Macromolecules, Vol.28, No.22, 7530-7535, 1995
Fluorescence Mapping and Photobleaching of Dye-Labeled Latex-Particles Dispersed in Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Matrices with a Near-Field Optical Microscope
Polymer composite films consisting of fluorescent nanometric dye-labeled latex particles dispersed in poly(vinyl alcohol) matrices were imaged with a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM). Films with a thickness of similar to 10 mu m and of similar to 25 nm containing latex particles with a diameter of 103 +/- 9 nm with low particle density were studied. During image acquisition with the NSOM the particles were excited by an argon ion laser at the maximum or at the red edge of the excitation band at the excitation wavelength, lambda, of lambda = 458 nm or of lambda = 488 nm, respectively. Maximum fluorescence contrast occurred in the first case. Fluorescence spots with FWHM diameters of