioning system. The sample is moved under the probe system via the positioning system achieving a scan range of 25 × 25 × 5 mm 3 with a resolution of 0.1 nm. A concept for AFM measurements using a priori knowledge is implemented. The a priori knowledge is generated through measurements with a white light interferometer and the use of CAD data. Dimensional markup language is used as a transfer and target format for a priori knowledge and measurement data. Using the a priori knowledge and template matching algorithms combined with the optical microscope of the NCMM, the region of interest can automatically be identified. In the next step the automatic measurement of the part coordinate system and the measurement elements with the AFM sensor of the NCMM is done. The automatic measurement involves intelligent measurement strategies, which are adapted to specific geometries of the measurement feature to reduce measurement time and drift effects

  1. Infrared up-conversion microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2014-01-01

    There is presented an up-conversion infrared microscope (110) arranged for imaging an associated object (130), wherein the up-conversion infrared microscope (110) comprises a non-linear crystal (120) arranged for up-conversion of infrared electromagnetic radiation, and wherein an objective optical...

  2. Neural Network for Nanoscience Scanning Electron Microscope Image Recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Modarres, Mohammad Hadi; Aversa, Rossella; Cozzini, Stefano; Ciancio, Regina; Leto, Angelo; Brandino, Giuseppe Piero

    2017-10-16

    In this paper we applied transfer learning techniques for image recognition, automatic categorization, and labeling of nanoscience images obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Roughly 20,000 SEM images were manually classified into 10 categories to form a labeled training set, which can be used as a reference set for future applications of deep learning enhanced algorithms in the nanoscience domain. The categories chosen spanned the range of 0-Dimensional (0D) objects such as particles, 1D nanowires and fibres, 2D films and coated surfaces, and 3D patterned surfaces such as pillars. The training set was used to retrain on the SEM dataset and to compare many convolutional neural network models (Inception-v3, Inception-v4, ResNet). We obtained compatible results by performing a feature extraction of the different models on the same dataset. We performed additional analysis of the classifier on a second test set to further investigate the results both on particular cases and from a statistical point of view. Our algorithm was able to successfully classify around 90% of a test dataset consisting of SEM images, while reduced accuracy was found in the case of images at the boundary between two categories or containing elements of multiple categories. In these cases, the image classification did not identify a predominant category with a high score. We used the statistical outcomes from testing to deploy a semi-automatic workflow able to classify and label images generated by the SEM. Finally, a separate training was performed to determine the volume fraction of coherently aligned nanowires in SEM images. The results were compared with what was obtained using the Local Gradient Orientation method. This example demonstrates the versatility and the potential of transfer learning to address specific tasks of interest in nanoscience applications.

  3. A new image correction method for live cell atomic force microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Y; Sun, J L; Zhang, A; Hu, J; Xu, L X [College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030 (China)

    2007-04-21

    During live cell imaging via atomic force microscopy (AFM), the interactions between the AFM probe and the membrane yield distorted cell images. In this work, an image correction method was developed based on the force-distance curve and the modified Hertzian model. The normal loading and lateral forces exerted on the cell membrane by the AFM tip were both accounted for during the scanning. Two assumptions were made in modelling based on the experimental measurements: (1) the lateral force on the endothelial cells was linear to the height; (2) the cell membrane Young's modulus could be derived from the displacement measurement of a normal force curve. Results have shown that the model could be used to recover up to 30% of the actual cell height depending on the loading force. The accuracy of the model was also investigated with respect to the loading force and mechanical property of the cell membrane.

  4. Imaging optical scattering of butterfly wing scales with a microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Jinxin; Yoon, Beom-Jin; Park, Jung Ok; Srinivasarao, Mohan

    2017-08-06

    A new optical method is proposed to investigate the reflectance of structurally coloured objects, such as Morpho butterfly wing scales and cholesteric liquid crystals. Using a reflected-light microscope and a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, we have successfully measured the two-dimensional reflection pattern of individual wing scales of Morpho butterflies. We demonstrate that this method enables us to measure the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF). The scattering image observed in the back focal plane of the objective is projected onto the camera sensor by inserting a Bertrand lens in the optical path of the microscope. With monochromatic light illumination, we quantify the angle-dependent reflectance spectra from the wing scales of Morpho rhetenor by retrieving the raw signal from the digital camera sensor. We also demonstrate that the polarization-dependent reflection of individual wing scales is readily observed using this method, using the individual wing scales of Morpho cypris . In an effort to show the generality of the method, we used a chiral nematic fluid to illustrate the angle-dependent reflectance as seen by this method.

  5. A preliminary investigation: the impact of microscopic condenser on depth of field in cytogenetic imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Liqiang; Qiu, Yuchen; Li, Zheng; Li, Yuhua; Zheng, Bin; Li, Shibo; Chen, Wei R.; Liu, Hong

    2013-02-01

    As one of the important components of optical microscopes, the condenser has a considerable impact on system performance, especially on the depth of field (DOF). DOF is a critical technical feature in cytogenetic imaging that may affect the efficiency and accuracy of clinical diagnosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of microscopic condenser on DOF using a prototype of transmitted optical microscope, based on objective and subjective evaluations. After the description of the relationship between condenser and objective lens and the theoretical analysis of the condenser impact on system numerical aperture and DOF, a standard resolution pattern and several cytogenetic samples are adopted to assess the condenser impact on DOF, respectively. The experimental results of these objective and subjective evaluations are in agreement with the theoretical analysis and show that, under the specific intermediate range of condenser numerical aperture ( NAcond ), the DOF value decreases with the increase of NAcond . Although the above qualitative results are obtained under the experimental conditions with a specific prototype system, the methods presented in this preliminary investigation could offer useful guidelines for optimizing operational parameters in cytogenetic imaging.

  6. Microscopic descriptions of collective SD bands in the A=190 mass region with the Gogny force

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Girod, M.

    1997-01-01

    In the framework of microscopic models, we present two methods for describing superdeformed (SD) band properties. The first one is the cranked Hartree-Fock-Bogolyubov (HFB) method, without and with inclusion of particle number projection. The second one is the Gaussian overlap approximation to the generator coordinate method (GCM+GOA) with which we treat the five quadrupole collective coordinates. Both methods use the Gogny force. Moments of inertia and excitation energies of SD bands are calculated and compared with experimental results. (orig.). With 1 fig

  7. Nucleus and cytoplasm segmentation in microscopic images using K-means clustering and region growing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarrafzadeh, Omid; Dehnavi, Alireza Mehri

    2015-01-01

    Segmentation of leukocytes acts as the foundation for all automated image-based hematological disease recognition systems. Most of the time, hematologists are interested in evaluation of white blood cells only. Digital image processing techniques can help them in their analysis and diagnosis. The main objective of this paper is to detect leukocytes from a blood smear microscopic image and segment them into their two dominant elements, nucleus and cytoplasm. The segmentation is conducted using two stages of applying K-means clustering. First, the nuclei are segmented using K-means clustering. Then, a proposed method based on region growing is applied to separate the connected nuclei. Next, the nuclei are subtracted from the original image. Finally, the cytoplasm is segmented using the second stage of K-means clustering. The results indicate that the proposed method is able to extract the nucleus and cytoplasm regions accurately and works well even though there is no significant contrast between the components in the image. In this paper, a method based on K-means clustering and region growing is proposed in order to detect leukocytes from a blood smear microscopic image and segment its components, the nucleus and the cytoplasm. As region growing step of the algorithm relies on the information of edges, it will not able to separate the connected nuclei more accurately in poor edges and it requires at least a weak edge to exist between the nuclei. The nucleus and cytoplasm segments of a leukocyte can be used for feature extraction and classification which leads to automated leukemia detection.

  8. Restoration the domain structure from magnetic force microscopy image

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dongping; Lou, Yuanfu; Wei, Fulin; Wei, Dan

    2012-04-01

    This contribution gives an approximation method to calculate the stray field of the scanning plane from the magnetic force microscopy (MFM) force gradient image. Before calculation, a Butterworth low-pass filter has been used to remove a part of the noise of the image. The discrete Fourier transform (DFT) method has been used to calculate the magnetic potential of the film surface. It shows that the potential is not correct because the low-frequency noise has been enlarged. The approximation method gives a better result of the potential and proves that the MFM force gradient of the perpendicular component image also gives the perpendicular component of the stray field. Supposing that the distance between the tip and the sample is as small as near zero, the force gradient image also gives the magnetic charge distribution of the film surface. So if the orientation of the film from hysteresis loop is known, then the domain structure of the film can be determined. For perpendicular orientation, the absolution value of the perpendicular component of stray field gives the domain and domain wall position. For in-plane orientation, the absolution value of in-plane component of stray field gives the domain and domain wall position.

  9. Automated Image Analysis of Lung Branching Morphogenesis from Microscopic Images of Fetal Rat Explants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues, Pedro L.; Rodrigues, Nuno F.; Duque, Duarte; Granja, Sara; Correia-Pinto, Jorge; Vilaça, João L.

    2014-01-01

    Background. Regulating mechanisms of branching morphogenesis of fetal lung rat explants have been an essential tool for molecular research. This work presents a new methodology to accurately quantify the epithelial, outer contour, and peripheral airway buds of lung explants during cellular development from microscopic images. Methods. The outer contour was defined using an adaptive and multiscale threshold algorithm whose level was automatically calculated based on an entropy maximization criterion. The inner lung epithelium was defined by a clustering procedure that groups small image regions according to the minimum description length principle and local statistical properties. Finally, the number of peripheral buds was counted as the skeleton branched ends from a skeletonized image of the lung inner epithelia. Results. The time for lung branching morphometric analysis was reduced in 98% in contrast to the manual method. Best results were obtained in the first two days of cellular development, with lesser standard deviations. Nonsignificant differences were found between the automatic and manual results in all culture days. Conclusions. The proposed method introduces a series of advantages related to its intuitive use and accuracy, making the technique suitable to images with different lighting characteristics and allowing a reliable comparison between different researchers. PMID:25250057

  10. Automated Image Analysis of Lung Branching Morphogenesis from Microscopic Images of Fetal Rat Explants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro L. Rodrigues

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Regulating mechanisms of branching morphogenesis of fetal lung rat explants have been an essential tool for molecular research. This work presents a new methodology to accurately quantify the epithelial, outer contour, and peripheral airway buds of lung explants during cellular development from microscopic images. Methods. The outer contour was defined using an adaptive and multiscale threshold algorithm whose level was automatically calculated based on an entropy maximization criterion. The inner lung epithelium was defined by a clustering procedure that groups small image regions according to the minimum description length principle and local statistical properties. Finally, the number of peripheral buds was counted as the skeleton branched ends from a skeletonized image of the lung inner epithelia. Results. The time for lung branching morphometric analysis was reduced in 98% in contrast to the manual method. Best results were obtained in the first two days of cellular development, with lesser standard deviations. Nonsignificant differences were found between the automatic and manual results in all culture days. Conclusions. The proposed method introduces a series of advantages related to its intuitive use and accuracy, making the technique suitable to images with different lighting characteristics and allowing a reliable comparison between different researchers.

  11. Microscope-Integrated Intraoperative Ultrahigh-Speed Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography for Widefield Retinal and Anterior Segment Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chen D; Waheed, Nadia K; Witkin, Andre; Baumal, Caroline R; Liu, Jonathan J; Potsaid, Benjamin; Joseph, Anthony; Jayaraman, Vijaysekhar; Cable, Alex; Chan, Kinpui; Duker, Jay S; Fujimoto, James G

    2018-02-01

    To demonstrate the feasibility of retinal and anterior segment intraoperative widefield imaging using an ultrahigh-speed, swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) surgical microscope attachment. A prototype post-objective SS-OCT using a 1,050-nm wavelength, 400 kHz A-scan rate, vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) light source was integrated to a commercial ophthalmic surgical microscope after the objective. Each widefield OCT data set was acquired in 3 seconds (1,000 × 1,000 A-scans, 12 × 12 mm 2 for retina and 10 × 10 mm 2 for anterior segment). Intraoperative SS-OCT was performed in 20 eyes of 20 patients. In six of seven membrane peels and five of seven rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair surgeries, widefield retinal imaging enabled evaluation pre- and postoperatively. In all seven cataract cases, anterior imaging evaluated the integrity of the posterior lens capsule. Ultrahigh-speed SS-OCT enables widefield intraoperative viewing in the posterior and anterior eye. Widefield imaging visualizes ocular structures and pathology without requiring OCT realignment. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:94-102.]. Copyright 2018, SLACK Incorporated.

  12. Scanning electron microscope cathodoluminescence imaging of subgrain boundaries, twins and planar deformation features in quartz

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamers, M. F.; Pennock, G. M.; Drury, M. R.

    2017-04-01

    The study of deformation features has been of great importance to determine deformation mechanisms in quartz. Relevant microstructures in both growth and deformation processes include dislocations, subgrains, subgrain boundaries, Brazil and Dauphiné twins and planar deformation features (PDFs). Dislocations and twin boundaries are most commonly imaged using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), because these cannot directly be observed using light microscopy, in contrast to PDFs. Here, we show that red-filtered cathodoluminescence imaging in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is a useful method to visualise subgrain boundaries, Brazil and Dauphiné twin boundaries. Because standard petrographic thin sections can be studied in the SEM, the observed structures can be directly and easily correlated to light microscopy studies. In contrast to TEM preparation methods, SEM techniques are non-destructive to the area of interest on a petrographic thin section.

  13. Science applications of a multispectral microscopic imager for the astrobiological exploration of Mars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Núñez, Jorge I; Farmer, Jack D; Sellar, R Glenn; Swayze, Gregg A; Blaney, Diana L

    2014-02-01

    Future astrobiological missions to Mars are likely to emphasize the use of rovers with in situ petrologic capabilities for selecting the best samples at a site for in situ analysis with onboard lab instruments or for caching for potential return to Earth. Such observations are central to an understanding of the potential for past habitable conditions at a site and for identifying samples most likely to harbor fossil biosignatures. The Multispectral Microscopic Imager (MMI) provides multispectral reflectance images of geological samples at the microscale, where each image pixel is composed of a visible/shortwave infrared spectrum ranging from 0.46 to 1.73 μm. This spectral range enables the discrimination of a wide variety of rock-forming minerals, especially Fe-bearing phases, and the detection of hydrated minerals. The MMI advances beyond the capabilities of current microimagers on Mars by extending the spectral range into the infrared and increasing the number of spectral bands. The design employs multispectral light-emitting diodes and an uncooled indium gallium arsenide focal plane array to achieve a very low mass and high reliability. To better understand and demonstrate the capabilities of the MMI for future surface missions to Mars, we analyzed samples from Mars-relevant analog environments with the MMI. Results indicate that the MMI images faithfully resolve the fine-scale microtextural features of samples and provide important information to help constrain mineral composition. The use of spectral endmember mapping reveals the distribution of Fe-bearing minerals (including silicates and oxides) with high fidelity, along with the presence of hydrated minerals. MMI-based petrogenetic interpretations compare favorably with laboratory-based analyses, revealing the value of the MMI for future in situ rover-mediated astrobiological exploration of Mars. Mars-Microscopic imager-Multispectral imaging-Spectroscopy-Habitability-Arm instrument.

  14. Force-activatable biosensor enables single platelet force mapping directly by fluorescence imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yongliang; LeVine, Dana N; Gannon, Margaret; Zhao, Yuanchang; Sarkar, Anwesha; Hoch, Bailey; Wang, Xuefeng

    2018-02-15

    Integrin-transmitted cellular forces are critical for platelet adhesion, activation, aggregation and contraction during hemostasis and thrombosis. Measuring and mapping single platelet forces are desired in both research and clinical applications. Conventional force-to-strain based cell traction force microscopies have low resolution which is not ideal for cellular force mapping in small platelets. To enable platelet force mapping with submicron resolution, we developed a force-activatable biosensor named integrative tension sensor (ITS) which directly converts molecular tensions to fluorescent signals, therefore enabling cellular force mapping directly by fluorescence imaging. With ITS, we mapped cellular forces in single platelets at 0.4µm resolution. We found that platelet force distribution has strong polarization which is sensitive to treatment with the anti-platelet drug tirofiban, suggesting that the ITS force map can report anti-platelet drug efficacy. The ITS also calibrated integrin molecular tensions in platelets and revealed two distinct tension levels: 12-54 piconewton (nominal values) tensions generated during platelet adhesion and tensions above 54 piconewton generated during platelet contraction. Overall, the ITS is a powerful biosensor for the study of platelet mechanobiology, and holds great potential in antithrombotic drug development and assessing platelet activity in health and disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. The influence of the microscope lamp filament colour temperature on the process of digital images of histological slides acquisition standardization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korzynska, Anna; Roszkowiak, Lukasz; Pijanowska, Dorota; Kozlowski, Wojciech; Markiewicz, Tomasz

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to compare the digital images of the tissue biopsy captured with optical microscope using bright field technique under various light conditions. The range of colour's variation in immunohistochemically stained with 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine and Haematoxylin tissue samples is immense and coming from various sources. One of them is inadequate setting of camera's white balance to microscope's light colour temperature. Although this type of error can be easily handled during the stage of image acquisition, it can be eliminated with use of colour adjustment algorithms. The examination of the dependence of colour variation from microscope's light temperature and settings of the camera is done as an introductory research to the process of automatic colour standardization. Six fields of view with empty space among the tissue samples have been selected for analysis. Each field of view has been acquired 225 times with various microscope light temperature and camera white balance settings. The fourteen randomly chosen images have been corrected and compared, with the reference image, by the following methods: Mean Square Error, Structural SIMilarity and visual assessment of viewer. For two types of backgrounds and two types of objects, the statistical image descriptors: range, median, mean and its standard deviation of chromaticity on a and b channels from CIELab colour space, and luminance L, and local colour variability for objects' specific area have been calculated. The results have been averaged for 6 images acquired in the same light conditions and camera settings for each sample. The analysis of the results leads to the following conclusions: (1) the images collected with white balance setting adjusted to light colour temperature clusters in certain area of chromatic space, (2) the process of white balance correction for images collected with white balance camera settings not matched to the light temperature moves image descriptors into proper

  16. Ultrabright planar optodes for luminescence life-time based microscopic imaging of O2 dynamics in biofilms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Staal, Marc Jaap; Borisov, S M; Rickelt, L F

    2011-01-01

    New transparent optodes for life-time based microscopic imaging of O2 were developed by spin-coating a µm-thin layer of a highly luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III) coumarin complex in polystyrene onto glass cover slips. Compared to similar thin-film O2 optodes based on a ruthenium(II) polypy......New transparent optodes for life-time based microscopic imaging of O2 were developed by spin-coating a µm-thin layer of a highly luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III) coumarin complex in polystyrene onto glass cover slips. Compared to similar thin-film O2 optodes based on a ruthenium...

  17. Bimodal atomic force microscopy imaging of isolated antibodies in air and liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    MartInez, N F; Lozano, J R; Herruzo, E T; Garcia, F; Garcia, R; Richter, C; Sulzbach, T

    2008-01-01

    We have developed a dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) method based on the simultaneous excitation of the first two flexural modes of the cantilever. The instrument, called a bimodal atomic force microscope, allows us to resolve the structural components of antibodies in both monomer and pentameric forms. The instrument operates in both high and low quality factor environments, i.e., air and liquids. We show that under the same experimental conditions, bimodal AFM is more sensitive to compositional changes than amplitude modulation AFM. By using theoretical and numerical methods, we study the material contrast sensitivity as well as the forces applied on the sample during bimodal AFM operation

  18. Image processing of muscle striations below the resolution limit of the light microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burns, D.H.; Holdren, D.N.; Periasamy, A.; Everts, W.C.; Pollack, G.H.

    1985-01-01

    We describe the use of digital deconvolution in the study of muscle striations below the resolution imposed by the optical diffraction of our video light microscope. To use deconvolution procedures on muscle images, the transfer function of the optical system is first characterized. This is accomplished by imaging a step object and fitting the image with the combination of a first order Bessel and Guassian function using a non-linear least squares approach. Due to the ill-conditioned nature of deconvolution, however, ambiguity in the reconstruction is sometimes found. To allow better estimation of the true object, separate deconvolution approaches are used and the reconstructions compared. In this manner, the fine structure of muscle striations is determined

  19. Simulation Assisted Analysis of the Intrinsic Stiffness for Short DNA Molecules Imaged with Scanning Atomic Force Microscopy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haowei Wang

    Full Text Available Studying the mechanical properties of short segments of dsDNA can provide insight into various biophysical phenomena, from DNA looping to the organization of nucleosomes. Scanning atomic force microscopy (AFM is able to acquire images of single DNA molecules with near-basepair resolution. From many images, one may use equilibrium statistical mechanics to quantify the intrinsic stiffness (or persistence length of the DNA. However, this approach is highly dependent upon both the correct microscopic polymer model and a correct image analysis of DNA contours. These complications have led to significant debate over the flexibility of dsDNA at short length scales. We first show how to extract accurate measures of DNA contour lengths by calibrating to DNA traces of simulated AFM data. After this calibration, we show that DNA adsorbed on an aminopropyl-mica surface behaves as a worm-like chain (WLC for contour lengths as small as ~20 nm. We also show that a DNA binding protein can modify the mechanics of the DNA from that of a WLC.

  20. A high-resolution combined scanning laser and widefield polarizing microscope for imaging at temperatures from 4 K to 300 K.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, M; Guénon, S; Lever, F; Kleiner, R; Koelle, D

    2017-12-01

    Polarized light microscopy, as a contrast-enhancing technique for optically anisotropic materials, is a method well suited for the investigation of a wide variety of effects in solid-state physics, as, for example, birefringence in crystals or the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). We present a microscopy setup that combines a widefield microscope and a confocal scanning laser microscope with polarization-sensitive detectors. By using a high numerical aperture objective, a spatial resolution of about 240 nm at a wavelength of 405 nm is achieved. The sample is mounted on a 4 He continuous flow cryostat providing a temperature range between 4 K and 300 K, and electromagnets are used to apply magnetic fields of up to 800 mT with variable in-plane orientation and 20 mT with out-of-plane orientation. Typical applications of the polarizing microscope are the imaging of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization via the longitudinal and polar MOKE, imaging of magnetic flux structures in superconductors covered with a magneto-optical indicator film via the Faraday effect, or imaging of structural features, such as twin-walls in tetragonal SrTiO 3 . The scanning laser microscope furthermore offers the possibility to gain local information on electric transport properties of a sample by detecting the beam-induced voltage change across a current-biased sample. This combination of magnetic, structural, and electric imaging capabilities makes the microscope a viable tool for research in the fields of oxide electronics, spintronics, magnetism, and superconductivity.

  1. A high-resolution combined scanning laser and widefield polarizing microscope for imaging at temperatures from 4 K to 300 K

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, M.; Guénon, S.; Lever, F.; Kleiner, R.; Koelle, D.

    2017-12-01

    Polarized light microscopy, as a contrast-enhancing technique for optically anisotropic materials, is a method well suited for the investigation of a wide variety of effects in solid-state physics, as, for example, birefringence in crystals or the magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE). We present a microscopy setup that combines a widefield microscope and a confocal scanning laser microscope with polarization-sensitive detectors. By using a high numerical aperture objective, a spatial resolution of about 240 nm at a wavelength of 405 nm is achieved. The sample is mounted on a 4He continuous flow cryostat providing a temperature range between 4 K and 300 K, and electromagnets are used to apply magnetic fields of up to 800 mT with variable in-plane orientation and 20 mT with out-of-plane orientation. Typical applications of the polarizing microscope are the imaging of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization via the longitudinal and polar MOKE, imaging of magnetic flux structures in superconductors covered with a magneto-optical indicator film via the Faraday effect, or imaging of structural features, such as twin-walls in tetragonal SrTiO3. The scanning laser microscope furthermore offers the possibility to gain local information on electric transport properties of a sample by detecting the beam-induced voltage change across a current-biased sample. This combination of magnetic, structural, and electric imaging capabilities makes the microscope a viable tool for research in the fields of oxide electronics, spintronics, magnetism, and superconductivity.

  2. Electron beam fabrication and characterization of high- resolution magnetic force microscopy tips

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ruhrig, M.; Rührig, M.; Porthun, S.; Porthun, S.; Lodder, J.C.; Mc vitie, S.; Heyderman, L.J.; Johnston, A.B.; Chapman, J.N.

    1996-01-01

    The stray field, magnetic microstructure, and switching behavior of high‐resolution electron beam fabricated thin film tips for magnetic force microscopy (MFM) are investigated with different imaging modes in a transmission electron microscope (TEM). As the tiny smooth carbon needles covered with a

  3. The relationship between compression force, image quality and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Theoretically, an increase in breast compression gives a reduction in thickness without changing the density, resulting in improved image quality and reduced radiation dose. Aim. This study investigates the relationship between compression force, phantom thickness, image quality and radiation dose. The existence of a ...

  4. Taking nanomedicine teaching into practice with atomic force microscopy and force spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, Filomena A; Freitas, Teresa; Santos, Nuno C

    2015-12-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a useful and powerful tool to study molecular interactions applied to nanomedicine. The aim of the present study was to implement a hands-on atomic AFM course for graduated biosciences and medical students. The course comprises two distinct practical sessions, where students get in touch with the use of an atomic force microscope by performing AFM scanning images of human blood cells and force spectroscopy measurements of the fibrinogen-platelet interaction. Since the beginning of this course, in 2008, the overall rating by the students was 4.7 (out of 5), meaning a good to excellent evaluation. Students were very enthusiastic and produced high-quality AFM images and force spectroscopy data. The implementation of the hands-on AFM course was a success, giving to the students the opportunity of contact with a technique that has a wide variety of applications on the nanomedicine field. In the near future, nanomedicine will have remarkable implications in medicine regarding the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of different diseases. AFM enables students to observe single molecule interactions, enabling the understanding of molecular mechanisms of different physiological and pathological processes at the nanoscale level. Therefore, the introduction of nanomedicine courses in bioscience and medical school curricula is essential. Copyright © 2015 The American Physiological Society.

  5. Identification and ultrastructural imaging of photodynamic therapy-induced microfilaments by atomic force microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Se-Hui; Park, Jin-Young; Yoo, Je-Ok; Shin, Incheol; Kim, Young-Myeong; Ha, Kwon-Soo

    2009-01-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is an emerging technique for imaging biological samples at subnanometer resolution; however, the method is not widely used for cell imaging because it is limited to analysis of surface topology. In this study, we demonstrate identification and ultrastructural imaging of microfilaments using new approaches based on AFM. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with a new chlorin-based photosensitizer DH-II-24 induced cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, and reorganization of cytoskeletons in bladder cancer J82 cells. We investigated cytoskeletal changes using confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Extracellular filaments formed by PDT were analyzed with a tandem imaging approach based on confocal microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Ultrathin filaments that were not visible by confocal microscopy were identified as microfilaments by on-stage labeling/imaging using atomic force microscopy. Furthermore, ultrastructural imaging revealed that these microfilaments had a stranded helical structure. Thus, these new approaches were useful for ultrastructural imaging of microfilaments at the molecular level, and, moreover, they may help to overcome the current limitations of fluorescence-based microscopy and atomic force microscopy in cell imaging.

  6. Capturing and displaying microscopic images used in medical diagnostics and forensic science using 4K video resolution - an application in higher education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maier, Hans; de Heer, Gert; Ortac, Ajda; Kuijten, Jan

    2015-11-01

    To analyze, interpret and evaluate microscopic images, used in medical diagnostics and forensic science, video images for educational purposes were made with a very high resolution of 4096 × 2160 pixels (4K), which is four times as many pixels as High-Definition Video (1920 × 1080 pixels). The unprecedented high resolution makes it possible to see details that remain invisible to any other video format. The images of the specimens (blood cells, tissue sections, hair, fibre, etc.) are recorded using a 4K video camera which is attached to a light microscope. After processing, this resulted in very sharp and highly detailed images. This material was then used in education for classroom discussion. Spoken explanation by experts in the field of medical diagnostics and forensic science was also added to the high-resolution video images to make it suitable for self-study. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Microscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Microscopical Society.

  7. Spin microscope based on optically detected magnetic resonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berman, Gennady P.; Chernobrod, Boris M.

    2007-12-11

    The invention relates to scanning magnetic microscope which has a photoluminescent nanoprobe implanted in the tip apex of an atomic force microscope (AFM), a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) or a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) and exhibits optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) in the vicinity of unpaired electron spins or nuclear magnetic moments in the sample material. The described spin microscope has demonstrated nanoscale lateral resolution and single spin sensitivity for the AFM and STM embodiments.

  8. Scanning Electron Microscope Calibration Using a Multi-Image Non-Linear Minimization Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Le; Marchand, Éric

    2015-04-01

    A scanning electron microscope (SEM) calibrating approach based on non-linear minimization procedure is presented in this article. A part of this article has been published in IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2014. . Both the intrinsic parameters and the extrinsic parameters estimations are achieved simultaneously by minimizing the registration error. The proposed approach considers multi-images of a multi-scale calibration pattern view from different positions and orientations. Since the projection geometry of the scanning electron microscope is different from that of a classical optical sensor, the perspective projection model and the parallel projection model are considered and compared with distortion models. Experiments are realized by varying the position and the orientation of a multi-scale chessboard calibration pattern from 300× to 10,000×. The experimental results show the efficiency and the accuracy of this approach.

  9. Macro-SICM: A Scanning Ion Conductance Microscope for Large-Range Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schierbaum, Nicolas; Hack, Martin; Betz, Oliver; Schäffer, Tilman E

    2018-04-17

    The scanning ion conductance microscope (SICM) is a versatile, high-resolution imaging technique that uses an electrolyte-filled nanopipet as a probe. Its noncontact imaging principle makes the SICM uniquely suited for the investigation of soft and delicate surface structures in a liquid environment. The SICM has found an ever-increasing number of applications in chemistry, physics, and biology. However, a drawback of conventional SICMs is their relatively small scan range (typically 100 μm × 100 μm in the lateral and 10 μm in the vertical direction). We have developed a Macro-SICM with an exceedingly large scan range of 25 mm × 25 mm in the lateral and 0.25 mm in the vertical direction. We demonstrate the high versatility of the Macro-SICM by imaging at different length scales: from centimeters (fingerprint, coin) to millimeters (bovine tongue tissue, insect wing) to micrometers (cellular extensions). We applied the Macro-SICM to the study of collective cell migration in epithelial wound healing.

  10. Reduced order dynamic model for polysaccharides molecule attached to an atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Deman; Li Aiqin; Attar, Peter; Dowell, Earl H.

    2004-01-01

    A dynamic analysis and numerical simulation has been conducted of a polysaccharides molecular structure (a ten (10) single-α-D-glucose molecule chain) connected to a moving atomic force microscope (AFM). Sinusoidal base excitation of the AFM cantilevered beam is considered. First a linearized perturbation model is constructed for the complex polysaccharides molecular structure. Then reduced order (dynamic) models based upon a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) technique are constructed using global modes for both the linearized perturbation model and for the full nonlinear model. The agreement between the original and reduced order models (ROM/POD) is very good even when only a few global modes are included in the ROM for either the linear case or for the nonlinear case. The computational advantage of the reduced order model is clear from the results presented

  11. Set-up of a high-resolution 300 mK atomic force microscope in an ultra-high vacuum compatible "3He/10 T cryostat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allwörden, H. von; Ruschmeier, K.; Köhler, A.; Eelbo, T.; Schwarz, A.; Wiesendanger, R.

    2016-01-01

    The design of an atomic force microscope with an all-fiber interferometric detection scheme capable of atomic resolution at about 500 mK is presented. The microscope body is connected to a small pumped "3He reservoir with a base temperature of about 300 mK. The bakeable insert with the cooling stage can be moved from its measurement position inside the bore of a superconducting 10 T magnet into an ultra-high vacuum chamber, where the tip and sample can be exchanged in situ. Moreover, single atoms or molecules can be evaporated onto a cold substrate located inside the microscope. Two side chambers are equipped with standard surface preparation and surface analysis tools. The performance of the microscope at low temperatures is demonstrated by resolving single Co atoms on Mn/W(110) and by showing atomic resolution on NaCl(001).

  12. First test model of the optical microscope which images the whole vertical particle tracks without any depth scanning

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Soroko, L.M.

    2001-01-01

    The first test model of the optical microscope which produces the in focus image of the whole vertical particle track without depth scanning is described. The in focus image of the object consisting of the linear array of the point-like elements was obtained. A comparison with primary out of focus image of such an object has been made

  13. Imaging of Norway spruce early somatic embryos with the ESEM, Cryo-SEM and laser scanning microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neděla, Vilém; Hřib, Jiří; Havel, Ladislav; Hudec, Jiří; Runštuk, Jiří

    2016-05-01

    This article describes the surface structure of Norway spruce early somatic embryos (ESEs) as a typical culture with asynchronous development. The microstructure of extracellular matrix covering ESEs were observed using the environmental scanning electron microscope as a primary tool and using the scanning electron microscope with cryo attachment and laser electron microscope as a complementary tool allowing our results to be proven independently. The fresh samples were observed in conditions of the air environment of the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) with the pressure from 550Pa to 690Pa and the low temperature of the sample from -18°C to -22°C. The samples were studied using two different types of detector to allow studying either the thin surface structure or material composition. The scanning electron microscope with cryo attachment was used for imaging frozen extracellular matrix microstructure with higher resolution. The combination of both electron microscopy methods was suitable for observation of "native" plant samples, allowing correct evaluation of our results, free of error and artifacts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Design of a transmission electron positron microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doyama, Masao; Inoue, M.; Kogure, Y.; Hayashi, Y.; Yoshii, T.; Kurihara, T.; Tsuno, K.

    2003-01-01

    This paper reports the plans and design of positron-electron microscopes being built at KEK (High Energy Accelerator Research Organization), Tsukuba, Japan. A used electron microscope is altered. The kinetic energies of positrons produced by accelerators or by nuclear decays are not a unique value but show a spread over in a wide range. Positron beam is guided to a transmission electron microscope (JEM100SX). Positrons are moderated by a tungsten foil, are accelerated and are focused on a nickel sheet. The monochromatic focused beam is injected into an electron microscope. The focusing and aberration of positrons are the same as electrons in a magnetic system which are used in commercial electron microscopes. Imaging plates are used to record positron images for the transmission electron microscope. (author)

  15. A new technical approach to quantify cell-cell adhesion forces by AFM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Puech, Pierre-Henri; Poole, Kate; Knebel, Detlef; Muller, Daniel J.

    2006-01-01

    Cell-cell adhesion is a complex process that is involved in the tethering of cells, cell-cell communication, tissue formation, cell migration and the development and metastasis of tumors. Given the heterogeneous and complex nature of cell surfaces it has previously proved difficult to characterize individual cell-cell adhesion events. Force spectroscopy, using an atomic force microscope, is capable of resolving such individual cell-cell binding events, but has previously been limited in its application due to insufficient effective pulling distances. Extended pulling range is critical in studying cell-cell interactions due to the potential for large cell deformations. Here we describe an approach to such experiments, where the sample stage can be moved 100 μm in the z-direction, by closed loop, linearized piezo elements. Such an approach enables an increase in pulling distance sufficient for the observation of long-distance cell-unbinding events without reducing the imaging capabilities of the atomic force microscope. The atomic force microscope head and the piezo-driven sample stage are installed on an inverted optical microscope fitted with a piezo-driven objective, to allow the monitoring of cell morphology by conventional light microscopy, concomitant with force spectroscopy measurements. We have used the example of the WM115 melanoma cell line binding to human umbilical vein endothelial cells to demonstrate the capabilities of this system and the necessity for such an extended pulling range when quantifying cell-cell adhesion events

  16. Minimizing pulling geometry errors in atomic force microscope single molecule force spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivera, Monica; Lee, Whasil; Ke, Changhong; Marszalek, Piotr E; Cole, Daniel G; Clark, Robert L

    2008-10-01

    In atomic force microscopy-based single molecule force spectroscopy (AFM-SMFS), it is assumed that the pulling angle is negligible and that the force applied to the molecule is equivalent to the force measured by the instrument. Recent studies, however, have indicated that the pulling geometry errors can drastically alter the measured force-extension relationship of molecules. Here we describe a software-based alignment method that repositions the cantilever such that it is located directly above the molecule's substrate attachment site. By aligning the applied force with the measurement axis, the molecule is no longer undergoing combined loading, and the full force can be measured by the cantilever. Simulations and experimental results verify the ability of the alignment program to minimize pulling geometry errors in AFM-SMFS studies.

  17. A high-resolution multimode digital microscope system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmon, Edward D; Shaw, Sidney L; Waters, Jennifer C; Waterman-Storer, Clare M; Maddox, Paul S; Yeh, Elaine; Bloom, Kerry

    2013-01-01

    This chapter describes the development of a high-resolution, multimode digital imaging system based on a wide-field epifluorescent and transmitted light microscope, and a cooled charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. The three main parts of this imaging system are Nikon FXA microscope, Hamamatsu C4880 cooled CCD camera, and MetaMorph digital imaging system. This chapter presents various design criteria for the instrument and describes the major features of the microscope components-the cooled CCD camera and the MetaMorph digital imaging system. The Nikon FXA upright microscope can produce high resolution images for both epifluorescent and transmitted light illumination without switching the objective or moving the specimen. The functional aspects of the microscope set-up can be considered in terms of the imaging optics, the epi-illumination optics, the transillumination optics, the focus control, and the vibration isolation table. This instrument is somewhat specialized for microtubule and mitosis studies, and it is also applicable to a variety of problems in cellular imaging, including tracking proteins fused to the green fluorescent protein in live cells. The instrument is also valuable for correlating the assembly dynamics of individual cytoplasmic microtubules (labeled by conjugating X-rhodamine to tubulin) with the dynamics of membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum (labeled with DiOC6) and the dynamics of the cell cortex (by differential interference contrast) in migrating vertebrate epithelial cells. This imaging system also plays an important role in the analysis of mitotic mutants in the powerful yeast genetic system Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Copyright © 1998 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Algorithms for Reconstruction of Undersampled Atomic Force Microscopy Images Supplementary Material

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2017-01-01

    Two Jupyter Notebooks showcasing reconstructions of undersampled atomic force microscopy images. The reconstructions were obtained using a variety of interpolation and reconstruction methods.......Two Jupyter Notebooks showcasing reconstructions of undersampled atomic force microscopy images. The reconstructions were obtained using a variety of interpolation and reconstruction methods....

  19. Radiation-Force Assisted Targeting Facilitates Ultrasonic Molecular Imaging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shukui Zhao

    2004-07-01

    Full Text Available Ultrasonic molecular imaging employs contrast agents, such as microbubbles, nanoparticles, or liposomes, coated with ligands specific for receptors expressed on cells at sites of angiogenesis, inflammation, or thrombus. Concentration of these highly echogenic contrast agents at a target site enhances the ultrasound signal received from that site, promoting ultrasonic detection and analysis of disease states. In this article, we show that acoustic radiation force can be used to displace targeted contrast agents to a vessel wall, greatly increasing the number of agents binding to available surface receptors. We provide a theoretical evaluation of the magnitude of acoustic radiation force and show that it is possible to displace micron-sized agents physiologically relevant distances. Following this, we show in a series of experiments that acoustic radiation force can enhance the binding of targeted agents: The number of biotinylated microbubbles adherent to a synthetic vessel coated with avidin increases as much as 20-fold when acoustic radiation force is applied; the adhesion of contrast agents targeted to αvβ3 expressed on human umbilical vein endothelial cells increases 27-fold within a mimetic vessel when radiation force is applied; and finally, the image signal-to-noise ratio in a phantom vessel increases up to 25 dB using a combination of radiation force and a targeted contrast agent, over use of a targeted contrast agent alone.

  20. Compact plane illumination plugin device to enable light sheet fluorescence imaging of multi-cellular organisms on an inverted wide-field microscope

    OpenAIRE

    Guan, Zeyi; Lee, Juhyun; Jiang, Hao; Dong, Siyan; Jen, Nelson; Hsiai, Tzung; Ho, Chih-Ming; Fei, Peng

    2015-01-01

    We developed a compact plane illumination plugin (PIP) device which enabled plane illumination and light sheet fluorescence imaging on a conventional inverted microscope. The PIP device allowed the integration of microscope with tunable laser sheet profile, fast image acquisition, and 3-D scanning. The device is both compact, measuring approximately 15 by 5 by 5 cm, and cost-effective, since we employed consumer electronics and an inexpensive device molding method. We demonstrated that PIP pr...

  1. Microscopic structure of superdeformed states in Th, U, Pu and Cm isotopes with Gogny force

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Girod, M.; Delaroche, J.P.; Romain, P. [CEA/DIF, DPTA/SPN, Boite Postale 12, 91680 Bruyeres-le-Chatel (France); Libert, J. [Institut de Physique Nucleaire Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-IN2P3, F-91406 Orsay (France)

    2002-10-01

    The structure properties of the even-even nuclei {sup 226,} {sup 228,} {sup 230,} {sup 232,} {sup 234}Th, {sup 230,} {sup 232,} {sup 234,} {sup 236,} {sup 238,} {sup 240}U, {sup 240,} {sup 242,} {sup 244,} {sup 246}Pu, and {sup 242,} {sup 244,} {sup 246,} {sup 248}Cm have been investigated at normal and superdeformed shapes in microscopic mean-field calculations based on Gogny force. Collective levels are predicted from constrained Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov and configuration mixing calculations. Two quasiparticle states are also predicted from blocking calculations for neutron and proton configurations. Predictions are shown and compared with experimental data at superdeformed shapes. (orig.)

  2. On the calibration of rectangular atomic force microscope cantilevers modified by particle attachment and lamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bowen, James; Zhang, Zhibing; Adams, Michael J; Cheneler, David; Ward, Michael C L; Walliman, Dominic; Arkless, Stuart G

    2010-01-01

    A simple but effective method for estimating the spring constant of commercially available atomic force microscope (AFM) cantilevers is presented, based on estimating the cantilever thickness from knowledge of its length, width, resonant frequency and the presence or absence of an added mass, such as a colloid probe at the cantilever apex, or a thin film of deposited material. The spring constant of the cantilever can then be estimated using standard equations for cantilever beams. The results are compared to spring constant calibration measurements performed using reference cantilevers. Additionally, the effect of the deposition of Cr and Ti thin films onto rectangular Si cantilevers is investigated

  3. AtomicJ: An open source software for analysis of force curves

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hermanowicz, Paweł; Sarna, Michał; Burda, Kvetoslava; Gabryś, Halina

    2014-06-01

    We present an open source Java application for analysis of force curves and images recorded with the Atomic Force Microscope. AtomicJ supports a wide range of contact mechanics models and implements procedures that reduce the influence of deviations from the contact model. It generates maps of mechanical properties, including maps of Young's modulus, adhesion force, and sample height. It can also calculate stacks, which reveal how sample's response to deformation changes with indentation depth. AtomicJ analyzes force curves concurrently on multiple threads, which allows for high speed of analysis. It runs on all popular operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Macintosh.

  4. AtomicJ: An open source software for analysis of force curves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermanowicz, Paweł; Gabryś, Halina; Sarna, Michał; Burda, Kvetoslava

    2014-01-01

    We present an open source Java application for analysis of force curves and images recorded with the Atomic Force Microscope. AtomicJ supports a wide range of contact mechanics models and implements procedures that reduce the influence of deviations from the contact model. It generates maps of mechanical properties, including maps of Young's modulus, adhesion force, and sample height. It can also calculate stacks, which reveal how sample's response to deformation changes with indentation depth. AtomicJ analyzes force curves concurrently on multiple threads, which allows for high speed of analysis. It runs on all popular operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and Macintosh

  5. A widefield fluorescence microscope with a linear image sensor for image cytometry of biospecimens: Considerations for image quality optimization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hutcheson, Joshua A.; Majid, Aneeka A.; Powless, Amy J.; Muldoon, Timothy J., E-mail: tmuldoon@uark.edu [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Arkansas, 120 Engineering Hall, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 (United States)

    2015-09-15

    Linear image sensors have been widely used in numerous research and industry applications to provide continuous imaging of moving objects. Here, we present a widefield fluorescence microscope with a linear image sensor used to image translating objects for image cytometry. First, a calibration curve was characterized for a custom microfluidic chamber over a span of volumetric pump rates. Image data were also acquired using 15 μm fluorescent polystyrene spheres on a slide with a motorized translation stage in order to match linear translation speed with line exposure periods to preserve the image aspect ratio. Aspect ratios were then calculated after imaging to ensure quality control of image data. Fluorescent beads were imaged in suspension flowing through the microfluidics chamber being pumped by a mechanical syringe pump at 16 μl min{sup −1} with a line exposure period of 150 μs. The line period was selected to acquire images of fluorescent beads with a 40 dB signal-to-background ratio. A motorized translation stage was then used to transport conventional glass slides of stained cellular biospecimens. Whole blood collected from healthy volunteers was stained with 0.02% (w/v) proflavine hemisulfate was imaged to highlight leukocyte morphology with a 1.56 mm × 1.28 mm field of view (1540 ms total acquisition time). Oral squamous cells were also collected from healthy volunteers and stained with 0.01% (w/v) proflavine hemisulfate to demonstrate quantifiable subcellular features and an average nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio of 0.03 (n = 75), with a resolution of 0.31 μm pixels{sup −1}.

  6. Wolter x-ray microscope calibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerassimenko, M.

    1986-06-01

    A 22 x Wolter microscope was calibrated after several months of operation in the Lawrence Livermore National laboratory (LLNL) Inertial Confinement Fusion program. Placing a point x-ray source at the microscope focus, I recorded the image plane spectrum, as well as the direct spectrum, and from the ratio of these two spectra derived an accurate estimate of the microscope solid angle in the 1 to 4 keV range. The solid angle was also calculated using the microscope geometry and composition. Comparison of this calculated value with the solid angle that was actually measured suggests contamination of the microscope surface

  7. Wolter x-ray microscope calibration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gerassimenko, M.

    1986-01-01

    A 22 x Wolter microscope was calibrated after several months of operation in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) Inertial Confinement Fusion program. Placing a point x-ray source at the microscope focus, I recorded the image plane spectrum, as well as the direct spectrum, and from the ratio of these two spectra derived an accurate estimate of the microscope solid angle in the 1-4 keV range. The solid angle was also calculated using the microscope geometry and composition. Comparison of this calculated value with the solid angle that was actually measured suggests contamination of the microscope surface

  8. Atomic force microscopic investigation of commercial pressure sensitive adhesives for forensic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canetta, Elisabetta; Adya, Ashok K

    2011-07-15

    Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), such as those used in packaging and adhesive tapes, are very often encountered in forensic investigations. In criminal activities, packaging tapes may be used for sealing packets containing drugs, explosive devices, or questioned documents, while adhesive and electrical tapes are used occasionally in kidnapping cases. In this work, the potential of using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in both imaging and force mapping (FM) modes to derive additional analytical information from PSAs is demonstrated. AFM has been used to illustrate differences in the ultrastructural and nanomechanical properties of three visually distinguishable commercial PSAs to first test the feasibility of using this technique. Subsequently, AFM was used to detect nanoscopic differences between three visually indistinguishable PSAs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Haemozoin Detection in Mouse Liver Histology Using Simple Polarized Light Microscope

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DWI RAMADHANI

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The presence of malarial pigment (haemozoin due to Plasmodium infection is a common histopathological effect in mouse liver. Previous research showed that by using a polarized light microscope, researchers were better able to detect haemozoin in mouse liver histology section. Thus, the aim of this research was to compare the haemozoin area observed by a conventional vs. simple polarized light microscope by using image processing analysis. A total of 40 images produced from both conventional light microscope and simple polarized light microscope were collected. All images were analyzed using ImageJ 1.47 software to measure the haemozoin areas. Our results showed that non birefringent haemozoin and birefringent haemozoin area was significantly different. This was because when using conventional light microscope the brown area that contained images of non birefringent haemozoin images also contained Kupffer cells which appeared as the same brown color as haemozoin. In contrast, haemozoin gave bright effect and can be easily differentiated with Kupffer cells in the birefringent haemozoin images. This study concluded that haemozoin detection in mouse liver histology using a simple polarized light microscope was more accurate compared to that of conventional light microscope.

  10. Application fo tunneling and atomic force detection to machines and scientific instruments. Tunnel gensho ya genshikan no mechatronics eno oyo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kawakatsu, H. (The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan). Institute of Industrial Science)

    1991-11-01

    It is now about ten years since the scanning tunnel microscope (STM) and the atomic force microscope (AFM) were invented. These microscopes are used very importantly today as a surface analyzer capable of atomic order analysis for their very high resolution. The STM and AFM obtain images of atomic orders by means of mechanical scanning of the probes. This means that the microscopes can control positioning, force detection and displacement in regions of sub-nanometer orders. Examples of researches may include detection of acceleration, length measurement, positioning, force detection, nano-tripology, processing and gravitational wave detection. As described above, this paper notes the researches derived from the operational principles of the STM and AFM, rather than the researches on the observation objects. The great diversity of the researches taken up and the greatness in the number of researches in the STM and AFM gather how superbly germinative these were. 34 refs.

  11. FEATURES OF MEASURING IN LIQUID MEDIA BY ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikhail V. Zhukov

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Subject of Research.The paper presents results of experimental study of measurement features in liquids by atomic force microscope to identify the best modes and buffered media as well as to find possible image artifacts and ways of their elimination. Method. The atomic force microscope Ntegra Aura (NT-MDT, Russia with standard prism probe holder and liquid cell was used to carry out measurements in liquids. The calibration lattice TGQ1 (NT-MDT, Russia was chosen as investigated structure with a fixed shape and height. Main Results. The research of probe functioning in specific pH liquids (distilled water, PBS - sodium phosphate buffer, Na2HPO4 - borate buffer, NaOH 0.1 M, NaOH 0.5 M was carried out in contact and semi-contact modes. The optimal operating conditions and the best media for the liquid measurements were found. Comparison of atomic force microscopy data with the results of lattice study by scanning electron microscopy was performed. The features of the feedback system response in the «probe-surface» interaction were considered by the approach/retraction curves in the different environments. An artifact of image inversion was analyzed and recommendation for its elimination was provided. Practical Relevance. These studies reveal the possibility of fine alignment of research method for objects of organic and inorganic nature by atomic force microscopy in liquid media.

  12. Image transfer with spatial coherence for aberration corrected transmission electron microscopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosokawa, Fumio; Sawada, Hidetaka; Shinkawa, Takao; Sannomiya, Takumi

    2016-01-01

    The formula of spatial coherence involving an aberration up to six-fold astigmatism is derived for aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Transfer functions for linear imaging are calculated using the newly derived formula with several residual aberrations. Depending on the symmetry and origin of an aberration, the calculated transfer function shows characteristic symmetries. The aberrations that originate from the field’s components, having uniformity along the z direction, namely, the n-fold astigmatism, show rotational symmetric damping of the coherence. The aberrations that originate from the field’s derivatives with respect to z, such as coma, star, and three lobe, show non-rotational symmetric damping. It is confirmed that the odd-symmetric wave aberrations have influences on the attenuation of an image via spatial coherence. Examples of image simulations of haemoglobin and Si [211] are shown by using the spatial coherence for an aberration-corrected electron microscope. - Highlights: • The formula of partial coherence for aberration corrected TEM is derived. • Transfer functions are calculated with several residual aberrations. • The calculated transfer function shows the characteristic damping. • The odd-symmetric wave aberrations can cause the attenuation of image via coherence. • The examples of aberration corrected TEM image simulations are shown.

  13. Image transfer with spatial coherence for aberration corrected transmission electron microscopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hosokawa, Fumio, E-mail: hosokawa@bio-net.co.jp [BioNet Ltd., 2-3-28 Nishikityo, Tachikwa, Tokyo (Japan); Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midoriku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan); Sawada, Hidetaka [JEOL (UK) Ltd., JEOL House, Silver Court, Watchmead, Welwyn Garden City, Herts AL7 1LT (United Kingdom); Shinkawa, Takao [BioNet Ltd., 2-3-28 Nishikityo, Tachikwa, Tokyo (Japan); Sannomiya, Takumi [Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta, Midoriku, Yokohama 226-8503 (Japan)

    2016-08-15

    The formula of spatial coherence involving an aberration up to six-fold astigmatism is derived for aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy. Transfer functions for linear imaging are calculated using the newly derived formula with several residual aberrations. Depending on the symmetry and origin of an aberration, the calculated transfer function shows characteristic symmetries. The aberrations that originate from the field’s components, having uniformity along the z direction, namely, the n-fold astigmatism, show rotational symmetric damping of the coherence. The aberrations that originate from the field’s derivatives with respect to z, such as coma, star, and three lobe, show non-rotational symmetric damping. It is confirmed that the odd-symmetric wave aberrations have influences on the attenuation of an image via spatial coherence. Examples of image simulations of haemoglobin and Si [211] are shown by using the spatial coherence for an aberration-corrected electron microscope. - Highlights: • The formula of partial coherence for aberration corrected TEM is derived. • Transfer functions are calculated with several residual aberrations. • The calculated transfer function shows the characteristic damping. • The odd-symmetric wave aberrations can cause the attenuation of image via coherence. • The examples of aberration corrected TEM image simulations are shown.

  14. Red Blood Cell Count Automation Using Microscopic Hyperspectral Imaging Technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qingli; Zhou, Mei; Liu, Hongying; Wang, Yiting; Guo, Fangmin

    2015-12-01

    Red blood cell counts have been proven to be one of the most frequently performed blood tests and are valuable for early diagnosis of some diseases. This paper describes an automated red blood cell counting method based on microscopic hyperspectral imaging technology. Unlike the light microscopy-based red blood count methods, a combined spatial and spectral algorithm is proposed to identify red blood cells by integrating active contour models and automated two-dimensional k-means with spectral angle mapper algorithm. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has better performance than spatial based algorithm because the new algorithm can jointly use the spatial and spectral information of blood cells.

  15. An atomic force microscope for the study of the effects of tip sample interactions on dimensional metrology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yacoot, Andrew; Koenders, Ludger; Wolff, Helmut

    2007-02-01

    An atomic force microscope (AFM) has been developed for studying interactions between the AFM tip and the sample. Such interactions need to be taken into account when making quantitative measurements. The microscope reported here has both the conventional beam deflection system and a fibre optical interferometer for measuring the movement of the cantilever. Both can be simultaneously used so as to not only servo control the tip movements, but also detect residual movement of the cantilever. Additionally, a high-resolution homodyne differential optical interferometer is used to measure the vertical displacement between the cantilever holder and the sample, thereby providing traceability for vertical height measurements. The instrument is compatible with an x-ray interferometer, thereby facilitating high resolution one-dimensional scans in the X-direction whose metrology is based on the silicon d220 lattice spacing (0.192 nm). This paper concentrates on the first stage of the instrument's development and presents some preliminary results validating the instrument's performance and showing its potential.

  16. Chemical imaging of cotton fibers using an infrared microscope and a focal-plane array detector

    Science.gov (United States)

    In this presentation, the chemical imaging of cotton fibers with an infrared microscope and a Focal-Plane Array (FPA) detector will be discussed. Infrared spectroscopy can provide us with information on the structure and quality of cotton fibers. In addition, FPA detectors allow for simultaneous spe...

  17. Compact plane illumination plugin device to enable light sheet fluorescence imaging of multi-cellular organisms on an inverted wide-field microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Zeyi; Lee, Juhyun; Jiang, Hao; Dong, Siyan; Jen, Nelson; Hsiai, Tzung; Ho, Chih-Ming; Fei, Peng

    2016-01-01

    We developed a compact plane illumination plugin (PIP) device which enabled plane illumination and light sheet fluorescence imaging on a conventional inverted microscope. The PIP device allowed the integration of microscope with tunable laser sheet profile, fast image acquisition, and 3-D scanning. The device is both compact, measuring approximately 15 by 5 by 5 cm, and cost-effective, since we employed consumer electronics and an inexpensive device molding method. We demonstrated that PIP provided significant contrast and resolution enhancement to conventional microscopy through imaging different multi-cellular fluorescent structures, including 3-D branched cells in vitro and live zebrafish embryos. Imaging with the integration of PIP greatly reduced out-of-focus contamination and generated sharper contrast in acquired 2-D plane images when compared with the stand-alone inverted microscope. As a result, the dynamic fluid domain of the beating zebrafish heart was clearly segmented and the functional monitoring of the heart was achieved. Furthermore, the enhanced axial resolution established by thin plane illumination of PIP enabled the 3-D reconstruction of the branched cellular structures, which leads to the improvement on the functionality of the wide field microscopy.

  18. Robotic autopositioning of the operating microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oppenlander, Mark E; Chowdhry, Shakeel A; Merkl, Brandon; Hattendorf, Guido M; Nakaji, Peter; Spetzler, Robert F

    2014-06-01

    Use of the operating microscope has become pervasive since its introduction to the neurosurgical world. Neuronavigation fused with the operating microscope has allowed accurate correlation of the focal point of the microscope and its location on the downloaded imaging study. However, the robotic ability of the Pentero microscope has not been utilized to orient the angle of the microscope or to change its focal length to hone in on a predefined target. To report a novel technology that allows automatic positioning of the operating microscope onto a set target and utilization of a planned trajectory, either determined with the StealthStation S7 by using preoperative imaging or intraoperatively with the microscope. By utilizing the current motorized capabilities of the Zeiss OPMI Pentero microscope, a robotic autopositioning feature was developed in collaboration with Surgical Technologies, Medtronic, Inc. (StealthStation S7). The system is currently being tested at the Barrow Neurological Institute. Three options were developed for automatically positioning the microscope: AutoLock Current Point, Align Parallel to Plan, and Point to Plan Target. These options allow the microscope to pivot around the lesion, hover in a set plane parallel to the determined trajectory, or rotate and point to a set target point, respectively. Integration of automatic microscope positioning into the operative workflow has potential to increase operative efficacy and safety. This technology is best suited for precise trajectories and entry points into deep-seated lesions.

  19. Evaluation of an X-ray-excited optical microscope for chemical imaging of metal and other surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabbe, Pieter-Jan; Dowsett, Mark; Hand, Matthew; Grayburn, Rosie; Thompson, Paul; Bras, Wim; Adriaens, Annemie

    2014-12-02

    The application of a modular system for the nondestructive chemical imaging of metal and other surfaces is described using heritage metals as an example. The custom-built X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL) microscope, XEOM 1, images the chemical state and short-range atomic order of the top 200 nm of both amorphous and crystalline surfaces. A broad X-ray beam is used to illuminate large areas (up to 4 mm(2)) of the sample, and the resulting XEOL emission is collected simultaneously for each pixel by a charge-coupled device sensor to form an image. The input X-ray energy is incremented across a range typical for the X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and an image collected for each increment. The use of large-footprint beams combined with parallel detection allows the power density to be kept low and facilitates complete nondestructive XANES mapping on a reasonable time scale. In this study the microscope was evaluated by imaging copper surfaces with well-defined patterns of different corrosion products (cuprite Cu2O and nantokite CuCl). The images obtained show chemical contrast, and filtering the XEOL light allowed different corrosion products to be imaged separately. Absorption spectra extracted from software-selected regions of interest exhibit characteristic XANES fingerprints for the compounds present. Moreover, when the X-ray absorption edge positions were extracted from each spectrum, an oxidation state map of the sample could be compiled. The results show that this method allows one to obtain nondestructive and noninvasive information at the micrometer scale while using full-field imaging.

  20. as-PSOCT: Volumetric microscopic imaging of human brain architecture and connectivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hui; Magnain, Caroline; Wang, Ruopeng; Dubb, Jay; Varjabedian, Ani; Tirrell, Lee S; Stevens, Allison; Augustinack, Jean C; Konukoglu, Ender; Aganj, Iman; Frosch, Matthew P; Schmahmann, Jeremy D; Fischl, Bruce; Boas, David A

    2018-01-15

    Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) with serial sectioning has enabled the investigation of 3D structures in mouse and human brain tissue samples. By using intrinsic optical properties of back-scattering and birefringence, PSOCT reliably images cytoarchitecture, myeloarchitecture and fiber orientations. In this study, we developed a fully automatic serial sectioning polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography (as-PSOCT) system to enable volumetric reconstruction of human brain samples with unprecedented sample size and resolution. The 3.5 μm in-plane resolution and 50 μm through-plane voxel size allow inspection of cortical layers that are a single-cell in width, as well as small crossing fibers. We show the abilities of as-PSOCT in quantifying layer thicknesses of the cerebellar cortex and creating microscopic tractography of intricate fiber networks in the subcortical nuclei and internal capsule regions, all based on volumetric reconstructions. as-PSOCT provides a viable tool for studying quantitative cytoarchitecture and myeloarchitecture and mapping connectivity with microscopic resolution in the human brain. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. High-resolution imaging of ultracold fermions in microscopically tailored optical potentials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmermann, B; Mueller, T; Meineke, J; Esslinger, T; Moritz, H

    2011-01-01

    We report on the local probing and preparation of an ultracold Fermi gas on the length scale of one micrometer, i.e. of the order of the Fermi wavelength. The essential tool of our experimental setup is a pair of identical, high-resolution microscope objectives. One of the microscope objectives allows local imaging of the trapped Fermi gas of 6 Li atoms with a maximum resolution of 660 nm, while the other enables the generation of arbitrary optical dipole potentials on the same length scale. Employing a two-dimensional (2D) acousto-optical deflector, we demonstrate the formation of several trapping geometries, including a tightly focused single optical dipole trap, a 4x4 site 2D optical lattice and an 8 site ring lattice configuration. Furthermore, we show the ability to load and detect a small number of atoms in these trapping potentials. A site separation down to one micrometer in combination with the low mass of 6 Li results in tunneling rates that are sufficiently large for the implementation of Hubbard models with the designed geometries.

  2. In vivo microscopic imaging of the bronchial mucosa using an endo-cytoscopy system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibuya, Kiyoshi; Fujiwara, Taiki; Yasufuku, Kazuhiro; Alaa, Mohamed; Chiyo, Masako; Nakajima, Takahiro; Hoshino, Hidehisa; Hiroshima, Kenzo; Nakatani, Yukio; Yoshino, Ichiro

    2011-05-01

    We investigated the capabilities of an endo-cytoscopy system (ECS) that enables microscopic imaging of the tracheobronchial tree during bronchoscopy, including normal bronchial epithelium, dysplastic mucosa and squamous cell carcinoma. The newly developed ECS has a 3.2 mm diameter that can be passed through the 4.2 mm working channel of a mother endoscope for insertion of the ECS. It has a high magnification of 570× on a 17 in. video monitor. Twenty-two patients (7 squamous cell carcinoma, 11 squamous dysplasia and 4 after PDT therapies) were underwent white light, NBI light and AFI bronchoscopy. Both abnormal areas of interest and normal bronchial mucosa were stained with 0.5% methylene blue and examined with ECS at high magnification (570×). Histological examinations using haematoxylin and eosin staining were made of biopsied specimens. Analyzed ECS images were compared with the corresponding histological examinations. In normal bronchial mucosa, ciliated columnar epithelial cells were visible. In bronchial squamous dysplasia, superficial cells with abundant cytoplasm were arranged regularly. In squamous cell carcinoma, large, polymorphic tumor cells showed increased cellular densities with irregular stratified patterns. These ECS images corresponded well with the light-microscopic examination of conventional histology. ECS was useful for the discrimination between normal bronchial epithelial cells and dysplastic cells or malignant cells during bronchoscopy in real time. This novel technology has an excellent potential to provide in vivo diagnosis during bronchoscopic examinations. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Nonlinear vibration of rectangular atomic force microscope cantilevers by considering the Hertzian contact theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadeghi, A., E-mail: a_sadeghi@srbiau.ac.ir [Islamic Azad Univ., Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Zohoor, H. [Sharif Univ. of Technology, Center of Excellence in Design, Robotics and Automation, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); The Academy of Sciences if I.R. Iran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2010-05-15

    The nonlinear flexural vibration for a rectangular atomic force microscope cantilever is investigated by using Timoshenko beam theory. In this paper, the normal and tangential tip-sample interaction forces are found from a Hertzian contact model and the effects of the contact position, normal and lateral contact stiffness, tip height, thickness of the beam, and the angle between the cantilever and the sample surface on the nonlinear frequency to linear frequency ratio are studied. The differential quadrature method is employed to solve the nonlinear differential equations of motion. The results show that softening behavior is seen for most cases and by increasing the normal contact stiffness, the frequency ratio increases for the first mode, but for the second mode, the situation is reversed. The nonlinear-frequency to linear-frequency ratio increases by increasing the Timoshenko beam parameter, but decreases by increasing the contact position for constant amplitude for the first and second modes. For the first mode, the frequency ratio decreases by increasing both of the lateral contact stiffness and the tip height, but increases by increasing the angle α between the cantilever and sample surface. (author)

  4. Trace Element Mapping of a Biological Specimen by a Full-Field X-ray Fluorescence Imaging Microscope with a Wolter Mirror

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoshino, Masato; Yamada, Norimitsu; Ishino, Toyoaki; Namiki, Takashi; Watanabe, Norio; Aoki, Sadao

    2007-01-01

    A full-field X-ray fluorescence imaging microscope with a Wolter mirror was applied to the element mapping of alfalfa seeds. The X-ray fluorescence microscope was built at the Photon Factory BL3C2 (KEK). X-ray fluorescence images of several growing stages of the alfalfa seeds were obtained. X-ray fluorescence energy spectra were measured with either a solid state detector or a CCD photon counting method. The element distributions of iron and zinc which were included in the seeds were obtained using a photon counting method

  5. Optimizing 1-μs-Resolution Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy on a Commercial Atomic Force Microscope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Devin T; Faulk, Jaevyn K; Sanders, Aric W; Bull, Matthew S; Walder, Robert; LeBlanc, Marc-Andre; Sousa, Marcelo C; Perkins, Thomas T

    2015-10-14

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) is widely used to mechanically measure the folding and unfolding of proteins. However, the temporal resolution of a standard commercial cantilever is 50-1000 μs, masking rapid transitions and short-lived intermediates. Recently, SMFS with 0.7-μs temporal resolution was achieved using an ultrashort (L = 9 μm) cantilever on a custom-built, high-speed AFM. By micromachining such cantilevers with a focused ion beam, we optimized them for SMFS rather than tapping-mode imaging. To enhance usability and throughput, we detected the modified cantilevers on a commercial AFM retrofitted with a detection laser system featuring a 3-μm circular spot size. Moreover, individual cantilevers were reused over multiple days. The improved capabilities of the modified cantilevers for SMFS were showcased by unfolding a polyprotein, a popular biophysical assay. Specifically, these cantilevers maintained a 1-μs response time while eliminating cantilever ringing (Q ≅ 0.5). We therefore expect such cantilevers, along with the instrumentational improvements to detect them on a commercial AFM, to accelerate high-precision AFM-based SMFS studies.

  6. Set-up of a high-resolution 300 mK atomic force microscope in an ultra-high vacuum compatible {sup 3}He/10 T cryostat

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Allwörden, H. von; Ruschmeier, K.; Köhler, A.; Eelbo, T.; Schwarz, A., E-mail: aschwarz@physnet.uni-hamburg.de; Wiesendanger, R. [Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Jungiusstrasse 11, 20355 Hamburg (Germany)

    2016-07-15

    The design of an atomic force microscope with an all-fiber interferometric detection scheme capable of atomic resolution at about 500 mK is presented. The microscope body is connected to a small pumped {sup 3}He reservoir with a base temperature of about 300 mK. The bakeable insert with the cooling stage can be moved from its measurement position inside the bore of a superconducting 10 T magnet into an ultra-high vacuum chamber, where the tip and sample can be exchanged in situ. Moreover, single atoms or molecules can be evaporated onto a cold substrate located inside the microscope. Two side chambers are equipped with standard surface preparation and surface analysis tools. The performance of the microscope at low temperatures is demonstrated by resolving single Co atoms on Mn/W(110) and by showing atomic resolution on NaCl(001).

  7. Nonlinear Dynamics of Cantilever-Sample Interactions in Atomic Force Microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantrell, John H.; Cantrell, Sean A.

    2010-01-01

    The interaction of the cantilever tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) with the sample surface is obtained by treating the cantilever and sample as independent systems coupled by a nonlinear force acting between the cantilever tip and a volume element of the sample surface. The volume element is subjected to a restoring force from the remainder of the sample that provides dynamical equilibrium for the combined systems. The model accounts for the positions on the cantilever of the cantilever tip, laser probe, and excitation force (if any) via a basis set of set of orthogonal functions that may be generalized to account for arbitrary cantilever shapes. The basis set is extended to include nonlinear cantilever modes. The model leads to a pair of coupled nonlinear differential equations that are solved analytically using a matrix iteration procedure. The effects of oscillatory excitation forces applied either to the cantilever or to the sample surface (or to both) are obtained from the solution set and applied to the to the assessment of phase and amplitude signals generated by various acoustic-atomic force microscope (A-AFM) modalities. The influence of bistable cantilever modes of on AFM signal generation is discussed. The effects on the cantilever-sample surface dynamics of subsurface features embedded in the sample that are perturbed by surface-generated oscillatory excitation forces and carried to the cantilever via wave propagation are accounted by the Bolef-Miller propagating wave model. Expressions pertaining to signal generation and image contrast in A-AFM are obtained and applied to amplitude modulation (intermittent contact) atomic force microscopy and resonant difference-frequency atomic force ultrasonic microscopy (RDF-AFUM). The influence of phase accumulation in A-AFM on image contrast is discussed, as is the effect of hard contact and maximum nonlinearity regimes of A-AFM operation.

  8. Aiming of Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope based on auxiliary optical system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang Shengling; Mu Baozhong; Yi Shengzhen; Wang Xin; Wang Zhanshan; Ding Yongkun; Miao Wenyong; Dong Jianjun

    2009-01-01

    An auxiliary optical system has been designed, which can provide precise positioning for aiming Kirkpatrick-Baez (KB) microscope object location. An 8 keV X-ray imaging system by KB microscope with periodic multilayer films has been designed. The field of view and depth of field in the resolution of 5 μm are got, and then the corresponding point and depth of field in diagnostic experiments are calculated. Based on the object-image relations and precision of the KB microscope, an auxiliary visible light imaging system is designed and X-ray imaging experiments are performed, which can achieve equivalent aiming between the visible imaging system and the KB microscope. The results show that ±20 μm vertical axis plane and ±300 μm axial accuracy are achieved through the auxiliary optical path, which can meet the object point positioning requirements of the KB microscope. (authors)

  9. Environmental TEM in an Aberration Corrected Microscope

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Thomas Willum; Wagner, Jakob Birkedal

    ‐resolution imaging. A gaseous atmosphere in the pole‐piece gap of the objective lens of the microscope alters both the incoming electron wave prior to interaction with the sample and the outgoing wave below the sample. Whereas conventional TEM samples are usually thin (below 10‐20 nm), the gas in the environmental...... the microscope column. The effects of gas on the electron wave in the objective lens are not well understood and needs further attention. Imaging samples with a simple geometry, such as gold particles on a flat graphene substrate and analyzing the variations in contrast, provides a means for understanding...... results from imaging in various elemental as well as di‐molecular gases and their effect on imaging and spectroscopy in the environmental transmission electron microscope....

  10. A fourth order PDE based fuzzy c- means approach for segmentation of microscopic biopsy images in presence of Poisson noise for cancer detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Rajesh; Srivastava, Subodh; Srivastava, Rajeev

    2017-07-01

    For cancer detection from microscopic biopsy images, image segmentation step used for segmentation of cells and nuclei play an important role. Accuracy of segmentation approach dominate the final results. Also the microscopic biopsy images have intrinsic Poisson noise and if it is present in the image the segmentation results may not be accurate. The objective is to propose an efficient fuzzy c-means based segmentation approach which can also handle the noise present in the image during the segmentation process itself i.e. noise removal and segmentation is combined in one step. To address the above issues, in this paper a fourth order partial differential equation (FPDE) based nonlinear filter adapted to Poisson noise with fuzzy c-means segmentation method is proposed. This approach is capable of effectively handling the segmentation problem of blocky artifacts while achieving good tradeoff between Poisson noise removals and edge preservation of the microscopic biopsy images during segmentation process for cancer detection from cells. The proposed approach is tested on breast cancer microscopic biopsy data set with region of interest (ROI) segmented ground truth images. The microscopic biopsy data set contains 31 benign and 27 malignant images of size 896 × 768. The region of interest selected ground truth of all 58 images are also available for this data set. Finally, the result obtained from proposed approach is compared with the results of popular segmentation algorithms; fuzzy c-means, color k-means, texture based segmentation, and total variation fuzzy c-means approaches. The experimental results shows that proposed approach is providing better results in terms of various performance measures such as Jaccard coefficient, dice index, Tanimoto coefficient, area under curve, accuracy, true positive rate, true negative rate, false positive rate, false negative rate, random index, global consistency error, and variance of information as compared to other

  11. Chip-scale fluorescence microscope based on a silo-filter complementary metal-oxide semiconductor image sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ah Lee, Seung; Ou, Xiaoze; Lee, J Eugene; Yang, Changhuei

    2013-06-01

    We demonstrate a silo-filter (SF) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor for a chip-scale fluorescence microscope. The extruded pixel design with metal walls between neighboring pixels guides fluorescence emission through the thick absorptive filter to the photodiode of a pixel. Our prototype device achieves 13 μm resolution over a wide field of view (4.8 mm × 4.4 mm). We demonstrate bright-field and fluorescence longitudinal imaging of living cells in a compact, low-cost configuration.

  12. Cancer cell imaging by stable wet near-field scanning optical microscope with resonance tracking method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Kyoung-Duck; Park, Doo-Jae; Jeong, Mun-Seok; Choi, Geun-Chang; Lee, Seung-Gol; Byeon, Clare-Chisu; Choi, Soo-Bong

    2014-01-01

    We report on a successful topographical and optical imaging of various cancer cells in liquid and in air by using a stable wet near-field scanning optical microscope that utilizes a resonance tracking method. We observed a clear dehydration which gives rise to a decrease in the cell volume down to 51%. In addition, a micro-ball lens effect due to the round-shaped young cancer cells was observed from near-field imaging, where the refractive index of young cancer cells was deduced.

  13. Cancer cell imaging by stable wet near-field scanning optical microscope with resonance tracking method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Kyoung-Duck [Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Doo-Jae; Jeong, Mun-Seok [Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Geun-Chang [Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Seung-Gol [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of); Byeon, Clare-Chisu [Kyungpook National University, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Soo-Bong [Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    We report on a successful topographical and optical imaging of various cancer cells in liquid and in air by using a stable wet near-field scanning optical microscope that utilizes a resonance tracking method. We observed a clear dehydration which gives rise to a decrease in the cell volume down to 51%. In addition, a micro-ball lens effect due to the round-shaped young cancer cells was observed from near-field imaging, where the refractive index of young cancer cells was deduced.

  14. Corrosion initiation of stainless steel in HCl solution studied using electrochemical noise and in-situ atomic force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Yan; Hu Ronggang; Wang Jingrun; Huang Yongxia; Lin Changjian

    2009-01-01

    An in-situ atomic force microscope (AFM), optical microscope and electrochemical noise (ECN) techniques were applied to the investigation of corrosion initiations in an early stage of 1Cr18Ni9Ti stainless steel immersed in 0.5 M HCl solution. The electrochemical current noise data has been analyzed using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). For the first time, the origin of wavelet coefficients is discussed based on the correlation between the evolution of the energy distribution plot (EDP) of wavelet coefficients and topographic changes. It is found that the occurrence of initiation of metastable pitting at susceptive sites is resulted from the reductive breakdown of passive film of stainless steel in the diluted HCL solution. The coefficients d 4 -d 6 are originated from metastable pitting, d 7 represents the formation and growth of stable pitting while d 8 corresponds to the general corrosion.

  15. Miniaturized integration of a fluorescence microscope

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Kunal K.; Burns, Laurie D.; Cocker, Eric D.; Nimmerjahn, Axel; Ziv, Yaniv; Gamal, Abbas El; Schnitzer, Mark J.

    2013-01-01

    The light microscope is traditionally an instrument of substantial size and expense. Its miniaturized integration would enable many new applications based on mass-producible, tiny microscopes. Key prospective usages include brain imaging in behaving animals towards relating cellular dynamics to animal behavior. Here we introduce a miniature (1.9 g) integrated fluorescence microscope made from mass-producible parts, including semiconductor light source and sensor. This device enables high-speed cellular-level imaging across ∼0.5 mm2 areas in active mice. This capability allowed concurrent tracking of Ca2+ spiking in >200 Purkinje neurons across nine cerebellar microzones. During mouse locomotion, individual microzones exhibited large-scale, synchronized Ca2+ spiking. This is a mesoscopic neural dynamic missed by prior techniques for studying the brain at other length scales. Overall, the integrated microscope is a potentially transformative technology that permits distribution to many animals and enables diverse usages, such as portable diagnostics or microscope arrays for large-scale screens. PMID:21909102

  16. Antibody-Unfolding and Metastable-State Binding in Force Spectroscopy and Recognition Imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaur, Parminder; Qiang-Fu; Fuhrmann, Alexander; Ros, Robert; Kutner, Linda Obenauer; Schneeweis, Lumelle A.; Navoa, Ryman; Steger, Kirby; Xie, Lei; Yonan, Christopher; Abraham, Ralph; Grace, Michael J.; Lindsay, Stuart

    2011-01-01

    Force spectroscopy and recognition imaging are important techniques for characterizing and mapping molecular interactions. In both cases, an antibody is pulled away from its target in times that are much less than the normal residence time of the antibody on its target. The distribution of pulling lengths in force spectroscopy shows the development of additional peaks at high loading rates, indicating that part of the antibody frequently unfolds. This propensity to unfold is reversible, indicating that exposure to high loading rates induces a structural transition to a metastable state. Weakened interactions of the antibody in this metastable state could account for reduced specificity in recognition imaging where the loading rates are always high. The much weaker interaction between the partially unfolded antibody and target, while still specific (as shown by control experiments), results in unbinding on millisecond timescales, giving rise to rapid switching noise in the recognition images. At the lower loading rates used in force spectroscopy, we still find discrepancies between the binding kinetics determined by force spectroscopy and those determined by surface plasmon resonance—possibly a consequence of the short tethers used in recognition imaging. Recognition imaging is nonetheless a powerful tool for interpreting complex atomic force microscopy images, so long as specificity is calibrated in situ, and not inferred from equilibrium binding kinetics. PMID:21190677

  17. In situ measurements of human articular cartilage stiffness by means of a scanning force microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imer, Raphael; Akiyama, Terunobu; Rooij, Nico F de; Stolz, Martin; Aebi, Ueli; Kilger, Robert; Friederich, Niklaus F; Wirz, Dieter; Daniels, A U; Staufer, Urs

    2007-01-01

    Osteoarthritis is a painful and disabling progressive joint disease, characterized by degradation of articular cartilage. In order to study this disease at early stages, we have miniaturized and integrated a complete scanning force microscope into a standard arthroscopic device fitting through a standard orthopedic canula. This instrument will allow orthopedic surgeons to measure the mechanical properties of articular cartilage at the nanometer and micrometer scale in-vivo during a standard arthroscopy. An orthopedic surgeon assessed the handling of the instrument. First measurements of the elasticity-modulus of human cartilage were recorded in a cadaver knee non minimal invasive. Second, minimally invasive experiments were performed using arthroscopic instruments. Load-displacement curves were successfully recorded

  18. Note: Fabrication of a fast-response and user-friendly environmental chamber for atomic force microscopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ji, Yanfeng; Hui, Fei; Shi, Yuanyuan; Han, Tingting; Song, Xiaoxue; Pan, Chengbin; Lanza, Mario, E-mail: mlanza@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano & Soft Materials, Soochow University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Suzhou Nano Science & Technology, 199 Ren-Ai Road, Suzhou 215123 (China)

    2015-10-15

    The atomic force microscope is one of the most widespread tools in science, but many suppliers do not provide a competitive solution to make experiments in controlled atmospheres. Here, we provide a solution to this problem by fabricating a fast-response and user-friendly environmental chamber. We corroborate the correct functioning of the chamber by studying the formation of local anodic oxidation on a silicon sample (biased under opposite polarities), an effect that can be suppressed by measuring in a dry nitrogen atmosphere. The usefulness of this chamber goes beyond the example here presented, and it could be used in many other fields of science, including physics, mechanics, microelectronics, nanotechnology, medicine, and biology.

  19. In situ measurements of human articular cartilage stiffness by means of a scanning force microscope

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Imer, Raphael [Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchatel, Jaquet-Droz 1, 2007 Neuchatel (Switzerland); Akiyama, Terunobu [Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchatel, Jaquet-Droz 1, 2007 Neuchatel (Switzerland); Rooij, Nico F de [Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchatel, Jaquet-Droz 1, 2007 Neuchatel (Switzerland); Stolz, Martin [Maurice E. Mueller Institute, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 70, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Aebi, Ueli [Maurice E. Mueller Institute, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 70, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Kilger, Robert [Clinics for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Kantonsspital, 4101 Bruderholz (Switzerland); Friederich, Niklaus F [Clinics for Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Kantonsspital, 4101 Bruderholz (Switzerland); Wirz, Dieter [Lab. for Orthopaedic Biomechanics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 50-70, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Daniels, A U [Lab. for Orthopaedic Biomechanics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstr. 50-70, 4056 Basel (Switzerland); Staufer, Urs [Institute of Microtechnology, University of Neuchatel, Jaquet-Droz 1, 2007 Neuchatel (Switzerland)

    2007-03-15

    Osteoarthritis is a painful and disabling progressive joint disease, characterized by degradation of articular cartilage. In order to study this disease at early stages, we have miniaturized and integrated a complete scanning force microscope into a standard arthroscopic device fitting through a standard orthopedic canula. This instrument will allow orthopedic surgeons to measure the mechanical properties of articular cartilage at the nanometer and micrometer scale in-vivo during a standard arthroscopy. An orthopedic surgeon assessed the handling of the instrument. First measurements of the elasticity-modulus of human cartilage were recorded in a cadaver knee non minimal invasive. Second, minimally invasive experiments were performed using arthroscopic instruments. Load-displacement curves were successfully recorded.

  20. Deep two-photon microscopic imaging through brain tissue using the second singlet state from fluorescent agent chlorophyll α in spinach leaf.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Lingyan; Rodríguez-Contreras, Adrián; Budansky, Yury; Pu, Yang; Nguyen, Thien An; Alfano, Robert R

    2014-06-01

    Two-photon (2P) excitation of the second singlet (S₂) state was studied to achieve deep optical microscopic imaging in brain tissue when both the excitation (800 nm) and emission (685 nm) wavelengths lie in the "tissue optical window" (650 to 950 nm). S₂ state technique was used to investigate chlorophyll α (Chl α) fluorescence inside a spinach leaf under a thick layer of freshly sliced rat brain tissue in combination with 2P microscopic imaging. Strong emission at the peak wavelength of 685 nm under the 2P S₂ state of Chl α enabled the imaging depth up to 450 μm through rat brain tissue.