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Related Concept Videos

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,...
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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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Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Video-rate Scanning Confocal Microscopy and Microendoscopy
14:10

Video-rate Scanning Confocal Microscopy and Microendoscopy

Published on: October 20, 2011

Micromachined scanning confocal optical microscope.

D L Dickensheets, G S Kino

    Optics Letters
    |October 31, 2009
    PubMed
    Summary

    We developed a miniature confocal microscope using fiber illumination and a zone plate lens. This compact device achieves 1.0-micrometer resolution for monochromatic imaging applications.

    Area of Science:

    • Optical Engineering
    • Microscopy
    • Nanotechnology

    Background:

    • Confocal microscopy is crucial for high-resolution imaging.
    • Miniaturization of optical systems is a key challenge in modern instrumentation.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To construct a compact, side-looking confocal optical microscope.
    • To achieve high resolution in a miniaturized imaging system.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized single-mode fiber illumination.
    • Employed a two-phase off-axis zone plate objective lens.
    • Integrated micromachined silicon torsional scanning mirrors for beam steering.

    Main Results:

    • Achieved 1.0-micrometer resolution.

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  • Demonstrated imaging over a 100-micrometer field of view.
  • The objective lens has a numerical aperture (N.A.) of 0.24 at lambda = 0.6328 microm.

    • Conclusions:

    • The developed miniature confocal microscope offers high resolution in a compact form factor.
    • This technology is suitable for monochromatic imaging applications requiring miniaturization.