Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 July 2008
Most applications involving metallic nanoparticle labelling necessitate both fast imaging and local spectroscopy of individual beads. We present an imaging method based on a guided laser illumination associated to spatial modulation which allows the detection of gold particles down to 10 nm. Using an imaging spectrometer and white incoherent illumination, the same system delivers individual spectroscopy of several gold beads simultaneously, allowing a fast and selective discrimination between individual metal particles and aggregates or dust.