Open AccessUltralong Tracking of Fast‐Diffusing Nano‐Objects inside Nanofluidic Channel−Enhanced Microstructured Optical Fiber
Author(s) -
Gui Fengji,
Jiang Shiqi,
Förster Ronny,
Plidschun Malte,
Weidlich Stefan,
Zhao Jiangbo,
Schmidt Markus A.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced photonics research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2699-9293
DOI - 10.1002/adpr.202100032
Subject(s) - nanofluidics , microrheology , frame rate , brownian motion , optical tweezers , tracking (education) , optical fiber , diffusion , materials science , nanotechnology , fiber , frame (networking) , channel (broadcasting) , optics , computer science , physics , computer network , quantum mechanics , viscoelasticity , composite material , thermodynamics , psychology , telecommunications , pedagogy
Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) represents one essential technology to characterize diffusing nanoscale objects. Herein, uncovering dynamic processes and high‐precision measurements requires tracks with thousands of frames to reach high statistical significance, ideally at high frame rates. Optical fibers with nanochannels are used for NTA, successfully demonstrating acquisition of trajectories of fast diffusion nano‐objects with 100 000 frames. Due to the spatial limitation of the central nanofluidic channel, diffusion of objects illuminated by the core mode is confined, enabling the recording of Brownian motion over extraordinarily long time scales at high frame rates. The resulting benefits are discussed on a representative track of a gold nanosphere diffusing in water in over nearly 100 000 frames at 2 kHz frame rate. In addition to the verification of the fiber‐based NTA using two data processing methods, a segmented analysis reveals a correlation between precision of determined diameter and continuous time interval (i.e., number of frames per subtrajectory). The presented results demonstrate the capabilities of fiber‐based NTA in terms of 1) determining diameters with extraordinary high precision of single species and 2) monitoring dynamic processes of the object or the fluidic environment, both of which are relevant within biology, microrheology, and nano‐object characterization.