Martin Fischer, Research Professor of Chemistry  

Martin Fischer

Office Location: 2216 French Science Center, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708
Office Phone: +1 919 660 1523
Email Address: martin.fischer@duke.edu

Education:
Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, 2001
PhD Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, 2001
M.A. in Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, 1993
M.A., University of Texas, Austin, 1993
‘Vordiplom’, The University of Freiburg, Germany, 1991

Research Description: Dr. Fischer’s research focuses on exploring novel nonlinear optical contrast mechanisms for molecular imaging. Nonlinear optical microscopes can provide non-invasive, high-resolution, 3-dimensional images even in highly scattering environments such as biological tissue. Established contrast mechanisms, such as two-photon fluorescence or harmonic generation, can image a range of targets (such as autofluorescent markers or some connective tissue structure), but many of the most molecularly specific nonlinear interactions are harder to measure with power levels one might be willing to put on tissue. In order to use these previously inaccessible interactions as structural and molecular image contrasts we are developing ultrafast laser pulse shaping and pulse shape detection methods that dramatically enhance measurement sensitivity. Applications of these microscopy methods range from imaging biological tissue (mapping structure, endogenous tissue markers, or exogenous contrast agents) to characterization of nanomaterials (such as graphene and gold nanoparticles). The molecular contrast mechanisms we originally developed for biomedical imaging also provide pigment-specific signatures for paints used in historic artwork. Recently we have demonstrated that we can noninvasively image paint layers in historic paintings and we are currently developing microscopy techniques for use in art conservation and conservation science.

Teaching (Spring 2024):

  • Ece 549.01, Optics & photonics seminar ser Synopsis
    021, W 12:00 PM-01:00 PM

Recent Publications   (More Publications)

  1. Grass, D; Beasley, GM; Fischer, MC; Selim, MA; Zhou, Y; Warren, WS, Contrast mechanisms in pump-probe microscopy of melanin., Opt Express, vol. 30 no. 18 (August, 2022), pp. 31852-31862, Optica Publishing Group [doi]  [abs].
  2. McKeown Wessler, GC; Wang, T; Sun, J-P; Liao, Y; Fischer, MC; Blum, V; Mitzi, DB, Structural, Optical, and Electronic Properties of Two Quaternary Chalcogenide Semiconductors: Ag2SrSiS4 and Ag2SrGeS4., Inorganic chemistry, vol. 60 no. 16 (August, 2021), pp. 12206-12217 [doi]  [abs].
  3. Jiang, J; Grass, D; Zhou, Y; Warren, WS; Fischer, MC, Beyond intensity modulation: new approaches to pump-probe microscopy., Optics letters, vol. 46 no. 6 (March, 2021), pp. 1474-1477, The Optical Society [doi]  [abs].
  4. Fischer, EP; Fischer, MC; Grass, D; Henrion, I; Warren, WS; Westman, E, Low-cost measurement of face mask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech., Sci Adv, vol. 6 no. 36 (September, 2020), pp. eabd3083, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) [doi]  [abs].
  5. Fischer, EP; Fischer, MC; Grass, D; Henrion, I; Warren, WS; Westman, E, Low-cost measurement of facemask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech (June, 2020) [doi]  [abs].

Highlight:
Dr. Fischer’s research focuses on exploring novel nonlinear optical contrast mechanisms for molecular imaging. Nonlinear optical microscopes can provide non-invasive, high-resolution, 3-dimensional images even in highly scattering environments such as biological tissue. Established contrast mechanisms, such as two-photon fluorescence or harmonic generation, can image a range of targets (such as autofluorescent markers or some connective tissue structure), but many of the most molecularly specific nonlinear interactions are harder to measure with power levels one might be willing to put on tissue. In order to use these previously inaccessible interactions as structural and molecular image contrasts we are developing ultrafast laser pulse shaping and pulse shape detection methods that dramatically enhance measurement sensitivity. Applications of these microscopy methods range from imaging biological tissue (mapping structure, endogenous tissue markers, or exogenous contrast agents) to characterization of nanomaterials (such as graphene and gold nanoparticles). The molecular contrast mechanisms we originally developed for biomedical imaging also provide pigment-specific signatures for paints used in historic artwork. Recently we have demonstrated that we can noninvasively image paint layers in historic paintings and we are currently developing microscopy techniques for use in art conservation and conservation science.

Dr. Fischer is also the director of the Advanced Light Imaging and Spectroscopy (ALIS) facility at Duke University.