SEOUL, May 07 (AJP) - A joint research team has developed a new imaging technology that uses standard light-emitting diodes to look inside materials and map their complex internal structures in three dimensions. The method, called incoherent Dielectric Tensor Tomography, allows scientists to see how molecules are arranged without using high-powered lasers or destroying the sample, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology said Thursday.
The project was a collaborative effort involving teams led by Professor Park Yong-keun at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Professor Hong Seung-mo at Asan Medical Center, and Professor Jeon Seok-woo at Korea University. By precisely controlling the polarization and angle of the light-emitting diode (LED) light, the researchers performed 48 independent measurements to reconstruct a 3x3 matrix known as a dielectric tensor. This mathematical model describes how a material reacts to light from all directions, revealing its unique optical fingerprint.
While previous versions of this technology relied on laser systems, they were often hindered by visual noise and were sensitive to tiny vibrations in the room. By switching to LED light, the team eliminated this noise and made the system stable enough for use in standard laboratories or industrial settings. In comparative tests, the incoherent Dielectric Tensor Tomography (iDTT) system visualized microscopic molecular arrangements that were previously obscured by noise in laser-based systems.
The research team demonstrated the practical utility of the technique across several fields. They successfully visualized the 3D alignment of molecules within liquid crystal particles and performed observations of fibrosis in colon tissue without using chemical dyes. The system also automatically distinguished between different crystalline substances, such as quartz and calcium chloride, based solely on how they reacted to light.
The iDTT technology is expected to have applications in materials science, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and biomedicine. In the pharmaceutical sector, it could serve as a tool for identifying drug polymorphs, which are different crystalline forms of the same molecule that can alter how a drug works in the body. In medicine, it provides a non-destructive way to analyze the environment around tumors by measuring the 3D orientation of collagen fibers.
"This research presents the possibility of replacing material anisotropy measurements, which previously relied on large-scale facilities or destructive analysis, with small optical microscopes," Professor Park said, adding: "As LED-based measurement has become stable, it will become a new standard for non-destructive precision analysis in various industrial fields."
(Reference Information)
Journal/Source: Nature Photonics
Title: Incoherent dielectric tensor tomography for quantitative three-dimensional measurement of biaxial anisotropy
Link/DOI: https://bit.ly/48MKvF3
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