Name: Hyperspectral Line-Scanning VSFG Microscope Data Collection and Analysis
Uploaded: 2023-12-01T14:15:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Hyperspectral Line-Scanning VSFG Microscope Data Collection and Analysis at JoVE.com

hyperspectral line-scanning vsfg microscope data collection and analysis

Using a VSFG Microscope for Multimodal, Rapid, Hyperspectral Chemical Analysis

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG), a second-order nonlinear optical technique1,2, has been used extensively as a spectroscopy tool to chemically profile symmetry-allowed samples3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22. Traditionally, VSFG has been applied to interfacial systems8,9,10,11 (i.e., gas-liquid, liquid-liquid, gas-solid, solid-liquid), which lack inversion symmetry - a requirement for VSFG activity. This application of VSFG has provided a wealth of molecular details of buried interfaces12,13, configurations of water molecules at interfaces14,15,16,17,18, and chemical species at interfaces19,20,21,22.
Although VSFG has been powerful in determining molecular species and configurations at interfaces, its potential in measuring molecular structures of materials lacking inversion centers has not been fulfilled. This is partly because the materials could be heterogeneous in their chemical environment, compositions, and geometric arrangement, and a traditional VSFG spectrometer has a large illumination area on the order of 100 &#181;m2. Thus, traditional VSFG spectroscopy reports on ensemble-averaged information of the sample over a typical 100 &#181;m2 illumination area. This ensemble averaging may lead to signal cancellations between well-ordered domains with opposite orientations and mischaracterization of local heterogeneities15,20,23,24.
With advances in high numerical aperture (NA), reflective-based microscope objectives (Schwarzschild and Cassegrain geometries), which are nearly free of chromatic aberrations, the focus size of the two beams in VSFG experiments can be decreased from 100 &#181;m2 to 1-2 &#181;m2 and in some cases submicron25. Including this technological advancement, our group and others have developed VSFG into a microscopy platform20,23,26,27,28,29,30,31,32,33,34,35,36. Recently, we have implemented an inverted optical layout and broadband detection scheme37, which enables a seamless collection of multimodal images (VSFG, second harmonic generation (SHG), and brightfield optical). The multi-modality imaging allows quick inspection of samples using optical imaging, correlating various types of images together, and locating signal positions on the sample images. With the achromatic illumination optics and choice of pulsed laser illumination source, this optical platform allows for future seamless integration of additional techniques such as Fluorescence microscopy38 and Raman microscopy, among others.
In this new arrangement, samples such as hierarchical organizations and a class of molecular self-assemblies (MSAs) have been studied. These materials include collagen and biomimetics, where both the chemical composition and geometric organization are important to the ultimate function of the material. Because VSFG is a second-order nonlinear optical signal, it is specifically sensitive to intermolecular arrangements39,40, such as intermolecular distance or twisting angles, making it an ideal tool for revealing both chemical compositions and molecular arrangements. This work describes the VSFG, SHG, and brightfield modalities of the core instrument consisting of a ytterbium-doped cavity solid-state laser that pumps an optical parametric amplifier (OPA), a home-built multimodal inverted microscope and monochromator frequency analyzer coupled to a two-dimensional charged coupled device (CCD) detector27. A step-by-step construction and alignment procedures, and a complete part list of the setup, are provided. An in-depth analysis of an MSA, whose fundamental molecular subunit is comprised of one molecule of sodium-dodecyl sulfate (SDS), a common surfactant, and two molecules of &#946;-cyclodextrin (&#946;-CD), known as SDS@2&#946;-CD herein, are also provided as an example to show how VSFG can reveal molecule-specific geometric details of organized matter. It has also been demonstrated that chemical-specific geometric details of the MSA can be determined with a neural network function solver approach.

Author Spotlight: Unveiling the Potential of VSFG Microscopy in Studying Mesoscopically Heterogeneous Self-Assembled Structures 

Multimodal Nonlinear Hyperspectral Chemical Imaging Using Line-Scanning Vibrational Sum-Frequency Generation Microscopy

We aim to study mesoscopically heterogeneous self-assembled samples, such as biological tissues, to reveal their chemical composition and molecular arrangements. We are exploring how the microscopic arrangement and mesoscopic morphology of these self materials relate to their microscopic properties. With advances in high numerical aperture and reflective-based microscope objectives, we as well as others have demonstrated vibrational sum-frequency generation microscope with one square micron resolution, which can simultaneously record images of soft materials and also spatially resolve the spectral, forming the so-called hyperspectral images.Hyperspectral imaging records experimental data in multiple dimensions, two in spaces, one in frequency and possibly one in time. However, quick collection, storage, and analysis of such big data to maximize information remains a challenge. Sampling the image only to collect useful data points is also challenging.By developing a faster line-scanning technology, we could accelerate the data acquisition time by 100-fold. Furthermore, the microscope is compatible with sum-frequency generation or SFG, second harmonic generation or SHG, as well as broad-field imaging. Multimodality imaging allows quick inspection of samples using optical imaging and correlating various image modalities.SHG imaging assists the optical technique of our technique, but without the spectral resolving power, is widely used in biophysics. Our SFG microscope will now be able to provide powerful molecular level insights currently missing in biophysical studies of soft tissues.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Hyperspectral Line-Scanning VSFG Microscope Data Collection and Analysis at JoVE.com

Hyperspectral Line-Scanning VSFG Microscope Data Collection and Analysis

Begin by collecting the spectra of a vertical line of the VS-FG signals on the charged coupled device or CCD. Collect non-resonant intensity images by scanning the sample perpendicularly to the beam scanner direction. To spectrally unmix the data using the MATLAB imaging toolbox hyperspectral imaging library workflow.Use the hypercube function in the library to create a four-dimensional hypercube where X and Y are spatial, Z corresponds to the frequency dependent intensity, and omega is the frequency. Identify the number of unique spectra with the count end members HFC function, with a probability of false alarm or PFA value of 10 to the negative seven. Then identify unique spectra using the N-finder spectral unmixing function.Using the SID function, associate each pixel with one of the previously identified unique spectra. Finally, fit the sum data for each isolated sheet to the Voit function. VS-FG images of self-assembled sheets dispersed on a cover slip were captured.And through spectral identification, it was found that all sheets could be categorized into two types, one with higher VS-FG intensity and the other with lower intensity. By inspecting and comparing with the optical image, the large sheet at the center of the images appeared to have stacked double sheets, thereby attributing the smaller VS-FG intensity to destructive interference. Two of the sheets were measured by various VS-FG polarizations and the spectra were fitted using the Voit functions.

Research

JoVE Journal

Chemistry

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG), a second-order nonlinear optical signal, has traditionally been used to study molecules at interfaces as a ...