title: Creation of a three-dimensional spherical fluorescence spot for super-resolution microscopy using a two-color annular hybrid wave plate.
abstract: We fabricate a two-color annular hybrid wave plate (TAHWP) for fluorescence depletion super-resolution microscopy by combining quartz plates. Inserting the TAHWP into a commercial laser-scanning microscope together with a quarter-wave plate creates a three-dimensional spherical fluorescence spot smaller than the diffraction limit. Since a simple experimental setup easily provides a spot with a volume of ∼100  nm3, the TAHWP can improve the performance of various microspectroscopic devices.
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iketaki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumagai
authors.forename: Kornel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: Nandor
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bokor
mesh_terms: D003116:Color; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D008863:Microspheres