Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques

Apertureless Near-Field Optical Microscopy for Pristine Materials - Much Higher Resolution Below Diffraction Limit and Versatility than Stochastic Techniques

Abstract

Kaupp Gerd

The strong enhancement of the reflection back to the sharp (R<20 nm) tapered quartz tip (factor >2 up to 50!) uniquely enables apertureless shear force SNOM, local Raman, and fluorescence of flat or rough daily life and real world surfaces of all types, including biological/medical ones. It is highly versatile, economic, artifact-free at slopes up to 70° (sometimes 80°) with heights of several μm, and uncomplicated. Sharp tips are pulled at almost no cost. The unparalleled optical resolution is <8.6 nm. Also numerous industrial and biological/medical applications are revealed at the several μm ranges, for example cancer detection in up to 25 × 25 μm2 or up to 50 × 50 nm2 frames within 2 min. None of these qualities are present in more recent stochastic techniques like STED, STORM, PALM, etc, that must first chemically react biological samples all over with huge fluorescence dyes for detection and calculation of fluorescence distributions at only slight submicroscopic resolution. The ensuing claims of the stochastic work must therefore be counterchecked (this includes creation of improved knowledge) by the revival of save cheap and easy apertureless SNOM revealing much finer details of the actual bio objects in their actual hydrogen bonding and coiling states, for the sake of reality and further progress. Physical foundations and applications in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, and industry are demonstrated. Nothing of that is achievable by STED, STORM, PALM, etc. with their highly-restricted versatility.