Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy

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,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Salt-concentration-dependent nucleation rates in low-metastability colloidal charged sphere melts containing small amounts of doublets.

Physical review. E·2022

Same author

Entropic Identification of the First Order Freezing Transition of a Suspension of Hard Sphere Particles.

Physical review letters·2020

Same author

Coincidence of the freezing and the onset of caging in hard sphere and Lennard-Jones fluids.

The Journal of chemical physics·2019

Same author

Formation of Laves phases in buoyancy matched hard sphere suspensions.

Soft matter·2018

Same author

The cage effect in systems of hard spheres.

The Journal of chemical physics·2017

Same author

Coupling between bulk- and surface chemistry in suspensions of charged colloids.

The Journal of chemical physics·2014

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

Charged colloidal model systems under confinement in slit geometry: a new setup for optical microscopic studies.

A Reinmüller¹, T Palberg, H J Schöpe

¹Institut für Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Staudingerweg 7 55128 Mainz, Germany. reinmu01@uni-mainz.de

The Review of Scientific Instruments

|July 5, 2013

Summary

A novel experimental setup enables precise optical microscopy of charged colloidal systems confined between walls. This system allows for controlled confinement adjustments and in situ measurements, crucial for studying colloidal phase behavior.

More Related Videos

A Modular Microfluidic Technology for Systematic Studies of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

A Modular Microfluidic Technology for Systematic Studies of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Published on: May 10, 2018

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 31, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 10, 2026

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Confocal Imaging of Confined Quiescent and Flowing Colloid-polymer Mixtures

Published on: May 20, 2014

A Modular Microfluidic Technology for Systematic Studies of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

A Modular Microfluidic Technology for Systematic Studies of Colloidal Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Published on: May 10, 2018

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Direct Force Measurements of Subcellular Mechanics in Confinement using Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 31, 2021

Area of Science:

Colloid and Surface Science
Soft Matter Physics
Experimental Biophysics

Background:

Studying charged colloidal systems under confinement is essential for understanding phase behavior.
Previous experimental setups lacked precise control over confinement geometry and deionization.
Low background salt concentrations are critical for observing equilibrium phase transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a new experimental setup for optical microscopic studies of charged colloidal model systems.
To enable precise control over confinement geometry and deionization conditions.
To facilitate the investigation of equilibrium phase behavior in colloids.

Main Methods:

Utilizing optically flat quartz substrates with piezo actuators for adjustable confinement.
Implementing in situ interferometric measurements for quantitative local cell height control.
Connecting the measurement cell to a mixed-bed ion exchanger for deionized suspension preparation.

Main Results:

The setup allows for fast and flexible adjustment of confining geometry.
Quantitative control of local cell height is achievable.
The system demonstrates suitability for studying colloidal equilibrium phase behavior at low salt concentrations.

Conclusions:

The presented experimental setup is a valuable tool for advanced studies of confined colloidal systems.
It enables precise control over experimental parameters crucial for fundamental research.
The setup facilitates the exploration of colloidal physics under deionized conditions.