Temperature and temperature distribution sensing with high resolution in microscopic electronic devices and biological objects

US8434939B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Sony Deutschland GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Tzenka Miteva · Stuttgart, DE
• Gabriele Nelles · Stuttgart, DE
• Akio Yasuda · Eßlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 12, 2007
• Grant date: May 7, 2013
• Expiry date: Apr 15, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B21/0076
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of measuring a temperature and/or temperature distribution at a resolution <1 &mgr; m in an object and to a device for performing such method, more particularly to a microscope for performing such method. The method comprises applying a molecular thermometer embedded in a matrix layer on an object, photoexciting the said molecular thermometer with a light source of said microscope and measuring emission of radiation from said molecular thermometer with two photodetectors of said microscope. A first intensity at a first wavelength is measured by said first detector, a second intensity at a second wavelength is measured by said second.detector, and a ratio of said intensities is calculated and used to determine a temperature with a calibrated curve. Said microscope is a confocal microscope or a stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope.