Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy ; Department of Physics, University of Genova, Genova, Italy.
PLoS One. 2013 Jun 17;8(6):e66608. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066608. Print 2013.
In the last two decades, nano manipulation has been recognized as a potential tool of scientific interest especially in nanotechnology and nano-robotics. Contemporary optical microscopy (super resolution) techniques have also reached the nanometer scale resolution to visualize this and hence a combination of super resolution aided nano manipulation ineluctably gives a new perspective to the scenario. Here we demonstrate how specificity and rapid determination of structures provided by stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope can aid another microscopic tool with capability of mechanical manoeuvring, like an atomic force microscope (AFM) to get topological information or to target nano scaled materials. We also give proof of principle on how high-resolution real time visualization can improve nano manipulation capability within a dense sample, and how STED-AFM is an optimal combination for this job. With these evidences, this article points to future precise nano dissections and maybe even to a nano-snooker game with an AFM tip and fluorospheres.
在过去的二十年中，纳米操纵已被公认为一种具有科学意义的潜在工具，特别是在纳米技术和纳米机器人领域。当代光学显微镜（超分辨率）技术也已经达到纳米级分辨率，可以对其进行可视化，因此，超分辨率辅助纳米操纵的结合不可避免地为这一领域提供了新的视角。在这里，我们展示了受激发射损耗（STED）显微镜提供的结构特异性和快速测定如何帮助另一种具有机械操纵能力的显微镜工具，如原子力显微镜（AFM），以获取拓扑信息或靶向纳米级材料。我们还证明了如何在密集样本中通过高分辨率实时可视化来提高纳米操纵能力，以及 STED-AFM 如何成为这项工作的最佳组合。有了这些证据，本文指出了未来精确的纳米解剖，甚至可能是使用 AFM 尖端和荧光球进行纳米台球游戏。
