title: Nanometer axial resolution by three-dimensional supercritical angle fluorescence microscopy.
abstract: We report a noninvasive fluorescence microscopy method and demonstrate nanometer resolution along the optical axis. The technique is based on the influence of the microscope slide on the angular intensity distribution of fluorescence. Axial positions are determined by measuring the proportion of light emitted below the critical angle of total internal reflection, which behaves in a classical way, and light emitted above the critical angle, which is exponentially dependent on the distance of the fluorophore from the microscope slide.
authors.affiliation: Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Christian M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Winterflood
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ruckstuhl
authors.forename: Dorinel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Verdes
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seeger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008863:Microspheres; D008870:Microtubules; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D010316:Particle Size