Nanograting-based plasmon enhancement for total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy of live cells.
We investigated evanescent field enhancement based on subwavelength nanogratings for improved sensitivity in total internal reflection microscopy of live cells. The field enhancement is associated with subwavelength-grating-coupled plasmon excitation. An optimum sample employed a silver grating on a silver film and an SF10 glass substrate. Field intensity was enhanced by approximately 90% when measured by fluorescent excitation of microbeads relative to that on a bare prism as a control, which is in good agreement with numerical results. The subwavelength-grating-mediated field enhancement was also applied to live cell imaging of quantum dots, which confirmed the sensitivity enhancement qualitatively.
Program for Nanomedical Science and Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea.
Kyujung
K
Kim
Dong Jun
DJ
Kim
Eun-Jin
EJ
Cho
Jin-Suck
JS
Suh
Yong-Min
YM
Huh
Donghyun
D
Kim
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008857:Microscopy, Interference / Q000379:methods*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity