Photoelectron microscopy: a new approach to mapping organic and biological surfaces

A general method of imaging organic and biological surfaces based on the photoelectric effect is reported. For the experiments, a photoelectron emission microscope was constructed. It is an ultrahigh vacuum instrument using electrostatic electron lenses, microchannel plate image intensifier, cold stage, hydrogen excitation source, and magnesium fluoride optics. The organic surfaces examined were grid patterns of acridine orange, fluorescein, and benzo(a)pyrene on a Butvar surface. A biological sample, sectioned rat epididymis, was also imaged by the new photoelectron microscope. Good contrast was obtained in these initial low magnification experiments. These data demonstrate the feasibility of mapping biological surfaces according to differences in ionization potentials of exposed molecules. A number of technical difficulties, such as the intensity of the excitation source, must be solved before high resolution experiments are practical. However, it is probable that this approach can be useful, even at low magnifications, in determination of the properties of organic and biological surfaces.