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Related Concept Videos

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy01:37

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.
Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy01:18

Imaging Biological Samples with Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopy uses optic principles to provide detailed images of samples. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek designed the first compound optical microscope in the 17th century to visualize blood cells, bacteria, and yeast cells. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes with enhanced magnification and resolution.
In optical microscopy, the specimen to be viewed is placed on a glass slide and clipped on the stage...
Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy01:16

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

Confocal microscopy is an advanced microscopic technique. The prime advantage of the confocal microscope over other microscopy techniques is its ability to block the out-of-focus light from the illuminated samples using pinholes. It is widely used with fluorescence optics to obtain high-resolution, sharp contrast images. Unlike optical microscopes, confocal microscopes use a focused beam of light laser to scan the entire sample surface at different z-planes. These microscopes are, therefore,...
Atomic Force Microscopy01:08

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle
15:06

Measurement of Scattering Nonlinearities from a Single Plasmonic Nanoparticle

Published on: January 3, 2016

Near-field optics: microscopy, spectroscopy, and surface modification beyond the diffraction limit.

E Betzig, J K Trautman

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |July 10, 1992
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Near-field optical microscopy offers high-resolution surface imaging and modification, surpassing traditional methods. This versatile technique retains optical advantages for applications in biology and materials science.

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    Area of Science:

    • Optics and Photonics
    • Nanotechnology
    • Surface Science

    Background:

    • Traditional far-field optical techniques have resolution limitations.
    • Near-field optical interactions enable sub-wavelength resolution imaging and manipulation.
    • Conventional optics principles like noninvasiveness and low cost are maintained.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To highlight the capabilities of near-field optical interactions for nanoscale surface analysis.
    • To demonstrate the versatility of near-field optics across various scientific disciplines.
    • To explore potential applications in semiconductor spectroscopy and cellular imaging.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilizing a sharp probe for near-field optical interaction with a sample.
    • Applying optical contrast mechanisms in the near-field regime.
    • Achieving resolutions down to approximately 12 nm.

    Main Results:

    • Demonstrated imaging of nanometric-scale features in mammalian tissue.
    • Successfully created ultrasmall magneto-optic domains for data storage.
    • Extended optical contrast mechanisms to the near-field for versatile probing.

    Conclusions:

    • Near-field optical microscopy provides a powerful, versatile, and cost-effective tool for nanoscale surface characterization.
    • The technique offers significant potential for localized optical spectroscopy of semiconductors.
    • Fluorescence imaging of living cells is a promising application of near-field optics.