Scanning near-field fluorescence microscopy of a phase-separated hydrocarbon–fluorocarbon mixed monolayer

• Published in: Ultramicroscopy 1998-03, Vol.71 (1), p.287-293
• Main Authors: Monobe, H., Koike, A., Muramatsu, H., Chiba, N., Yamamoto, N., Ataka, T., Fujihira, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic force microscopes; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Equations of state, phase equilibria, and phase transitions; Exact sciences and technology; Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Langmuir-blodgett films; Near-field scanning optical microscopes; Physics; Scanning probe microscopes, components and techniques; Solubility, segregation, and mixing; phase separation; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 0304-3991; 1879-2723
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3991(97)00065-X

We previously developed scanning near-field fluorescence microscopy (SNFM) by combining SNOM and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We demonstrate that this combination can be used for fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy for a localized nanoarea. A small amount of a cationic cyanine dye with two long alkyl chains (CD) was added to see whether this hydrocarbon (HC) fluorescent dye is preferentially dissolved in the HC island phase in phase-separated mixed monolayers of HC and fluorocarbon (FC) amphiphiles. The SNFM image clearly shows that the modified SNOM–AFM can be used to observe fluorescence and topography images. The image also confirms the preferential dissolution of CD in the HC phase.