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Surface imaging beyond the diffraction limit with optically trapped spheres

Nature Nanotechnology volume 10, pages 1064–1069 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

Optical traps play an increasing role in the bionanosciences because of their ability to apply forces flexibly on tiny structures in fluid environments. Combined with particle-tracking techniques, they allow the sensing of miniscule forces exerted on these structures. Similar to atomic force microscopy (AFM), but much more sensitive, an optically trapped probe can be scanned across a structured surface to measure the height profile from the displacements of the probe. Here we demonstrate that, by the combination of a time-shared twin-optical trap and nanometre-precise three-dimensional interferometric particle tracking, both reliable height profiling and surface imaging are possible with a spatial resolution below the diffraction limit. The technique exploits the high-energy thermal position fluctuations of the trapped probe, and leads to a sampling of the surface 5,000 times softer than in AFM. The measured height and force profiles from test structures and Helicobacter cells illustrate the potential to uncover specific properties of hard and soft surfaces.

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Figure 1: Dual-beam scanning process.
Figure 2: Scanning results.
Figure 3: Height-profile mapping.
Figure 4: Spatial image resolution.
Figure 5: Imaging different sample materials.
Figure 6: Force microscopy of H. pylori.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M. Koch, D. Ruh, A. Seifert and T. Henze for a careful reading of the manuscript and/or for helpful discussions. We also thank B. Waidner for helping with the H. pylori bacteria and C. Müller for support with the SEM-image acquisition.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microsystems Engineering – IMTEK, Laboratory for Bio- and Nano-Photonics, University of Freiburg, 79110 Freiburg, Germany

    Lars Friedrich & Alexander Rohrbach

  2. Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH, 68165 Mannheim, Germany

    Lars Friedrich

  3. BIOSS Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg, Germany

    Alexander Rohrbach

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  1. Lars Friedrich
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  2. Alexander Rohrbach
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Contributions

L.F. performed the experiments, analysed the data and prepared all the graphs. A.R. initiated and supervised the project. A.R. and L.F. co-wrote the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexander Rohrbach.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Friedrich, L., Rohrbach, A. Surface imaging beyond the diffraction limit with optically trapped spheres. Nature Nanotech 10, 1064–1069 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2015.202

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