Despite Abbe’s optical diffraction limit impedes nanometer-scale spatial resolution for conventional microscopy and spectroscopy, the combination of scanning probe microscopy and laser illumination provides new ways to beat the diffraction limit. One of these imaging techniques, infrared scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM), is to demodulate the near-field light scattering signal from a metallic AFM tip to locally enhance the optical field and probe the polaritonic properties of the sample. The other family of high spatial resolution imaging technique is action- or force-based infrared microscopy, which measures the light-induced thermal expansions in the sample or the photo-induced force from the dipole-dipole interaction between the tip and sample.<br/><br/>Recently our research group developed a new type of scanning probe microscopy: peak force infrared microscopy (PFIR). It combines the peak force tapping (an operation mode of AFM from Bruker Nano) with a synchronized pulsed mid-infrared light source, and enables chemical imaging, broadband spectroscopy and mechanical mapping at a spatial resolution ~10 nm. I will describe the mechanism and technical details of PFIR microscopy, and its applications in characterizing soft polymers, urban aerosols (particulate matter PM2.5), as well as biological samples. The high spatial resolution and multimodal characterization ability of PFIR microscopy will provide a powerful analytical tool for explorations at the nanoscale across wide disciplines.

Nanoscale chemical and mechanical imaging via peak force infrared microscopy

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.