研究実績の概要 |
There were two primary goals of this research: 1) To overcome the restrictions of our previously developed TOAD microscope that mean that sample access is extremely limited. Having free access above and / or below the sample would allow for new measurements including rapidly switched external magnetic field (SEMF) effects, reaction yield detected magnetic resonance (RYDMR) and anisotropic magnetic field effects to be undertaken. 2) To add total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) to the available imaging techniques to allow experiments on single molecules to be undertaken. The original methods proposed to achieve the first goal were tested by using cavity-based total internal reflection of the probe laser through a high numerical TIRF objective lens. While the principle was found to be correct, the extent of optical losses through the objective were too high to obtain a cavity of sufficient finesse to make the measurements of practical utility. Instead, two separate microscopes were constructed. The first couples TIRF microscopy with spin-sensitive techniques and provides powerful tools for studying magnetosensitive processes in both chemical and biological systems. The second microscope employs long working distance lenses and multiple analysis beams in a new optical arrangement to allow access to both sides of the sample while providing absorption spectral information by acquiring simultaneous time-resolved optical absorption signals at multiple wavelengths. These two techniques can be used to provide complementary information on the same microscopic sample.
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