Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp. launches mIRage®-HSi, delivering more than 30x faster submicron IR imaging

· News-Medical

Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp., a leader in submicron infrared spectroscopy and chemical imaging, today announced the launch of the mIRage®-HSi, a high-speed laser-scanning Optical Photothermal Infrared (O-PTIR) microscope delivering more than 30 times faster IR imaging while maintaining sub-500 nm spatial resolution.

Image Credit: Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp.

The mIRage-HSi represents the next evolution of the company’s mIRage O-PTIR platform. By combining synchronized infrared and visible laser-scanning optics, the new system reduces hyperspectral IR imaging times from hours to minutes and single-wavenumber imaging times from minutes to seconds. This substantial improvement in speed enables researchers to analyze larger areas, collect more data, and locate chemically significant features more efficiently.

Unlike traditional stage-scanning approaches, which must repeatedly move and settle a relatively heavy mechanical stage, the mIRage-HSi uses lightweight galvanometer mirrors to rapidly steer the laser beams across the sample. This patent-pending laser-scanning architecture minimizes mechanical overhead while preserving the high spatial resolution and spectral quality associated with O-PTIR.

Dr Mustafa Kansiz, Director of Product Management, Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp.The mIRage-HSi represents an important step forward in the development of practical, high-speed submicron infrared imaging. Researchers can now acquire high-quality chemical images in seconds rather than minutes, without sacrificing spatial resolution or spectral performance. This significantly improves time-to-data and makes larger-area, high-resolution IR imaging much more practical for both research and industrial applications.”

The mIRage-HSi provides non-contact, reflection-mode IR spectroscopy and imaging, producing FTIR transmission/ATR-like spectra that are compatible with established spectral libraries. Measurements are free from the dispersive scattering artifacts that can affect conventional reflection-mode FTIR and QCL-based IR microscopy.

Its fast “pan-and-zoom” chemical imaging capability allows users to rapidly survey a sample, identify regions of interest, and then perform high-resolution imaging or spectroscopy on selected features. This streamlined workflow is particularly valuable for heterogeneous samples in which chemically significant features may be small, sparse, or difficult to locate using visible microscopy alone.

Key Capabilities of the mIRage-HSi

  • More than 30x faster O-PTIR imaging compared with traditional stage-scanning approaches.
  • Sub-500 nm IR chemical imaging spatial resolution.
  • Hyperspectral IR imaging in minutes and single-wavenumber imaging in seconds.
  • Fast, real-time chemical imaging for locating regions of interest.
  • Non-contact, reflection-mode measurements with FTIR transmission/ATR-like spectra.
  • Automated multi-wavenumber imaging with chemical RGB overlays.
  • Automated detection, measurement, and chemical identification of submicron particles using featurefindIR™.
  • Integrated widefield epi-fluorescence imaging for correlative IR and fluorescence measurements.
  • Optional Raman spectroscopy for complementary molecular characterization.
  • Laser-scanning and conventional stage-scanning measurement modes on a single platform.

The system’s multimodal capabilities allow researchers to use fluorescence imaging - including labeled fluorescence or intrinsic autofluorescence - to locate specific regions or features before collecting detailed O-PTIR chemical information. Optional Raman spectroscopy provides an additional complementary measurement technique for advanced correlative analysis.

Applications

  • High-resolution cell and tissue imaging.
  • Microplastics and environmental particle analysis.
  • Pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical characterization.
  • Semiconductor failure analysis and contaminant identification.
  • Polymers, materials science, and forensic analysis.
  • Automated submicron particle detection and chemical identification.
  • Quality control and high-throughput analytical workflows.

For particle-analysis applications, the mIRage-HSi includes featurefindIR, which automates the detection, selection, measurement, and chemical identification of hundreds of particles ranging from submicron dimensions to millimeter scale. This capability helps overcome the spatial-resolution, fluorescence, and workflow limitations associated with conventional FTIR and Raman particle analysis.

“The combination of speed, submicron spatial resolution, chemical specificity, and multimodal imaging creates new opportunities for researchers who previously had to compromise between image quality and measurement time,” Dawson added. “The mIRage-HSi allows users to obtain more information from their samples while substantially improving productivity.”

The mIRage-HSi is available through Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp. and its global distribution network.

Source:

Photothermal Spectroscopy Corp.