Synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (SINS) was used to study the behavior of phonon polaritons in ultrathin crystals of hexagonal boron nitride. The results pave the way towards engineering infrared-light photonic nanodevices and expand our understanding of polariton behavior in low-dimensional nanomaterials. Read more »
ALS Work Using Infrared Nanospectroscopy
Broadband infrared (IR) light is focused onto the metal tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM). As it scans over the sample, the tip acts as an antenna, directing the light onto a tiny region of the sample. With a spatial resolution up to a thousand times better than conventional Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy (i.e., below the diffraction limit for IR light), synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (also known as SINS) enables the investigation of nanoscale phenomena, even under ambient and environmental conditions that are essentially inaccessible by other techniques. Read more…
New ALS Technique Gives Nanoscale Views of Complex Systems
A new broadband imaging technique looks inside the mesoscale realm with unprecedented sensitivity and range. Synchrotron Infrared Nano-Spectroscopy (SINS) will enable in-depth study of complex molecular systems, including liquid batteries, living cells, novel electronic materials, and stardust.
Read more »
