(232r) Simulating Total Internal Reflection Microscopy of Anisotropic Particles

Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRM) has been developed over the past three decades to be the most sensitive technique for measuring weak ~kT scale interactions between a single spherical colloidal particle and substrate. The measurement consists of a micron-scale particle nearby, but not adhered to, a substrate over which an evanescent wave is traveling. Classic TIRM has been used to measure very weak ~kT scale colloidal interactions, including electrostatic double layer repulsion, van der Waals attraction, steric interactions, depletion interactions, electrophoretic forces, hydrodynamic interactions, sedimentation deposition, and even the Casimir interaction have been measured with classic TIRM. Unfortunately, one major restriction currently imposed by TIRM is that the particle needs to be spherical. This poster will summarize our groupâ??s work on expanding the capabilities of TIRM to anisotropic particles.