A nanometre-scale resolution interference-based probe of interfacial phenomena between microscopic objects and surfaces

Interferometric techniques have proven useful to infer proximity and local surface profiles of microscopic objects near surfaces. But a critical trade-off emerges between accuracy and mathematical complexity when these methods are applied outside the vicinity of closest approach. Here we introduce a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2013-05, Vol.4 (1), p.1919-1919, Article 1919
Main Authors: Contreras-Naranjo, Jose C., Ugaz, Victor M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
639/624/1075
639/624/1107/328
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
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Summary:Interferometric techniques have proven useful to infer proximity and local surface profiles of microscopic objects near surfaces. But a critical trade-off emerges between accuracy and mathematical complexity when these methods are applied outside the vicinity of closest approach. Here we introduce a significant advancement that enables reflection interference contrast microscopy to provide nearly instantaneous reconstruction of an arbitrary convex object’s contour next to a bounding surface with nanometre resolution, making it possible to interrogate microparticle/surface interaction phenomena at radii of curvature 1,000 times smaller than those accessible by the conventional surface force apparatus. The unique view-from-below perspective of reflection interference contrast microscopy also reveals previously unseen deformations and allows the first direct observation of femtolitre-scale capillary condensation dynamics underneath micron-sized particles. Our implementation of reflection interference contrast microscopy provides a generally applicable nanometre-scale resolution tool that can be potentially exploited to dynamically probe ensembles of objects near surfaces so that statistical/probabilistic behaviour can be realistically captured. Interferometric techniques can provide valuable contact and profile information of microscopic objects on surfaces. This work uses reflection interference contrast microscopy to directly observe contact phenomena and presents novel analytical methods offering high-accuracy nanoscale resolution.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms2865