Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The requested near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) will serve an essential role to the research program of the Nanoplasmonics Research Lab at the University of Victoria. The infrastructure will be used in the development of new approaches to near-field microscopy, including ultra-sensitive Raman and fluorescence studies at the single molecule level, and optical trapping and manipulation of nanoparticles (of single digit nanometer size). These approaches are based on Dr. Gordon's recent research results in achieving reliable single molecule Raman and in demonstrating optical trapping and unfolding of single proteins; however, without the requested infrastructure, it will be impossible to translate these successes into the domain of near-field microscopy and manipulation. The requested infrastructure has all of the required modalities of NSOM imaging, and will be fully utilized (i.e., round-the-clock) and central to the research projects of HQP in Dr. Gordon's group, including 2 PhD projects as outlined in his Discovery Grant awarded in 2012. The NSOM will also strengthen Dr. Gordon's existing collaborations in Canada and abroad in the area of nanoplasmonics, and it is expected that the new approaches to NSOM that relate to this instrument will yield intellectual property of potential economic benefit to Canada.