Method of identifying a structure
AssigneeLa Trobe University
InventorsBrian Abbey, Eugeniu Balaur
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of analysis of a sample is described. The method includes providing a sample holder having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a plasmonic layer associated therewith, the plasmonic layer including a periodic array of sub-micron structures. A sample is applied to the sample holder and illuminated. At least one localised structural property of the sample is visible in an image formed based on the colour of the received light. The method includes using the image formed to control a subsequent analysis process. The subsequent analysis process can be another microscopy process such as TEM, SEM or the like.
Claims30
A method of analysis of a sample, the method comprising:
- providing a sample holder having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having a plasmonic layer associated therewith, the plasmonic layer including a periodic array of sub-micron structures;
- applying the sample to the upper surface of the sample holder;
- illuminating the sample with light so that said light interacts with the sample and sample holder;
- forming an image using said light, after interaction with said sample and sample holder, wherein at least one localised structural property of the sample is visible in the image based on the colour of the received light;
- and
- using the image formed to control a subsequent analysis process.
A method of selecting a region of interest of a sample, for use in a subsequent analysis process, the method including:
- providing a sample holder having an upper surface face and a lower surface, the upper surface having a plasmonic layer associated therewith, the plasmonic layer including a periodic array of sub-micron structures;
- applying a sample, in which the region of interest is to be determined, to the upper surface of the sample holder;
- illuminating the sample with light so that said light interacts with the sample and sample holder;
- forming an image using said light, after interaction with said sample and sample holder, wherein at least one localised structural property of the sample is visible in the image based on the colour of received light;
- and
- selecting a region of interest of said sample applied to the sample holder at least partly on the basis of the colour of at least part of the sample.
A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes:
- selecting a region of interest of said sample applied to the sample holder, and performing a subsequent analysis on a subsequent-analysis sample corresponding to the selected region of interest.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the subsequent-analysis sample corresponding to the selected region of interest can be a different sample that is spatially corresponding to the selected region of interest, that is acquired from the same tissue sample.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the subsequent analysis process is a subsequent imaging process.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the subsequent analysis process is a subsequent microscopy process.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes determining an order or schedule for said subsequent analysis.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes performing the subsequent analysis on a region of interest.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes only performing the subsequent analysis on a region of interest.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes performing the subsequent analysis on a region of interest before other regions not being a region of interest.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes transferring one or more datum points and/or a coordinate system from the sample for use in the subsequent analysis.
The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the method includes aligning existing datum points or coordinate systems between a reference frame used when the image was formed using said light, and a reference frame used in performing the subsequent analysis.
The method as claimed in any one or the preceding claims wherein the sample is a biological sample.
The method as claimed in any one or the preceding claims wherein the localised structural property is the dielectric constant of the sample at a location.
A system for forming an image using a method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.