Confocal Microscope

BioRad Confocal Microscope, 1996

The confocal microscope is a form of microscopy that permits examination of living cells without leading to their demise through the use of an argon laser light source. Confocal microscopy produces sharp fluorescent and transmitted light images because light from only one focal plane is used to produce that image. Light from other "out of focus" focal planes is blocked by the detection pinhole, part of the optical system of the microscope (see an animation of how the confocal microscope works). The emitted/reflected light passing through the detector pinhole is transformed into electrical signals by a photomultiplier and displayed on a computer monitor screen.

There are a number of benefits associated with the use of the confocal microscope. These include:

• Light rays from outside of the focal plane will not be recorded.
• Defocusing does not create blurring, but gradually cuts out parts of the object as they move away from the focal plane. The practical consequence is that these parts become darker and eventually disappear.
• True, three-dimensional data sets can be recorded.
• Scanning the object in x/y-direction as well as in z-direction allows viewing the object from all sides.
• Due to the small dimension of the illuminating light spot in the focal plane, stray light is minimized.
• By image processing, many slices can be superimposed, giving an extended focus image which can only be achieved in conventional microscopy by reduction of the aperture and thus sacrificing resolution.

These tools and others are utilized to aid in understanding nanomachines, nanotools and  related elements through research in nanotechnology. Nanochemistry is an important component of our success and is being investigated by Dr. Michael L. Norton. Contact Norton Laboratories with your interests.

Contact Information:

Dr. Robert J. Morgan
Marshall University Dept. of Chemistry
MorganR@Marshall.edu
304-696-3159

For more information, send your questions to:

© 1990 - 2004 Norton NanoLaboratories

Department of Chemistry - Marshall University, 1 John Marshall Drive, Huntington, WV 25755