Product/Research Description

Research Activities
The University of Edinburgh has established an inter-disciplinary centre between physics, chemistry, and biology for the advanced characterisation, visualisation and control of molecules for the optoelectronic, biotechnology, materials’ research and nanotechnology sectors. The Collaborative Optical Spectroscopy Micromanipulation and Imaging Centre (COSMIC) has a wide range of ongoing activities which include studies of:

• dynamics and chemical processes in materials
• photo-physics of new luminescent materials
• colloids
• molecular interactions
• molecular motors
• materials under extreme conditions

• structure and dynamics of living cells and protein-DNA interactions.

OTHER DEPARTMENTS WITH OPTOELECTRONICS RESEARCH INCLUDE;
School of Electrical Engineering – Prof Anthony Walton/Dr. John Jeffrey (ERI)
School of Chemistry – Dr. Anita Jones/Dr. Patricia Erskine
Scottish MicroElectronics Centre -Iain Hyslop/ Jennifer McGregor

Specialised Skills and Facilities

The Centre has a unique and impressive equipment base including ultrafast mode-locked tuneable lasers, spectrometers, advanced confocal microscopes and detection systems, and optical tweezers. The techniques available include:

• Single molecule imaging
• Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) imaging of molecular interactions
• Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) of molecular behaviour
• Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS)
• Live cell imaging
• Laser tweezer non-invasive trapping and micromanipulation of microscopic and biological objects
• Adaptive optics
• Design and creation of dynamic holograms

• Modelling & Visualisation

The state of the art modelling and visualisation facility located within COSMIC provides excellent graphics quality and image processing capability. It also contains a super-computer for performing computer simulations of the structure and properties of molecules and materials.

Collaboration Sought or Offered

COSMIC offers research and characterisation services, and seeks collaborative research partners and industrial users willing to push the boundaries of complex materials research. User support and multidisciplinary advice is provided.
Specific mechanisms for interaction include collaborative research partnerships; characterisation and research service contracts; “Showcasing” of new or high-end instrumentation; and corporate sponsorship of the Centre.