Major Characterization Facilities

• Scanning probe microscope facility
• Optical tweezer facility
• Quartz crystal microbalance
• Self-nulling ellipsometers
• Surface plasmon resonance imaging system
• Optical microscopes
• Dynamic light scattering spectrometer
• Attenuated total reflection FTIR spectrometer
• Cryo-transmission electron microscope
• Scanning confocal laser microscope
• Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectrometer
• Raman microprobe spectrometer
• Infrared microscope
• Optical profiler
  
• Differential pressure experiment

Sample Preparation Facilities

• Spincoater
• Laminar flow cabinet
• Ultrapure water facility
• Vacuum ovens
• UV/ozone cleaner
• Plasma cleaner
• CO₂ snow cleaner
• High temperature oven
• Langmuir trough
• Microbiology facilities

Optical Microscopes

We have a variety of optical microscopes for use on their own and in different experiments. We use an Olympus BX-60 reflected light optical microscope equipped with bright-field (BF), dark-field (DF), fluorescence and differential interference contrast (DIC) modes of operation. A QImaging Retiga EXi CCD camera with an in-line LCD colour filter is used to capture high-resolution colour optical micrographs using Image Pro Plus, an industry standard image analysis software package. We also have a custom-built hot stage (temperatures up to 573K) and a Linkam THMS 600 hot stage (temperatures up to 600K) that allow for in situ studies of polymeric and biopolymeric systems at elevated temperatures.

We have two Nikon TE2000 inverted optical microscopes, one with total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) capability. One of the microscopes is used with the Asylum MFP-3D scanning probe microscope, and the other is used with the custom-built optical tweezers facility.

We have an Olympus IX71 inverted optical microscope, with TIRF and a Narishige micro-manipulator system, which is used with the Agilent 5500 SPM.

	Reflected light optical microscope Olympus BX-60 optical microscope QImaging Retiga EXi CCD camera Image-Pro Plus image analysis software Linkam THMS 600 hot stage Custom-built hot stage
	Nikon TE2000 inverted optical microscope
	Nikon TE2000 inverted optical microscope
	Olympus IX71 inverted optical microscope

Technique

For an excellent summary of optical microscopy techniques, please refer to Molecular Expressions Microscopy Primer.