9704162 Ben-Amotz A Near-IR-Raman-Imaging Microscope (NIRIM) instrument for 2-D spectro-chemical analysis of micro-composites and bio-materials will be developed and constructed in the Purdue University Department of Chemistry Departmental Laser Facility. The proposed instrument builds on recent advances in micro-Raman and "optical tweezer" technologies to produce an instrument with capabilities that significantly surpass current commercial or research instruments. In particular, the proposed NIRIM instrument will simultaneously collect 3-D data cubes of x, y and wavelength information from micro-composites and particles (with sub-micron spatial resolution and 4 cm-1 frequency resolution). The near-IR Raman excitation laser will be capable of functioning as an "optical tweezer" used to grab, separate and hold micro- and bio-particles for chemical analysis. This new instrument will be used in a wide variety inter-disciplinary applications ranging from studies of molecular wires, zeolite based sensors, self-assembled composites, semiconductor microstructures and novel optical data storage schemes, to chemical mapping of clay and ice particles, drug suspensions, model membranes and living cells ***
