High resolution near field scanning optical microscopy

• US 8,693,837 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Tischler, Jonathan R., Bradley, Michael Scott, Bulovic, Vladimir
• Primary Examiner(s): ROJAS, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US12/531,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,211 Days
• Field of Search: 850/30, 385/141
• US Class Current: 385/141
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 35/00 Methods or apparatus for measurement or analysis of nanostructures
• CPC Class Codes: G01Q 60/22 Probes, their manufacture, or their related instrumentation, e.g. holders
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/262 Optical details of coupling light into, or out of, or between fibre ends, e.g. special fibre end shapes or associated optical elements

Abstract

An optical fiber including a surface including a non-covalent multilayer including a light-absorbing material can be used to develop fluorescence microscopy with a lateral resolution of about 5 nm and possibly lower. The non-covalent multilayer can be a highly absorptive thin film, for example a film based on J-aggregates, which can be used with conventional Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy.

Claims

1. An optical fiber comprising a surface including a non-covalent multilayer including a light-absorbing material, wherein the light-absorbing material includes a J-aggregate, wherein the surface further includes a metal layer, wherein the metal layer overlaps with the non-covalent multilayer, and wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a light donor layer and a light acceptor layer separated by a distance.

2. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer covers a predetermined region of the surface.

3. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the J-aggregate includes a cyanine dye.

4. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a multiply charged species.

5. The optical fiber of claim 4, wherein the multiply charged species is a polyelectrolyte.

6. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer has an absorption coefficient of at least 1×

10⁵ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

7. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer has an absorption coefficient of at least 5×

10⁵ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

8. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer has an absorption coefficient of at least 1×

10⁶ cm<sup>−

1</sup>.

9. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber includes a tapered tip.

10. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber includes an aperture at a tip of the fiber.

11. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the metal layer is adjacent to the non-covalent multilayer.

12. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a fluorescent compound.

13. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein the distance is less than 5 nanometers.

14. The optical fiber of claim 1, wherein a portion of the non-covalent multilayer is crosslinked.

19. A method of forming an image of a sample comprising monitoring light interacting with a sample, the light being transmitted or collected through an optical fiber of claim 1.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the image identifies features having a dimension of 5 nanometers or less.

15. A method of manufacturing an optical fiber comprising:

forming a non-covalent multilayer including a light-absorbing material on a surface of an optical fiber, wherein forming the non-covalent multilayer includes contacting the fiber with the light-absorbing material and wherein the light-absorbing material is a J-aggregate, wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a light donor layer and a light acceptor layer separated by a distance.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a first layer interacting with a second layer via electrostatic interactions.

17. The optical fiber of claim 15, wherein the non-covalent multilayer includes a first layer interacting with a second layer via hydrogen-bonding interactions.

18. The optical fiber of claim 15, wherein forming the non-covalent multilayer includes contacting the substrate with a multiply charged species.