Performance Report | Research
Research Groups IR and Raman Microscopy Class Leading Technology for Molecular Microscopy
Dr. Boril Chernev finished his master in Sofia (Bulgaria) and earned his PhD at the University of Graz. His research interests include quality control and failure analysis with a focus on soft matter which has a direct impact on industrial collaborations.
Confocal Raman imaging is a well-established imaging method, combining the resolution power of a conventional optical microscope with the chemical information at each point of the image, as this may be obtained from the Raman and IR spectra [1]. While there is a fundamental difference between how the images are recorded in the IR-microscope with focal plane array detector (FPA), where all spectra from the field of view will be recorded simultaneously, and how they are recorded in the Raman microscope (sequentially, point by point), the results yield the vibrational spectrum at each pixel of the image, thus giving the opportunity to carry out analyses of multiple analytes with only one recorded image. Moreover, especially with FPA detectors these measurements are aperture-less, which leaves the achievable spatial resolution solely as a result of the sampling technique and/or inte-
gration range [1]. Furthermore, with transparent samples it is also possible to collect XZ- or YZ-scans (without the need to embed and microtome the sample) or even collect Raman XYZMaps, and thus, to carry out 3D reconstructions from these data. The main research interests of the group consist of soft matter research and basic research, mainly but not exclusively with respect to polymers and their accelerated ageing or changes during manufacturing and/or everyday use (1–6), where multiple analytical questions especially with respect to the chemistry of the sample may be answered with aid of IR and/or Raman imaging microscopy.
Group Leader: Dr. Boril Chernev Dr. Peter Wilhelm (until Nov. 2014) PhD Student: DI Harald Fitzek (MIR/NIR/Raman) Technical Assistant: Christian Brandl (IR/Raman)
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