Surface Imaging
 
 
Nikon TIRF microscope
 
We have recently purchased a Nikon total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope. In TIRF microscopy, an evanescent field is used to photoexcite a fluorophore of a species at a surface, such as fluorescent proteins in cells or fluorescent probes that partition into particular regions within a cell or some heterogenous surface species.
By photoexciting with a pulsed laser and using single photon counting electronics, TIRF microscopy can be extended into the time domain and fluorescence lifetime images of surface species can be obtained.
A fluorescently-stained cell as viewed under TIRF microscopy
 
Brewster Angle Microscopy (BAM) an optical reflectance-based technique used for imaging surfaces that vary topographically on a small (nanometer) scale and also show spatial variance due to optical heterogeneities. These may be due to, for example, differences in composition. BAM is based on the technique Ellipsometry.
We are applying the novel methodology of time-resolved TIRF microscopy to the study of the phase behaviour of conjugated polymer films, cells and phase domains in lipid bilayers. We use BAM to monitor spreading and wetting phenomena of thin films.
 
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Contact Michelle Gee School of Chemistry University of Melbourne, VIC 3010 Australia mlgee@unimelb.edu.au Michelle%20Gee.htmlmailto:mlgee@unimelb.edu.aushapeimage_36_link_0shapeimage_36_link_1