I need a CaF2 surface for a cell culture that will subsequently be examined by confocal Raman spectroscopy. Currently I am working with something like this ( http://www.thermoscientific.com/en/product/nunc-lab-tek-ii-chamber-slide-system.html ) to have my cells in for Raman analysis, but I can't seem to find something equal, i.e. chambered cover glass with a bottom made of CaF2.
I have however seen standard microscope slides and so called "windows" made of required material. Since I have never used CaF2 windows before, I was wondering if they are at all suitable to have cells on? If yes then how is the cell culture applied and contained? The cell culture suspensions I work with are liquid and from what I have seen so far the CaF2 windows are flat.
Also, the samples need to fit over a inverted confocal microscope. Would that be a problem with windows?
Hi,
you should be able to seed the cells on top of the substrate. If they don't stick you can try functionalise the surface (to enable chemical adsorption). I haven't worked with cells yet but this is as far as I know from colleagues who do. The alternative is micro fluidics wherein the cells are 'trapped' and kept moist for analysis.
Hope this helps.
Good luck!
Some suggestions. Calcium Fluoride is hygroscopic so it will be slowly destroyed by the water. It is also pretty expensive to get optically. Sapphire on the other hand is very tough and is often a good optical material. You might also want to consider fused silica as a material. It also has good optical properties and chemically you will be able to probably use what ever prep you normally use for the cells. You may be able to find it in glass slide format. Fused silica isn't birefringent but Sapphire and quartz are birefringent, but I am guessing that probably won't matter for what you are doing. I am also assuming that you are wanting to use CaF2 because of something to do with the wavelength you want to use.
CaF2 is an optical window in UV spectral range. To my knowledge, the Raman spectrometer usually deals with visible lasers. In this case you may use BK7 glass too.
- Badges
- Science method