Project description
Photonic chip enables super-resolution, high-throughput nanoscopy
Nanoscopy, a combination of techniques that allows the imaging of single molecules with optical microscopes, was awarded the Nobel Prize 2014 for chemistry. Despite its promising potential, however, system complexity, high cost and low throughput are the main roadblocks that are preventing nanoscopy from making a bigger impact. The EU-funded ChipNano project is extending prior work on compact photonic chip-based optical nanoscopy. The new method can increase throughput by 100 times. The sample is placed on top of a photonic chip, capable of both holding and illuminating the sample, enabling scientists to acquire high-resolution images. Photonic chips can be retrofitted to an existing standard optical microscope, converting it to a high-resolution nanoscope. The overall aim is to bring the technology closer to the market.
Objective
The invention of optical nanoscopy is about to revolutionize several disciplines and it was awarded with a Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2014. It is widely believed that a majority of existing optical microscopes will be replaced by an optical nanoscope. Unfortunately, the potential of the such a revolution and its widespread adoption are severely obstructed due to limitations of present day nanoscopy solution, i.e. system complexity, high cost and low throughput. In my ERC project, I have developed compact photonic chip-based optical nanoscopy, that can increase the throughput of convention optical nanoscopy by a factor of 100 times. The sample is placed on top of a photonic chip, capable of both holding and illuminating the sample, enabling to acquire super-resolved images. Photonic-chips can be retrofitted to an existing standard optical microscope converting it to high-resolution nanoscope. By way of analogy, moving from current super-resolution microscopy to chip-based nanoscopy will be as transformational as the move from main-frame computers to mobile phones. This is indeed a disruptive technology enabling widespread penetration of affordable chip-based optical nanoscopes. In ChipNano, the overall aim here is to bring the technology closer to the market by making the invention more commercially viable by a) co-operating and possibly setting-up business contract with the industrial partners on chip-production b) obtaining user feedback from key opinion leaders in Europe; c) consolidating business case to attract long-term venture funding in close cooperation with a university spin-off.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotHost institution
9019 Tromso
Norway