Sign in Subscribe
Universities and colleges

Design and Fabrication of Fiber-Optic Nanoprobes for Optical Sensing

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from Duke University have designed and fabricated fiber-optic nanoprobes for optical detection in single living cells. The nanoprobes' sensitivity depends on the extremely small excitation volume, which is determined by the aperture sizes and penetration depths. The researchers achieved nanoaperture diameters of approximately 50 nm using a 25 tilt angle and demonstrated the use of the nanoprobes by detecting a fluorescent species, benzo[a] pyrene tetrol (BPT), in single living cells.

Key Takeaways:

  • Researchers from Duke University designed and fabricated fiber-optic nanoprobes for optical detection in single living cells.
  • The detection sensitivity of the nanoprobes depends on the extremely small excitation volume, which is determined by the aperture sizes and penetration depths.
  • The researchers achieved nanoaperture diameters of approximately 50 nm using a 25 tilt angle.
  • The aperture size is sensitive to the subtle change of the metal evaporation angle and could be blocked by irregular metal grains.
  • Researchers obtained optical nanoprobes with well-defined aperture size as small as 200 nm using focused ion beam (FIB) milling.
  • The researchers demonstrated the use of the nanoprobes by detecting a fluorescent species, benzo[a] pyrene tetrol (BPT), in single living cells.
  • A quantitative estimation of the numbers of BPT molecules detected using fiber-optic nanoprobes for BPT solutions shows that the limit of detection was approximately 100 molecules.
  • The researchers published their study in Nanoscale Research Letters (Design and Fabrication of Fiber-Optic Nanoprobes for Optical Sensing. Nanoscale Research Letters, 2011;6():18).

Statistics:

  • Nanoaperture diameters of approximately 50 nm were achieved using a 25 tilt angle.
  • Optical nanoprobes with well-defined aperture size as small as 200 nm were obtained using FIB milling.
  • The limit of detection for BPT molecules using fiber-optic nanoprobes was approximately 100 molecules.
  • The study was published in Nanoscale Research Letters, Volume 6, 2011.

Sources:

  • Zhang, Y., et al. (2011). Design and Fabrication of Fiber-Optic Nanoprobes for Optical Sensing. Nanoscale Research Letters, 6, 18.

Read more