Post on 18-Mar-2016
description
Mark E. ReevesDepartment of Physics
Ph:(202) 994-6279http://home.gwu.edu/~reevesme/
reevesme@gwu.edu
Probing Matter at small length scales:
• Submicron imaging with long photons• How to beat diffraction – SNOM (or NSOM)• Developing electronic probes through
nanoparticle assembly
The protein microscope: imaging proteins via cellular level assays
SNOM tip
Laser beam
to Mass Spec
● Laser energy is absorbed by matrix surrounding biomolecules
● Biomolecules release, intact, from the surface
● Are collect by capillary headed into mass spectrometer
SNOM-MALDI Sampling
Drawing of instrument
Illustration of principle
With direct illumination, diffraction limits our spot size to 10 m
Use SNOM to probe the intramuscular junction
With SNOM, the spot size is 0.1 m(0.5 m scale bar)
100 m
Human hair
The Elements:● IR light (3 micron)– allows
water to be the matrix● SNOM – allows light to be
focused down to 0.1 micron spot.
● Atmospheric pressure – allows investigation of live cells.
Burden, S.J., et al.. J. Cell Biol. 1979
Scanning Near-Field Optical MicroscopySNOM
● Light is passed through an aperture● Object, screen, and illumination are very
close● This is the near-field● Light waves do not have a chance to form,
so diffraction is not an issue● We are limited only by how small we can
make the aperture
Through SNOM tips
● Image of trenches scanned through the DHB
● Image of pit from single laser shot● Crater is about 0.3 microns wide● Piled up material again forms a
concentric circle around the pit
Applications● Neuromuscular Junction (current)● Muscle repair (future)
Children’s Hospital – Keck Foundation● HIV transfection (current)
GWU Medical Center – internal funds● Signaling at chemical synapse (future)
Naval Research Laboratory – NRL
New England Journal of Medicine 339:32.
Self-Assembled Nanoparticle wires
Nanoparticles have unique properties
• At left are CdSe nanoparticles, the small size gives them quantum properties “electron in a box”
• The emission for the excited state to ground goes to longer wavelength (lower energy) for larger particles (bigger boxes)
• Color can change also by attachment of proteins
But they are difficult to electrically connect
Here’s how to wire up nanotechnology
a) Atomic force microscope image of a wire made of plastic spheres
b) 2 micron-wide gold wire (scanning electron micrograph)
c) Parallel 10 micron x 1 cm gold wiresd) Square array of crossing gold wires.---- once the gold dries, it stays put
All-electronic molecular detection:
•VCD deposited nanowire placed in a solution of thiol-derivatized molecules (ODT – a molecule used for biofunctionalization, HS(CH)CH )•Clear signal in the resistance observed as ODT molecules attach to gold nanowires
Onset of attachment
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ethanol100 M ODT1 mM ODT
10 mM ODT
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Time (s)
Collaborations• Biological problems
– Akos Vertes (KIPTA, GWU)– Fatah Kashanchi (KIPTA, GWU)– Eric Hoffmann (CNMRC)– Joan Hoffmann (post doc, GWU)– Jeff Byers, Marc Raphael (NRL)
• Microwave Materials– David Norton (U. of Florida)– Hans Christen (ORNL)
• Nanomaterials– Lynn Kurihara (NRL)