Features And Bio-imaging Applications Of Optical Micro-nano Structures Under Evanescent Wave Excitation

Advanced optical imaging or spectroscopy techniques are utilized for facilitating the study of novel micro-nano structures application. Through the combination of this two emerging research lines, the flexible solutions could be proposed to fulfill the different biological demands. To improve the resolution and enhance the signal-to-noise ratio is always the main thread in bio-imaging development. As an extension of this topic, this thesis project have elucidated the dielectrical microspheres-assisted resolution improvement and evanescent wave-based signal-to-noise enhancement, and the integration of nanotechnology as well.In this thesis, light emission properties of two types of synthetic nanoparticles: Gold nanorods (GNRs), upconverting nanoparticles (UCNPs) and Aggregation-induced Emission nanoparticles (AIE nanoparticles) are taken into consideration. Compared with the traditional labeling probes, those three nano-materials are entitled with some novel features. Light scattering of GNRs under different circumstance are investigated with a modified objective-based total internal reflection microscopy system. It provides a versatile platform for the research in the field of single molecule detection or cell membrane investigation and could potentially be combined with other techniques such as microfluidics or optical manipulation. And a CW light excited multi-photon luminescence of UCNPs and AIE nanoparticles are also going to be studied in the evanescent wave condition. Detection methods and principles based on scattering and luminescence or fluorescence are compared. In both cases, imaging and spectroscopy are combined for investigation of nanoparticles dynamic in liquid. To take advantage of their special properties, cell labeling experiments are also conducted to verify their potential in biological investigation.