1. Ultralow-Loss Substrate for Nanophotonic Dark-Field Microscopy
- Author
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Nguyen, Thang Minh, Cho, YongDeok, Huh, Ji-Hyeok, Ahn, Hayun, Kim, NaYeoun, Rho, Kyung Hun, Lee, Jaewon, Kwon, Min, Park, Sung Hun, Kim, ChaeEon, Kim, Kwangjin, Kim, Young-Seok, and Lee, Seungwoo
- Abstract
For the colloidal nanophotonic structures, a transmission electron microscope (TEM) grid has been widely used as a substrate of dark-field microscopy because a nanometer-scale feature can be effectively determined by TEM imaging following dark-field microscopic studies. However, an optically lossy carbon layer has been implemented in conventional TEM grids. A broadband scattering from the edges of the TEM grid further restricted an accessible signal-to-noise ratio. Herein, we demonstrate that the freely suspended, ultrathin, and wide-scale transparent nanomembrane can address such challenges. We developed a 1 mm by 600 μm scale and 20 nm thick poly(vinyl formal) nanomembrane, whose area is around 180 times wider than a conventional TEM grid, so that the possible broadband scattering at the edges of the grid was effectively excluded. Also, such nanomembranes can be formed without the assistance of carbon support; allowing us to achieve the highest signal-to-background ratio of scattering among other substrates.
- Published
- 2023
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