High-resolution 3D structural and optical analyses of hybrid or composite materials by means of scanning probe microscopy combined with the ultramicrotome techniqueстатья
Информация о цитировании статьи получена из
Web of Science,
Scopus
Дата последнего поиска статьи во внешних источниках: 4 февраля 2014 г.
Аннотация:Combination of nanometer-scale 3D structural analysis with optical characterization of the same material is a
challenging task. Its results may be important for nanophotonics, materials science, and quality control. We have
developed a new technique for complementary high-resolution structural and optical characterization followed by optical
spectroscopic and microscopic measurements accompanied by reconstruction of the 3D structure in the same area of the
sample. The 3D structure is reconstructed by combination of ultramicrotomic and SPM techniques allowing the study of
the 3D distribution of implanted nanoparticles and their effect on the matrix structure. The combination of scanning
probe nanotomography (SPN) and optical microspectroscopy makes it possible to direct estimate how the 3D structural
characteristics of materials affect their macroscopic optical properties. The technique developed has been applied to the
engineering of materials made from cholesteric liquid crystals and fluorescent quantum dots (QDs). These materials
permit photochemical patterning and image recording through the changes in the dissymmetry factor of circular
polarization of QD emission. The differences in the polarisation images and morphological characteristics of the liquid
crystal matrix have proved to be correlated with the arrangement of the areas of homogeneous distribution and nonhomogeneous
clustering of QDs. The reconstruction of the 3D structure of the liquid crystal matrix in the areas of
homogeneous QD distribution has shown that QDs embedded into cholesteric liquid crystal matrices do not perturb their
periodic planar texture. The combined optical/SPM/ultramicrotome technique will be indispensable for evaluating the
effects of inorganic nanoparticles on the organisation of organic and liquid crystal matrices, biomedical materials, cells,
and tissues.