Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026
20:00
Single Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy on Planar Supported Bilayers
Published on: October 31, 2015
Optical filters for wavelength selection in fluorescence instrumentation
1Semrock, Inc, Rochester, New York.
Current Protocols in Cytometry
|April 2, 2011
Summary
Optical filters are essential for fluorescence imaging, enabling spectral control for high sensitivity and resolution. This review focuses on thin-film filters, crucial components in modern fluorescence microscopy and in vitro diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Life Science Research
- In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD)
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Fluorescence imaging is a cornerstone of life science research.
- Optical filters are critical components in fluorescence instruments, providing spectral control.
- Effective filtering is necessary to distinguish fluorescence signals from background noise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To emphasize the importance of thin-film interference filters in fluorescence imaging.
- To detail filter configurations in single-color and multicolor fluorescence systems.
- To discuss key filter properties affecting optical system performance.
Main Methods:
- Review of thin-film filter types and fabrication.
- Detailed description of optical filter configurations in fluorescence instruments.
- Analysis of critical filter properties impacting performance.
Main Results:
- Thin-film interference filters are the predominant technology in current fluorescence instruments.
- Understanding filter properties is key to optimizing detection sensitivity and imaging resolution.
- Tunable optical filters offer advanced capabilities for spectral control.
Conclusions:
- Optical filters, particularly thin-film types, are indispensable for advanced fluorescence imaging.
- Proper filter selection and characterization are vital for reliable results in research and diagnostics.
- Future developments in tunable filters promise enhanced performance in fluorescence applications.
More Related Videos
11:51Engineering 'Golden' Fluorescence by Selective Pressure Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids and Protein Analysis by Mass Spectrometry and Fluorescence
Published on: April 27, 2018
07:34Excitation-Scanning Hyperspectral Imaging Microscopy to Efficiently Discriminate Fluorescence Signals
Published on: August 22, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:25Fluorescence and Phosphorescence: Instrumentation
Fluorometers and spectrofluorometers are two types of instruments used for measuring molecular fluorescence. These instruments differ in how they select excitation and emission wavelengths and the type of light sources they utilize. Fluorometers use absorption interference filters to choose excitation and emission wavelengths. The excitation source in a fluorometer is typically a low-pressure mercury vapor lamp that emits intense lines distributed throughout the ultraviolet and visible regions.
01:14UV–Vis Spectrometers
The absorbance of UV and visible (UV–visible) radiations is measured using a UV–visible spectrophotometer. Deuterium lamps, which emit UV radiation, and tungsten lamps, which produce radiation in the visible region, are used as light sources in UV–visible spectrophotometers. A monochromator or prism is used for diffraction grating, i.e., to split the incoming radiation into different wavelengths. A system of slits is used to focus the desired wavelength on the sample cell. Samples for...
01:16Confocal 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,...
01:18Imaging 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...
In optical microscopy, the specimen to be viewed is placed on a glass slide and clipped on the stage...
01:37Super-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.