Anasys
Instruments' AFM-IR system has been recognized by Microscopy Today in the
receipt of the 2011 Innovation Award. It was presented to CEO, Roshan Shetty, at
the 2011 M&M Annual conference held this year in Nashville, TN.
Anasys AFM-IR system wins a 2011 Microscopy Today Innovation Award.
The AFM-IR technique was developed by Dr. Alexandre Dazzi at the University
of Paris-Sud. It uses an AFM probe as the IR absorbance detector and hence
obtains IR spectroscopy at up to 2 orders of magnitude better than traditional
IR spectroscopy. It also provides the AFM with true chemical ID capability which
has long been the 'holy grail' for this community.
Commenting on the impact of AFM-IR which led to the award,
internationally-recognized spectroscopist, Dr Curtis Marcott, Senior Partner at
Light Light Solutions and the 2011 President of the Society for Applied
Spectroscopy, said "the combination of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and
infrared (IR) spectroscopy as manifested in the new technique of AFM-IR is one
of the most important recent developments in the important field of IR
microspectroscopy and chemical imaging."
He went on to say, "the importance of IR spectroscopy to our scientific
infrastructure needs no introduction given the size of the industry and the
breadth of its application. However, the fundamental physical limit imposed by
diffraction has prevented the use of this important technology to applications
requiring high spatial resolution which is the case for many of the exciting new
issues in polymers and the life sciences."
Potential nanoIR application areas include polymer blends, multilayer films
and laminates, organic defect analysis, tissue morphology and histology,
subcellular spectroscopy, and organic photovoltaics. For further details, please
visit the company website (www.anasysinstruments.com).