Confocal microscopy with a high numerical aperture parabolic mirror.
A novel high-resolution stage scanning confocal microscope for fluorescence microscopy and spatially resolved spectroscopy with a high numerical aperture (NA 1) parabolic mirror objective is investigated. A spatial resolution close to the diffraction limit is achieved. As microscopic fluorescent test objects, dye-loaded zeolite microcrystals (diameter approx. 0.4 microm) and single fluorescent molecules were used. Confocal fluorescence images show a spatial resolution of .x = 0.8 . both at room temperature and at 1.8 K. Imaging of a quasi-point light source and focusing by the parabolic mirror were investigated experimentally and theoretically. Deviations between the theoretical results for a perfect parabolic mirror and the experimental results can be attributed to small deviations of the mirror profile from an ideal parabola.
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A
Drechsler
M
M
Lieb
C
C
Debus
A
A
Meixner
G
G
Tarrach