• Current Optics and Photonics
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.421-426
• /
• 2024

The use of stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy has significantly improved resolution beyond the limits imposed by diffraction; Furthermore, STED microscopy adopts a 4Pi-geometry to achieve an isotropic improvement in resolution. In isoSTED microscopy, a polarizing beam splitter and retarders are used in a 4Pi cavity to split beams of identical power, generating constructive and destructive interference for lateral and axial resolution improvements, respectively. The precise alignment of the retarders is crucial for optimizing the performance of isoSTED microscopy, because this orientation affects the quality of the depletion focus, necessitating zero intensity at the center. Incomplete destructive interference can lead to unwanted fluorescence inhibition, resulting in degraded resolution and contrast. However, measuring the intensity and polarization state in each optical path of the 4Pi cavity is complex and requires additional devices such as a power meter. Here, we propose a simple and accurate alignment method for the 4Pi cavity in isoSTED microscopy. Our approach demonstrates the equal allocation of power between upper and lower beam paths and achieves complete destructive interference using a polarizing beam displacer and a single CCD camera positioned outside the 4Pi cavity.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.97-103
• /
• 2006

Phosphoinositides are critical regulators of ion channel and transporter activity. There are multiple isomers of biologically active phosphoinositides in the plasma membrane and the different lipid species are non-randomly distributed. However, the mechanism by which cells impose selectivity and directionality on lipid movements and so generate a non-random lipid distribution remains unclear. In the present study we investigated which structural elements of phosphoinositides are responsible for their subcellular location and movement. We incubated phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylinositol 4-monophosphate (PI(4)P) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate ($PI(4,5)P_2$) with short or long acyl chains in CHO and HEK cells. We show that phosphate number and acyl chain length determine cellular location and translocation movement. In CHO cells, $PI(4,5)P_2$ with a long acyl chain was released into the cytosol easily because of a low partition coefficient whereas long chain PI was released more slowly because of a high partition coefficient. In HEK cells, the cellular location and translocation movement of PI were similar to those of PI in CHO cells, whereas those of $PI(4,5)P_2$ were different; some mechanism restricted the translocation movement of $PI(4,5)P_2$, and this is in good agreement with the extremely low lateral diffusion of $PI(4,5)P_2$. In contrast to the dependence on the number of phosphates of the phospholipid head group of long acyl chain analogs, short acyl chain phospholipids easily undergo translocation movement regardless of cell type and number of phosphates in the lipid headgroup.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.119-132
• /
• 2001

An immunoelectron microscopy employing immunogold labeling method was performed to detect tissue origin of Dl fraction (DIA) among 5 antigenic protein fractions partially purified by DEAE- anion exchange chromatography from water- soluble crude antigen (PIWA) of adult Paragonimus iloktsuenensis. Immune reactions of adult worm tissues with rabbit serum immunoglobulin immunized with crude antigen (PI-Ig) and D1 antigen (D1-Ig), as well as rat serum immunoglobulin infected with P. iloktsuenensis were observed. DlA showed strong antigenicity in the intestinal epithelium of the worms during the early infection period of 2-4 weeks after infection. The vitellaria also showed stronger antigenicity than the other tissue sites in immune reaction of tissues against all immunoglobulins from 4 to 33 weeks after vitelline development. Therefore, it is suggested that DlA was mainly originated from the intestinal epithelial tissues before the development of vitelline gland of the parasites. Immune-reactivity of two immunoglobulins (PI-Ig, Dl-Ig) was significantly different in intestinal epithelial cytoplasmic protrusions (CP) and intestinal epithelial secretory granules (SG). In the experimental group with Dl-Ig, gold particles were labeled significantly in CP than in SG when compared to the PI-Ig group. Thus, the major antigenic materials in Dl antigen having a strong antigenicity in the early infection period was considered to be originated from the intestinal epithelial tissue .

• Journal of Radiation Industry
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.335-339
• /
• 2010

In this study, the surface of polyimide (PI) films was modified using ion implantation to enhance its adhesion to a deposited copper (Cu) layer. The surfaces of the PI films were implanted with 150 keV $Xe^+$ ions at fluences varying from $1{\times}10^{14}$ to $1{\time}10^{16}ions\;cm^{-2}$. The Cu layers were then deposited on the implanted PI. The surface properties of the implanted PI film were investigated based on the contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore, the adhesive strength between the deposited Cu layer and PI film was estimated through a scratch test using a nanoindenter. As a result, the surface environment of the PI film was changed by the ion implantation, which could have a significant effect on the adhesion between the deposited Cu layer and the PI.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.313-318
• /
• 2009

Copolyimides were synthesized from bis (3-aminophenyl) sulfone (APS) and 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride (6FDA) containing a fluorine substituent ($-CF_3$) with different mole ratios of 3,3',4,4'-diphenylsulfonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (DSDA) containing a sulfone group (-$SO_2$-). The PI films were obtained from poly (amic acid) (PAA) by solution casting through thermal imidization on a glass plate. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), universal tensile machine (UTM) measurements, and UV-Vis spectrometry were used to assess thermo-mechanical properties, morphology, and optical transparency. Thermal properties and optical transparency decreased with increasing DSDA mole fraction. In contrast, mechanical properties increased with increasing DSDA mole fraction. As compared to conventional PI films, however, the PI copolymer films in this work were found to exhibit better optical transparency.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.16 no.9
• /
• pp.543-549
• /
• 2006

Polyimides (PI) are treated with $He/O_2$ and $He/O_2/NF_3$ atmospheric pressure rf dielectric barrier discharge in order to investigate the roles of $NF_3$ that is one of the PI etching gases. Surface changes are analyzed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and contact angle measurement. The surface roughness of PI and the ratio of C=O, which is hydrophilic functional group, is more increased by $He/O_2/NF_3$ discharge than by $He/O_2$ discharge. The C=O species on the PI surface is increased up to 30 percent with rf power. The surface roughness of PI is increased from 0.4 to 11 nm with rf power. The water drop contact angles on PI, however, are reduced from $65^{\circ}\;to\;9^{\circ}$ by plasma treatment independently of $NF_3$.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 1998.11c
• /
• pp.816-818
• /
• 1998

In this paper Polyimide(PI) thin film are fabricated by vapor deposition polymerization(VDP) of dry process which are easy to control the film's thickness and hard to pollute due to volatile solvent. The FT-IR spectrum show that PAA thin films fabricated by VDP are changed to PI thin film by thermal curing. From AFM(Atomic Force Microscopy) experimental as the higher curing temperature. the thin film thickness decreases and roughness decresse.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.393-397
• /
• 2002

Polyimide (PI) films have been studied widely as the interlayer dielectric materials due to a low dielectric constant, low water absorption, high gap-fill and planarization capability. The polyimide film was etched using inductively coupled plasma system. The etcying characteristics such as etch rate and selectivity were evaluated at different $CF_4/(CF_4+O_2)$chemistry. The maximum etch rate was 8300 ${\AA}/min$ and the selectivity of polyimide to SiO$_2$was 5.9 at $CF_4/(CF_4+O_2)$ of 0.2. Etch profile of polyimide film with an aluminum pattern was measured by a scanning electron microscopy. The vertical profile was approximately $90^{\circ}$ at $CF_4/(CF_4+O_2)$ of 0.2. As 20% $CF_4$ were added into $O_2$ plasma from the results of the optical emission spectroscopy, the radical densities of fluorine and oxygen increased with increasing $CF_4$ concentration in $CF_4/O_2$ from 0 to 20%, resulting in the increased etch rate. The surface reaction of etched PI films was investigated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.16 no.8
• /
• pp.725-733
• /
• 2008

Polyimide (PI) multilayer thin films were prepared by spin-coating from a poly(amic acid) (PAA) and poly(amic acid) ammonium salt (PAAS). PI was prepared from pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 4,4'-oxydianiline (ODA) PAA. Different compositions of PAAS were prepared by incorporating triethylamine (TEA) into PMDA-ODA PAA in dimethylacetamide. PI multilayer thin films were spin-coated from PMDA-ODA PAA and PAAS. The PAAS comprising cationic and anionic moieties were spherical with a particle size of $20{\sim}40\;nm$. Some particles showed layers with ammonium salts, despite poor ordering. Too much salt obstructed the interaction between the polymer chains and caused phase separation. A small amount of salt did not affect the interactions of the interlayer structure but did interrupt the stacking between chains. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the average decomposition temperature of the thin films was $611^{\circ}C$. All the films showed almost single-step, thermal decomposition behavior. The nanostructure of the multilayer thin films was confirmed by X -ray reflectivity (XRR). The LF 43 film, which was prepared with a 4:3 molar ratio of PMDA and ODA, was comprised of uniformly spherical PAAS particles that influenced the nanostructure of the interlayer by increasing the interaction forces. This result was supported by the atomic force microscopy (AFM) data. It was concluded that the relationship between the uniformity of the PAAS particle shapes and the interaction between the layers affected the optical and thermal properties of PI layered films.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.11
• /
• pp.894-900
• /
• 2009

This study examined the charge carrier photogeneration and hole transport properties of blends of poly (9-vinylcarbazole) (PVK), $\pi$-conjugated polymer, with different weight proportions (0~29.4 wt%) of (PEA)$VOPO_4{\cdot}H_2O$ (PEA: phenethylammonium cation), a novel organic-inorganic hybrid material, using IR, UV-Vis, and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), steady state photocurrent (SSPC) measurement, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The SSPC measurements showed that the photocurrent of PVK was reduced by approximately three orders of magnitude by the incorporation of a small amount (~12.5 wt%) of (PEA) $VOPO_4{\cdot}H_2O$, suggesting that hole transport occurred through the PVK carbazole groups, whereas a reverse trend was observed at high proportions (>12.5 wt%) of (PEA)$VOPO_4{\cdot}H_2O$, suggesting that transport occurred via (PEA)$VOPO_4{\cdot}H_2O$ molecules. The transition to a trap-controlled hopping mechanism was explained by the difference in ionization potential and electron affinity of the two compounds as well as the formation of charge percolation threshold pathways.