| AVS 54th International Symposium | |
| Applied Surface Science | Tuesday Sessions |
| Session AS+BI+NS-TuM |
| Session: | Surface Analysis and Related Methods for Biological Materials |
| Presenter: | J. Phillips, Imperial College London, UK |
| Authors: | J. Phillips, Imperial College London, UK H. Amrania, Imperial College London, UK J. Plumridge, Imperial College London, UK M. Frogley, Imperial College London, UK |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
We discuss the potential biomedical applications for a unique infrared spectroscopic micro-imaging system. A table top tuneable solid state laser has been coupled to a commercial infrared microscope to create a unique mid-IR imaging tool. By integrating with a modified high resolution infrared camera that has previously only been available to the military market, we have constructed a broadband imaging system capable of performing diffraction limited spatially resolved spectroscopy of biological specimens. The narrow line-width of the laser allows us to take spectra at a resolution of 20cm-1. A polymer film sample with a micron scale structure has also been imaged in reflective mode to resolve details down to 8 microns in size. We also discuss results from spectrally imaging cancerous cervical tissue samples. The high peak power of the laser (10MW) offers signal to noise levels previously unobtainable with stand-alone laboratory based commercial instruments. This coupled with a short pulse duration will for the first time enable time resolved imaging at a 100psec resolution.