Biologists use super-resolution microscopy to study how organic cells work. They use an optical microscope to image individual molecules or viruses that are labelled with a light-emitting fluorophore. Normally, it is impossible to see details smaller than 200-300 nm because of the diffraction limit. But a super-resolution microscope uses a trick: the fluorophores can be switched on and off. This makes it possible to image and locate individual fluorophores with a resolution of a few nanometers.
But the biologists (and microscopy builders) have a problem: they cannot calibrate the microscopes and the fluorophores. In this project you will make calibration samples. In Step 1: write lines very thin lines, as thin as 10 nm, using the electron microscope. Step 2: decorate the lines with fluorophores. Step 3: image the lines in a super-resolution microscope. Your goal is to show that we can image the 10 nm lines in a super-resolution microscope.
During your project you will use electron microscopes, optical microscopes and wet chemistry.
Contact: prof. dr. Jeff de Hosson, dr. w.f.van.dorp@rug.nl.