Nov 9 2010
Anasys Instruments announced that it has launched a new measurement device that displays the sample’s chemical composition at the nanoscale level. The new nanoIR platform integrates the capability of infrared spectroscopy to detect and characterize chemical species with the spatial resolution abilities of atomic force microscopy’s (AFM).
NanoIR Platform
nanoIR technology users can swiftly survey the sample areas through AFM and then quickly obtain chemical spectra at the chosen areas. The device can be programmed to obtain spectra automatically from a wide range of points across the sample. Thermal and mechanical properties can be mapped with nanoscale resolution.
The nanoIR is useful for a number of applications such as organic photovoltaics, subcellular spectroscopy, tissue morphology, organic defect analysis, multilayer films, and polymer blends. The polymer spectra obtained from the nanoIR system have shown improved correlation with Fourier transform infrared spectra.
The Chief Technology Officer of Anasys Instruments, Dr. Craig Prater stated that the nanoIR technology would overcome key barriers in IR spectroscopy and AFM. The IR spectroscopy is suitable for chemical characterization but does not have the spatial resolution to resolve the nanoscale problems. The AFM offers excellent resolution but does not have the potential to perform chemical spectroscopy. Prater added that the company has mainly focused on bridging these gaps.
Anasys was granted $2.6 million by the National Science Foundation and the NIST Advanced Technology Program to develop the NanoIR platform.