Raman Spectroscopy

XploRA™ PLUS with EDF and HSI

XploRA™ Plus integrates Raman with Hyperspectral Imaging Technology

Overview

HORIBA Scientific is happy to announce the integration of the enhanced darkfield (EDF) and optical hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technologies from CytoViva Inc. with HORIBA’s renowned confocal Raman microscope, XploRA™ PLUS. The integrated system offers versatile modes of imaging and hyperspectral imaging that are very important for nanomaterial and life science studies.

This integrated microscope platform provides both widefield imaging (reflected and transmitted illumination, brightfield, darkfield, polarized light and epi-fluorescence imaging), and hyperspectral imaging (Raman, fluorescence, photoluminescence, transmittance and reflectance) modes. Switching between imaging modes requires no sample movement whatsoever, ensuring all of these multimodal images are truly of the same area.

XploRA™ PLUS houses four gratings for optimized spectral resolution, and up to three lasers (select from blue to 785 nm) for performing Raman, PL and/or FL hyperspectral imaging. EMCCD (electron multiplying CCD) is available for enhanced sensitivity as an upgrade from the CCD as a detector. Operations, including switching lasers and gratings, are fully automated via LabSpec 6 Spectroscopy Suite.

LabSpec 6 Spectroscopy Suite is a comprehensive software, dedicated for spectroscopy and universal for all HORIBA Raman systems, that performs data acquisition, processing, visualization and reporting, including multivariate analysis (developed together with Eigenvector Research, Inc.), 3D imaging visualization, and Raman library search (powered by KnowItAll® from BioRAD, Inc.).

The patented enhanced darkfield (EDF) imaging from CytoViva Inc. enjoys much higher signal-to-noise than standard darkfield imaging, which results in much cleaner, crisper and accurate images, optimizing darkfield detection capability for non-fluorescing nanoscale samples. Optical hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is specifically designed to provide quantitative spectral analysis (400 nm – 1000 nm) of both biological and materials-based nanoscale samples (e.g. nano-particles embedded in cells or tissues).

Optical hyperspectral image of a multiwell carbon nanotube embedded in stained tissue, and its Raman spectrum

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Specifications

XploRA™ PLUS Confocal Raman Microscope

Excitation lasers	Select up to three from 405 nm, 473 nm, 532 nm, 638 nm or 785 nm
Spectral Resolution	Dispersion better than 1 cm^-1/pixel achievable
Detector	CCD or EMCCD
High speed imaging	SWIFT (with CCD) or SWIFT XS (with EMCCD)
Spatial resolution	Diffraction limited 10 nm minimum step size
Software	LabSpec 6 Spectroscopy Suite for 2D and 3D imaging visualization, multivariate analysis, extended focus + topography (EasyNav®), and particle analysis (ParticleFinder®)

Enhanced Darkfield Imaging

Detectability	Noble metals and metal oxide nanoparticles: 10 nm Soft nanoparticles (liposomes, polymers, etc.): 75 nm
Objectives	60× and 100× oil immersion with cover-slip correction
Light source	Halogen Mercury by Solac®
Condenser	Patented, focuses fixed-geometry, highly collimated light at oblique angles to the sample

Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy

Spectral range	420 nm – 1000 nm with CCD
Spectral resolution	2 nm (with 30 μm slit)
Imaging speed	Exposure time, 5 μs to 60 s; Frame rate 13.5 fps at 2×2 binning
Light source	Halogen Mercury by Solac when configured with EDF Quartz Halogen Reflector when not
Software	ENVI by Harris Corp.