Fourier transform infrared vibrational spectroscopic imaging: integrating microscopy and molecular recognition

The recent development of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging has enhanced our capability to examine, on a microscopic scale, the spatial distribution of vibrational spectroscopic signatures of materials spanning the physical and biomedical disciplines. Recent activity in this emerging area has concentrated on instrumentation development, theoretical analyses to provide guidelines for imaging practice, novel data processing algorithms, and the introduction of the technique to new fields. To illustrate the impact and promise of this spectroscopic imaging methodology, we present fundamental principles of the technique in the context of FTIR spectroscopy and review new applications in various venues ranging from the physical chemistry of macromolecular systems to the detection of human disease.