Infrared imaging now available at UTAS
This instrument is the first of its kind in Tasmania and since it is located at the CSL, it will be accessible to all researchers within the University as well as local government agencies and industry.
The spectrometer itself is a high end research instrument, capable of resolution of less than 0.4cm-1 and with a wavenumber accuracy of 0.01cm-1. Attachments for the instrument, such as a single reflection ATR crystal, eliminate the need for tedious sample preparation.
Samples on the attached IR microscope can be analysed in both transmittance and reflectance mode and the instrument comes with two detectors, which cover the whole mid- and near-infrared region. The motorized x-y stage is the perfect setup for infrared imaging and a knife edge aperture enables the user to select a spot size as small as 5x5µm.
“This infrared microscope is complementary to some existing analytical instruments at UTAS, such as the Electron Microscopy and X-ray Microanalysis facility at the CSL and our recently commissioned Confocal 2 photon Microscope which is housed at the Menzies Institute” says Dr Thomas Rodemann, Senior Scientist in charge of the Vibrational Spectroscopy Facility. “Infrared imaging will give us specific information about the spatial distribution of different functional groups, chemicals or materials in a given sample and in most cases this can be achieved without any sample preparation.”
Applications of microscopic infrared imaging are wide and varied and cover most disciplines in physical, life and health science, and even in forensics and art restoration. Examples include the discrimination and classification of prostate cancer, determination of the content of active ingredients and their blend homogeneity in a solid pharmaceutical drug, and the spatial distribution and quantitation of water and carbon dioxide in melt inclusions of volcanic rocks.
For further information on this facility and the applications please visit the Vibrational Spectroscopy site on the CSL webpage or directly contact Thomas.Rodemann@utas.edu.au
