Lecture

Introduction to Microscopy

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In course

MICRO-562: Experimental biomicroscopy

By combining hands-on and theoretical training, this course introduces commonly used optical microscopy techniques. The lab training takes place in BIOP Core Facility and provides access to use microscopes and image biological samples. Theoretical part cov ...

Description

This lecture covers the basics of microscopy, including dark-field, phase-contrast, and polarization techniques, as well as wide-field and fluorescence microscopy. It also explains birefringence in optics, the generation of elliptically polarized light, and the representation of linearly polarized E-field.

Instructors (2)

Arne Seitz

04/1996-06/2000 Scientific co-worker at Philipps-University of Marburg, Dep. of Physical Chemistry 07/2000-10/2002 Post Doc at Max-Planck Unit for Structural Molecular Biology in Hamburg 11/2002-11/2005 Post Doc at European Molecular Biolohy Laboratory (EMBL), Cell Biology and Cell Biophysics Programme 11/2005-03/2009 Staff Scientist at Advanced Light Microscopy Facility, EMBL 04/2009- Head of Bioimaging and Optics platforme (BIOP), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)

Hatice Altug

2020-current Full Professor at the Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Switzerland2013-2020 Associate Professor (with tenure) at the Institute of Bioengineering, EPFL, Switzerland 2013 Associate Professor (with tenure) at Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Boston University, USA 2007-2013 Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at Electrical and Computer Engineering Department of Boston University, USA 2007 Post-doctoral Fellow at Center for Engineering in Medicine of Harvard Medical School, USA 2000-2007 PhD. in Applied Physics at Stanford University, USA 1996-2000 B.S. in Physics at Bilkent University, Turkey

Official source

Ontological neighbourhood

Biology

Anatomy: Histology

Physics

Optics: Wave polarization

Related concepts (32)

Polarization (physics)

Polarization (also polarisation) is a property of transverse waves which specifies the geometrical orientation of the oscillations. In a transverse wave, the direction of the oscillation is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the wave. A simple example of a polarized transverse wave is vibrations traveling along a taut string (see image); for example, in a musical instrument like a guitar string. Depending on how the string is plucked, the vibrations can be in a vertical direction, horizontal direction, or at any angle perpendicular to the string.

Elliptical polarization

In electrodynamics, elliptical polarization is the polarization of electromagnetic radiation such that the tip of the electric field vector describes an ellipse in any fixed plane intersecting, and normal to, the direction of propagation. An elliptically polarized wave may be resolved into two linearly polarized waves in phase quadrature, with their polarization planes at right angles to each other. Since the electric field can rotate clockwise or counterclockwise as it propagates, elliptically polarized waves exhibit chirality.

Microscopy

Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of microscopy: optical, electron, and scanning probe microscopy, along with the emerging field of X-ray microscopy. Optical microscopy and electron microscopy involve the diffraction, reflection, or refraction of electromagnetic radiation/electron beams interacting with the specimen, and the collection of the scattered radiation or another signal in order to create an image.

Super-resolution microscopy

Super-resolution microscopy is a series of techniques in optical microscopy that allow such images to have resolutions higher than those imposed by the diffraction limit, which is due to the diffraction of light. Super-resolution imaging techniques rely on the near-field (photon-tunneling microscopy as well as those that use the Pendry Superlens and near field scanning optical microscopy) or on the far-field.

Confocal microscopy

Confocal microscopy, most frequently confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) or laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), is an optical imaging technique for increasing optical resolution and contrast of a micrograph by means of using a spatial pinhole to block out-of-focus light in image formation. Capturing multiple two-dimensional images at different depths in a sample enables the reconstruction of three-dimensional structures (a process known as optical sectioning) within an object.

Related lectures (61)

Polarized Light Microscopy: Techniques and Applications

Explores polarized light microscopy techniques, including observing spherulites and birefringence in specimens, and analyzing various materials.

Phase-Contrast Microscopy: Principles and Applications

Explores phase-contrast microscopy, polarization techniques, and the use of polarized light in revealing molecular orders in samples.

Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Explores Differential Interference Contrast microscopy, explaining its principles, equipment, image interpretation, and comparison with phase contrast microscopy.

Elliptical Polarization: Generation and Interpretation

Explores the generation and interpretation of elliptically polarized light in microscopy, including contrast enhancement techniques and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy.

Quartz Birefringence: Thickness and Polarization