Confocal microscopy with a high numerical aperture parabolic mirror

A novel high-resolution stage scanning confocal microscope for fluorescence microscopy and spatially resolved spectroscopy with a high numerical aperture (NA 1) parabolic mirror objective is investigated. A spatial resolution close to the diffraction limit is achieved. As microscopic fluorescent tes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inOptics express Vol. 9; no. 12; pp. 637 - 644
Main Authors Drechsler, A, Lieb, M, Debus, C, Meixner, A, Tarrach, G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 03.12.2001
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Summary:A novel high-resolution stage scanning confocal microscope for fluorescence microscopy and spatially resolved spectroscopy with a high numerical aperture (NA 1) parabolic mirror objective is investigated. A spatial resolution close to the diffraction limit is achieved. As microscopic fluorescent test objects, dye-loaded zeolite microcrystals (diameter approx. 0.4 microm) and single fluorescent molecules were used. Confocal fluorescence images show a spatial resolution of .x = 0.8 . both at room temperature and at 1.8 K. Imaging of a quasi-point light source and focusing by the parabolic mirror were investigated experimentally and theoretically. Deviations between the theoretical results for a perfect parabolic mirror and the experimental results can be attributed to small deviations of the mirror profile from an ideal parabola.
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ISSN:1094-4087
1094-4087
DOI:10.1364/OE.9.000637