Infrared Near-Field Microscopy as a Platform for Nanoscale Biomedical Spectroscopy and Imaging.
- 2026-05-15
- ACS applied materials & interfaces 18(20)
- Hongcai Deng
- Xin Zhao
- Xinyue Na
- Ankang Liu
- Ruofan Cheng
- Fantao Jiang
- Qi Zhang
- Fengwei Gao
- Hong Wu
- Ting Zhang
- Weiliang Ma
- Longjiang Deng
- PubMed: 42136395
- DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6c03019
Study Design
- Type
- Review
Precision medicine requires tools that can resolve molecular information at the nanoscale, where many early biological and pathological changes arise. Scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) combines molecular vibrational fingerprints with nanoscale spatial resolution, providing a unique platform for overcoming the diffraction limit of conventional optics and enabling in situ chemical characterization of biological samples. This paper systematically reviews the development of SNOM from near-field imaging to spectroscopic platforms such as nano-FTIR and AFM-IR, and summarizes the latest advances in ultrafast, liquid-phase, terahertz, and miniaturized systems. Focusing on representative studies involving proteins, nucleic acids, bacteria, viruses, extracellular vesicles, and cell-material interfaces, this paper discusses SNOM's ability to resolve molecular heterogeneity, structural transitions, and local biochemical interactions in near-natural environments. Additionally, the article analyzes the major challenges facing its clinical translation, including sample preparation, signal-to-noise ratio, measurement speed, quantitative analysis, and standardization, and explores its application potential in AI-assisted analysis, portability, and neuroscience. SNOM is expected to become a key technological platform bridging molecular diagnostics and nanobiological imaging.