device for the lateral resolution analysis of a lateral heterogeneous ultra-thin objektschicht

摘要

Device for laterally resolved investigation of a laterally heterogeneous ultra-thin object layer (5), especially for laterally resolved detection of a change in the layer thickness of the object layer (5) which results from a specific binding reaction of a first binding partner fixed on the object layer (5) with an unbound second binding partner, having a multilayer layer structure extending in an examination region, which contains the object layer (5) as the first layer and a second layer neighbouring the latter, a coupling arrangement for launching (injecting, input coupling) excitation light (9) into the second layer, the excitation light (9), at at least one defined angle of incidence, generating a confined (bound, trapped) non-radiating electromagnetic wave in the second layer, from which wave an evanescent wave extends into the object layer (5), and an optical imaging system (11) for imaging the examination region of the object layer (5) in an image plane (12) under a defined angle of incidence, at which detection light is extracted (coupled out) from the second layer. The coupling arrangement has an optical grating structure extending parallel to the object layer (5) in the examination region, which grating structure can be rotated about an axis (A) running perpendicularly to the grating plane (27) in order to alter the orientation of the grating lines relatively to the incidence plane for adjusting the imaging contrast. IMAGE