Microscopy

Laser microscopy comprises a bundle of various techniques that enable the generation of microscopic images.

Confocal scanning microscopes are able to increase drastically the vertical resolution of the image. By focusing a single mode laser tightly on the object it is possible to scan every point of the sample while suppressing light coming from regions that are out of focus. Composing these single data on a computer leads to an image with extremely high resolution.

In a similar way the fluorescence within the sample can be used in order to create an image. In this case the sample is labeled by fluorescent stains and illuminated by a specific wavelength which leads to an emission at a longer wavelength. Although the fluorescence is much weaker as the exciting light it can be separated by using spectral filters.

Fluorescence microscopy and similar techniques like multiphoton spectroscopy is mostly used for biological samples, e.g. in scientific research and for medical diagnosis. Especially the more sophistic techniques require a stable laser source with a well defined emission spectrum.