GOLD NANOPARTICLES FOR QUANTITATIVE PHASE MICROSCOPY, EFFECT OF SHAPE

Gold nanoparticles can be used for label-free biomedical imaging based of quantitative phase microscopy. The heat emitted from the nanoparticles upon illumination affect the local refractive index and thickness of cells and tissue resulting in enhanced phase contrast. Our aim is to optimize the shape of such particles to maximize their phase fingerprint. To this end we will synthesize gold nanoparticles with various shapes, analyze theoretically their expected phase fingerprint and compare it with measurements in cells. Here, we present preliminary results for gold nanoparticles in the shape of spheres, rods, and bipyramids.