Abstract
Thermal lens microscope (TLM) is our original sensitive detector for non-fluorescent molecules in microspace. The principle is based on absorption of light followed by photothermal process. TLM has been successfully applied to sensitive detection on microchip, and TLM enabled various applications combined with microchip technologies. We are now developing HPLC microchips as one of the important separation techniques for analysis and synthesis. For HPLC microchip systems, direct and sensitive UV detection on microchip becomes key technology. Therefore, we extended applicability of TLM from visible to UV light absorbing samples by pulse UV laser excitation (UV-TLM). Quasi-continuous wave (QCW) method was applied for lock-in amplifier detection. By applying UV-TLM for biomolecules separation and detection, about two orders of higher sensitivity was achieved compared with UV spectrophotometer. For synthesis on microchip, recognition and detection of chiral samples become important in pharmaceutical field. Therefore, function of TLM was extended for selective detection of chiral samples by utilizing polarization modulation of excitation beam and resultant circular dichroism of sample (CD-TLM). The chirality of samples was detected selectively on microchip with two orders higher sensitivity than CD spectrophotometer. Finally, we explained the instrumentation using fiber optics and micro lens technology for achieving a miniaturized practical device.