Method and device for photothermal imaging tiny metal particles immersed in a given medium
US6965434B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 2003 |
| Grant date | Nov 15, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 26, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2015/1452
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and device for photothermal imaging tiny metal particles which are immersed in a given medium like a living cell. The given medium and immersed tiny metal particles are illuminated through separate phase reference laser beam and sensitive probe laser beam, with the sensitive probe laser beam undergoing through impingement on the given medium slight phase changes induced by photothermal effect due to a local heating thanks to a heating laser beam, in the absence of any substantial phase changes to the phase reference laser beam. Illuminating is performed by focusing the separate phase reference laser beam. The induced slight phase changes on the sensitive probe laser beam with reference to the phase reference laser beam are detected through differential phase interference contrast phenomenon so as to allow each of the tiny metal particles in the given medium to be imaged as an optical label.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.