Platinum-coated Core-Shell Gold Nanorods as Multifunctional Orientation Sensors in Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Abstract

We characterized the optical properties of single platinum-coated core-shell gold nanorods (Pt-AuNRs) under dark-field (DF) and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. Furthermore, we examined their potential use as multifunctional orientation probes. Longitudinal surface plasmon resonance damping was observed for single Pt-AuNRs due to Pt metals coated on the AuNR surface under single-particle scattering spectroscopy. Despite the strong plasmon damping with a much-decreased scattering intensity, DIC microscopy allowed us to detect single Pt-AuNRs with much higher sensitivity. We found polarization-dependent DIC images and intensities of single Pt-AuNRs, which allowed us to determine their orientation angle under DIC microscopy. Therefore, we report that single Pt-AuNRs can be used to develop multifunctional orientation probes under DIC microscopy.

Imaging Dynamic Processes in Multiple Dimensions and Length Scales

“…New improvements to SPORT have been made through novel imaging probes (89,(126)(127)(128)(129)(130) and innovative instrument designs (105,110,131). An automated 5D SPORT system that integrates DIC and parallax microscopy has been built for continuous tracking of three spatial coordinates (x, y, z) and two orientation angles (azimuth and elevation) of the targeted AuNRs in live cellular environments (Figure 2f ) (50).…”