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Enhancing image contrast of carbon nanotubes on cellular background using helium ion microscope by varying helium ion fluence
journal contribution
posted on 2023-02-15, 04:51 authored by MM Dykas, K Poddar, Serene YoongSerene Yoong, V Viswanathan, S Mathew, A Patra, S Saha, G Pastorin, T VenkatesanCarbon nanotubes (CNTs) have become an important nano entity for biomedical applications. Conventional methods of their imaging, often cannot be applied in biological samples due to an inadequate spatial resolution or poor contrast between the CNTs and the biological sample. Here we report a unique and effective detection method, which uses differences in conductivities of carbon nanotubes and HeLa cells. The technique involves the use of a helium ion microscope to image the sample with the surface charging artefacts created by the He+ and neutralised by electron flood gun. This enables us to obtain a few nanometre resolution images of CNTs in HeLa Cells with high contrast, which was achieved by tailoring the He+ fluence. Charging artefacts can be efficiently removed for conductive CNTs by a low amount of electrons, the fluence of which is not adequate to discharge the cell surface, resulting in high image contrast. Thus, this technique enables rapid detection of any conducting nano structures on insulating cellular background even in large fields of view and fine spatial resolution. The technique demonstrated has wider applications for researchers seeking enhanced contrast and high-resolution imaging of any conducting entity in a biological matrix - a commonly encountered issue of importance in drug delivery, tissue engineering and toxicological studies.
History
Journal
JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPYVolume
269Pagination
14-22Location
EnglandPublisher DOI
ISSN
0022-2720eISSN
1365-2818Language
EnglishPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalIssue
1Publisher
WILEYUsage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Science & TechnologyTechnologyMicroscopybiomedical applicationimage contrast enhancementHeLa cellshelium ion microscopemultiwalled carbon nanotubesWORK FUNCTIONELECTRON-MICROSCOPYCANCER-CELLSHeLa CellsHeliumHumansImage EnhancementIonsNanotubes, CarbonHela CellsBioengineeringNanotechnologyMaterials Engineering not elsewhere classifiedBiochemistry and Cell Biology not elsewhere classifiedCondensed Matter Physics
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