A nanoprobe is an optical device developed by tapering an optical fiber to a tip measuring 100 nm = 1000 angstroms wide. Nanoprobes can be used in bioimaging to provide improved contrast and spatial resolution of cells and tissues. Types of nanoprobes used for bioimaging include fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and photoacoustic imaging.

Introduction to Raman Scattering

When light interacts with matter, a phenomenon known as Raman scattering occurs, which provides important information about the vibrational frequencies of the sample. This phenomenon happens when a sample's molecules interact with incident light, scattering it. Every material has a different Raman spectrum because of the information the scattered light has about the vibrational modes of the constituent molecules.

Raman scattering: The reflection of light from a laser-lit object.

A very thin coating of silver nanoparticles helps to enhance the Raman scattering effect of the light. (The phenomenon of light reflection from an object when illuminated by a laser light is referred to as Raman scattering.) The reflected light demonstrates vibration energies unique to each object (samples in this case), which can be characterized and identified.

Silver nanoparticles

Enhanced signal output

The term nanoprobe also refers more generically to any chemical or biological technique that deals with nanoquantitles, that is, introducing or extracting substances measured in nanoliters or nanograms rather than microliters or micrograms. For example: In semiconductor manufacturing, nanoprobing is showing potential for conventional IC failure analysis and debugging, as well as for transistor design, circuit, and process development, and even for yield engineering.

Use of nanoprobe in the detection of diabetes

Nanotechnology solutions can be used in the diagnosis and early treatment of diabetes. There are two types of diabetes: type 1 and type 2. Regular checking of blood glucose involves a painful mechanism by piercing the finger. Still, New nanotechnology innovations have made it possible to check blood sugar non-invasively, leading to the early detection of diabetes. Nanoprobe devices have improved the insulin monitoring system, which is necessary for diabetes management, gene therapy and Islet cell screening, pre-transplantation.

There are two primary methods for enhancing glucose sensors with nanotechnology