Spectroscopic Centre of Excellence
Spectroscopy Lab
Spectroscopic analysis is fundamental to the understanding of both the properties of materials and chemical, physical and biological processes. It is a basic tool for the development of novel materials and new technologies. It is furthermore routinely used for analysis, problem solving and diagnosis. Any one regime of spectroscopy can only probe a limited range of physical properties, however, and therefore the availability of a full range of techniques is essential for any competitive research programme. The steady state spectroscopy laboratory houses a suite of spectroscopic instruments including ultraviolet/visible/near infra red absorption spectrometer and a Fourier Transform infrared microscope allowing measurement of material absorption continuously from the uv to the ir, a fluorescence spectrometer allowing measurement of luminescence across the visible, a Raman spectroscopic microscope providing vibrational analysis which complements the FTIR, and a scanning polarimeter for measurement of circular dichroism and optical rotary dispersion across the visible spectrum, the only instrument of its type in the country. A range of voltage and current sources are available for in situ spectroelectronic and measurements can be performed over a wide temperature range (20K - 600K). Follow a link below for details on each available system:
Time Correlated Single Photon Counting
Microscopy Lab
The microscopy laboratory allows the 2-D and 3-D observation and study of physical, chemical and biological samples. The laboratory includes light microscopes, configured specifically for wide-ranging applications such as phase contrast, fluorescence, , bright field and dark field The Zeiss LSM confocal laser scanning microscope allows blur-free, crisp images of thick specimens at various depths to be produced. A 3-D reconstruction of a specimen can be generated by stacking 2-D optical sections collected one after the other. Fluorescence spectra can be recorded with the spectrometer attachment. The META detector system allows separation of fluorophores with overlapping emission spectra through unique lambda stacking technology.
A room temperature atomic force microscope allows imaging in the native liquid environment with resolution 100 - 1000 times that of optical microscopy and comparable to or better than electron microscopy. Dynamic processes can be imaged in progress eliminating the time-consuming and often damaging sample preparation for electron microscopy. This is particularly useful for biological materials where live cells can be imaged in physiological fluids.
Unlike scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), force microscopy does not rely on a flow of charge from tip to surface and so can be used for imaging insulators as well as conductors and semiconductors. As the movement of the tip when in contact with a sample is dominated by local friction effects, contact AFM is also an important tool in the study of local tribological effects such as thin film lubrication and wear resistance. Additionally, using a magnetic tip arrangement, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) can be used to produce a magnetic domain map of surfaces, giving an insight into the local electronic structure of novel materials
This laboratory is an essential core resource enabling the optical characterisation of the wide range of sample types involved. Follow a link below for details on each available system:
Jeol 100CX TEM
Olympus SZX12 Research Stereo Microscope
VeecoDektak 3 Surface Profiler
Edwards filament Evapotator
Other Available Instrumentation
Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS)
