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Physical Measurement Laboratory /Applied Physics Division

Molecular and BioPhotonics Group

Molecular and BioPhotonics research lies at the intersection of physics, chemistry, engineering, and life sciences. The development of photonic techniques, which use light to detect, quantify, and image molecules and biomolecules, are used to establish the optical measurement science, modeling, and simulation tools critical to realizing many applications in medicine, energy, and the environment.

The Molecular and BioPhotonics group research efforts focus on the development of the following:

  • New photonic spectroscopic and imaging techniques for enhanced detection of molecules and biomolecules;
  • Measurement standards for improving manufacturing quality and promoting acceptance of optical medical imaging technologies; and
  • The application of photonics techniques to real world problems.

Highlights

Projects and Programs

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Bringing the SI to Global Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Measurement

Ongoing
This multifaceted program leverages expertise in three complementary technical focus areas- all of which involve SI-traceable measurements of relevant atmospheric species such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor and oxygen. The efforts include gravimetrically based preparation of primary
membrane

Measurement Techniques for Membranes and Membrane Proteins

Ongoing
Use of synthetic cell membrane mimics allow simplification and complete control of a complicated system, and incorporation of selected elements under physiological conditions. We are furthering a technology originally developed at NIST using model lipid membranes supported on surfaces for
nano-biophotonics collage

Nano-biophotonics for molecular imaging

Ongoing
Nano-biophotonics consists of four broad areas: molecular bioimaging; nano-biosensors; multiplexed bioassays ; and nanotechnology-based medical practices for diagnosis and therapy. Success in these areas is challenged by the underlying complexity of biological systems. Major levels of complexity and

Publications

Software

JB95 Spectral fitting program

A graphical user interface program, JB95, based on a Windows 95 © API platform has been written in the C programming language to aid in the analysis of complex

Tools and Instruments

THz photomixer spectrometer

Continuous-wave terahertz spectrometer

The continuous-wave terahertz spectrometer makes use of two near-infrared lasers. The first laser is a fixed-frequency cw ring Ti:Saph laser operating near 840

Nonlinear Optical Spectroscopy

Vibrationally-Resonant Sum Frequency Spectroscopy (VR-SFS): A nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy in which two colors of light, one in the visible and one in the

Awards

Patents

Photoacoustic Photon Meter And Process For Measuring Photon Fluence

NIST Inventors
Kimberly A. Briggman , Chris Yung , Jeeseong C. Hwang and John H. Lehman
A photoacoustic photon meter includes: a photoacoustic generative array including carbon nanotubes disposed in a photoacoustic generating pattern, such that the carbon nanotubes: receive photons comprising optical energy, and produce thermal energy from the optical energy; and a superstratum

Optical Phantom for Producing a Time-Resolved Diffuse Reflectance Spectrum

NIST Inventors
Jeeseong C. Hwang
An optical phantom produces a time-resolved diffuse reflectance spectrum and includes: a light source; a spatial light modulator; and an optical delay line including optical fibers of different length that produce different time-of-flight distributions, such that different time-of-flight

Research Opportunities

Staff Directory

Contacts

Group Leader

Postal address: Molecular and Biophotonics Group, NIST - 687.05, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80305