Exploring Nanoscale Chemistry with NanoIR:A Revolutionary Nanoscale Infrared Spectroscopy System

NanoIR is a cutting-edge nanoscale infrared spectroscopy system that combines atomic force microscopy (AFM) with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. This technology enables researchers to obtain chemical and structural information with spatial resolution at the nanometer scale, which is crucial for various fields such as materials science, life sciences, and nanotechnology.

The NanoIR system operates by using an AFM probe with a sharp tip to scan the sample surface. At the same time, it applies infrared light to the area being scanned. When the infrared light interacts with the sample, it induces molecular vibrations, and these vibrations produce characteristic infrared absorption spectra. By measuring these spectra, researchers can identify the chemical composition and molecular structure of the sample with nanometer-scale spatial resolution.

Figure 1:Schematic of the nanoIR system

NanoIR offers several advanced capabilities:

Nanoscale Chemical Imaging: NanoIR can generate chemical maps of samples, showing the distribution of different chemical components with nanometer-scale resolution. This is particularly useful for studying heterogeneous materials or complex biological samples.
Point Spectroscopy: With NanoIR, researchers can perform point spectroscopy, obtaining infrared spectra at specific locations on the sample surface. This allows for detailed chemical analysis of individual features or regions of interest.
Resonance-Enhanced AFM-IR: This mode provides enhanced sensitivity and resolution, allowing for the detection and characterization of even smaller features and molecular structures.
Tapping AFM-IR: This imaging mode enables high-resolution chemical imaging while maintaining the quality of the obtained infrared spectra.
Versatile Applications: NanoIR is used in various applications, including polymer characterization, thin film analysis, biomaterials research, and semiconductor analysis.

Principles of NanoIR

The principle of NanoIR is to combine atomic force microscopy (AFM) with infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The system uses an AFM probe to scan the sample surface at the nanoscale and applies infrared light to the surface to perform spectroscopic measurements.

Specifically, the NanoIR system focuses an infrared beam onto the sample surface near the tip of the AFM probe. When the infrared light interacts with the sample, molecules within the sample vibrate. These vibrations result in absorption and emission characteristics, forming an infrared spectrum.

The AFM probe simultaneously records both the surface morphology and the infrared spectrum of the sample. By scanning the entire sample surface and recording the infrared spectrum at each location, data correlating the infrared absorption intensity with the sample surface morphology are obtained. Ultimately, this data is used to reconstruct chemical composition distribution images of the sample, enabling chemical imaging and analysis at the nanoscale.

In summary, NanoIR utilizes the high-resolution surface imaging capability of AFM and the chemical sensitivity of infrared spectroscopy to provide researchers with a powerful tool for obtaining chemical and structural information of samples at the nanoscale.

When testing with NanoIR, there are several things to keep in mind:

Sample Preparation: Ensure samples are properly prepared according to NanoIR requirements. This includes appropriate mounting, cleaning, and, if necessary, treatment to enhance conductivity.
AFM Probe Selection: Choose the correct AFM probe for the type of sample being tested. Consider factors such as tip sharpness, stiffness, and chemical resistance.
Environmental Conditions: Control environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and gas atmosphere if necessary. Some experiments may require specific environmental conditions for accurate results.
Sample Flatness: Samples should have a flat surface to ensure proper contact with the AFM probe and consistent measurements. Surface roughness and curvature should be minimized to avoid artifacts.
Sample Thickness: Consider the thickness of the sample, as thinner samples are preferred for better infrared light penetration and interaction.
Alignment: Ensure proper alignment of the NanoIR system components, including the AFM and infrared light source, for accurate measurements.

Case Analysis of NanoIR

Chemical Characterization of PS-co-PMMA Block Copolymer Samples using Tapping AFM-IR

Figure 2: Chemical Characterization of PS-co-PMMA Block Copolymer Samples using Tapping AFM-IR: (a) Tapping AFM height image; (b) Tapping AFM-IR spectra, clearly identifying each chemical component; (c) Tapping AFM-IR overlay image, highlighting two components (PS at 1492 and PMMA at 1588); and (d) Profile cross-section image, highlighting achievable spatial resolution of 10 nm.

NanoIR spectra of PAA and PAA/CS nanofibers at varying ferric concentrations.

Figure 3: NanoIR spectra of PAA and PAA/CS nanofibers at varying ferric concentrations. (A−D) Chemical map (1710 cm −1 ) of the PAA/CS nanofibers with 0 (A), 0.04 (B), 0.07 (C), and 0.1% (D) of ferric ions. (E−L) nanoIR spectra of the fibers with peak deconvolution made of PAAonly (E), PAA/CS (I), PAA/CA with 0.04% of ferric ions (F), PAA/CA with 0.07% of ferric ions (G), and PAA/CA with 0.1% of ferric ions (H). The nanoIR spectra of the clusters identified on the PAA/CS fibers with ferric ions are presented in (J−L).

Figure 4: Nanometer-scale Infrared Measurement of Polymer Nanofibers