Synchrotron-based Biological Microspectroscopy: From the Mid-Infrared through the Far-Infrared Regimes

Infrared radiation from synchrotron storagerings serves as a high-brightness source fordiffraction-limited microspectroscopy inboth the mid- and far-infrared spectralranges. Mid-infrared absorption, due to localvibrational modes within complex molecules,is shown to be sensitive to small chemicalchanges associated with certain diseases.Farinfrared modes are believed to result from thefolding or twisting of larger, morecomplex molecules. The ability for thesynchrotron source to perform microscopy ata frequency of 1 THz is demonstrated.