Nanometer-scale optical imaging of collagen fibers using gold nanoparticles

We describe 3D single particle tracking of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) moving along collagen fibers in aqueous environment with two-photon excitation conditions. The photoacoustic effect at the collagen fiber caused by the irradiation with ultrashort, near-infrared laser pulses propels the particles adsorbed to the surface of the collagen fibers. We report the tracking of individual AuNPs in three dimensions with high spatial and temporal resolution, of few nanometers and milliseconds, respectively. Due to the emission signal caused by the interaction between the AuNPs and the weak chromophores in the collagen fiber, the trajectories of individual AuNPs reveal the fiber topography with nanometric resolution. The intensity along the trajectory shows that we are sensitive to the distribution of the weak chromophores on the fiber.