Multiple excitation nano-spot generation and confocal detection for far-field microscopy.
An imaging technique is developed for the controlled generation of multiple excitation nano-spots for far-field microscopy. The system point spread function (PSF) is obtained by interfering two counter-propagating extended depth-of-focus PSF (DoF-PSF), resulting in highly localized multiple excitation spots along the optical axis. The technique permits (1) simultaneous excitation of multiple planes in the specimen; (2) control of the number of spots by confocal detection; and (3) overcoming the point-by-point based excitation. Fluorescence detection from the excitation spots can be efficiently achieved by Z-scanning the detector/pinhole assembly. The technique complements most of the bioimaging techniques and may find potential application in high resolution fluorescence microscopy and nanoscale imaging.
Mondal
Partha Pratim
PP
Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. partham@mit.edu
D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D036103:Nanotechnology