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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,...
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy01:05

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy or TIRF is an advanced microscopic technique used to visualize fluorophores in samples close to a solid surface with a higher refractive index, such as a glass coverslip. TIRF only allows fluorophores in proximity to the solid surface to be excited. When light from a medium with a lower refractive index (such as air) hits the glass coverslip at a critical angle, the light undergoes total internal reflection stead of passing through the glass.
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.
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
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Workflow Using a Cryogenic Coincident Fluorescence, Electron, and Ion Beam Microscope for Targeted Milling of Cells
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Published on: October 17, 2025

Fiber-optic confocal microscope: FOCON.

T Dabbs, M Glass

    Applied Optics
    |August 21, 2010
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    A novel fiber-optic confocal microscope (FOCON) offers similar resolution to traditional designs but with fewer components and simpler alignment. This robust microscope allows for rapid scanning by moving the optical fiber end.

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    Area of Science:

    • Optics and Photonics
    • Microscopy Technology
    • Biomedical Engineering

    Background:

    • Conventional confocal microscopes utilize beam splitters and pinholes for optical sectioning.
    • These systems often require precise alignment and numerous optical components, increasing complexity and cost.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To introduce a new design for a reflecting fiber-optic confocal microscope (FOCON).
    • To demonstrate that FOCON achieves comparable resolution to conventional confocal microscopes.
    • To highlight the advantages of FOCON in terms of component count, alignment, and scanning capabilities.

    Main Methods:

    • Replaced the beam splitter in a conventional confocal microscope with a fiber-optic splitter.
    • Utilized the core of a single-mode fiber as both the source and detector pinhole.
    • Evaluated the resolution characteristics and scanning performance of the FOCON system.

    Main Results:

    • FOCON demonstrates identical resolution characteristics to conventional confocal microscopes.
    • The FOCON design requires significantly fewer optical components.
    • Alignment is less critical, and the microscope is robust.
    • Rapid scanning in x, y, and z directions is achievable by simple movement of the optical fiber end.

    Conclusions:

    • The fiber-optic confocal microscope (FOCON) presents a simplified and robust alternative to conventional designs.
    • FOCON maintains high resolution while reducing optical complexity and alignment sensitivity.
    • Its design facilitates efficient and rapid 3D scanning, making it suitable for various imaging applications.