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Far-field optical nanoscopy.

Stefan W Hell1

  • 1Department of NanoBiophotonics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, 37070 Göttingen, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), High Resolution Optical Microscopy Division, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. shell@gwdg.de

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|May 26, 2007
PubMed
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The diffraction barrier in light microscopy is being overcome by fluorescence microscopy, enabling nanoscale imaging. This breakthrough allows visualization of details previously only possible with electron or scanning probe microscopes.

Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Biophysics
  • Microscopy

Background:

  • Ernst Abbe's 1873 diffraction limit restricts optical microscopes to resolving features larger than half the wavelength of light.
  • Traditional optical microscopy cannot achieve nanoscale resolution, limiting visualization of sub-wavelength structures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the physical principles enabling fluorescence microscopy to surpass the diffraction limit.
  • To discuss the transition of optical microscopy into the nanoscale domain.

Main Methods:

  • Discussion of physical concepts driving advances in fluorescence microscopy.
  • Review of emergent far-field optical nanoscopy techniques.

Main Results:

  • Fluorescence microscopy is breaking the diffraction barrier, achieving nanoscale resolution.

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  • Far-field optical nanoscopy is emerging as a powerful visualization tool.

    • Conclusions:

    • Optical nanoscopy now rivals electron and scanning probe microscopes in resolution.
    • Emergent nanoscopy techniques are poised to significantly impact life sciences and other fields requiring nanoscale visualization.