Short description
(English)
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The Biophotonics group is active in the field of nonlinear and coherent microscopy with the aim to develop new approaches for biomedical imaging. Three years ago, we proposed the use of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) nanoparticles as exogenous probes for microscopy. We now want to further extend this research by assessing the properties of these particles for the in situ optical retrieval of the electric field in biological samples (transmembrane potential, neurons). In this context we propose a series of experiment based on the re-orientation of the crystals in an external artificial E-field. We also want to further exploit the coherence properties of the SHG emission, by verifying the sensitivity of the spectral and spectral-phase response to local microscopic environment, which can eventually develop as a novel diagnostic approach.
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Partners and International Organizations
(English)
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AT, BG, CH, CZ, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GR, HU, IE, IT, LT, PT, SE, SI, UK
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Abstract
(English)
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The Biophotonics group is active in the field of nonlinear and coherent microscopy with the aim to develop new approaches for biomedical imaging. We first proposed the use of Second Harmonic (SH) nanoparticles as exogenous probes for microscopy. The present project is aimed at further extending this research by assessing the coherent and polarization properties of these particles for the in situ optical retrieval of the electric field in biological samples (transmembrane potential, neurons). In this context, we have recently demonstrated the excitation of the nonlinear optical response of SH particles dispersed on a planar optical waveguide by the evanescent field of the guided mode. Using polarization imaging, we have revealed information on the orientation of the crystal axis of individual nanoparticles. The interference patterns generated from adjacent particles at the SH frequency have been observed for the first time. The actual form of the interference pattern has been explained on the basis of a dipole radiation model, taking into account the nanoparticles' orientation, surface effects, and the characteristics of the imaging optics.
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