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Lecture

STED Microscopy: Advanced Techniques

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 principles of Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy, focusing on the resolution enhancement achieved by overlapping excitation and depletion laser beams. It explains the factors influencing resolution, such as STED laser intensity and fluorophore saturation intensity. The use of phase masks, like Vortex phase plates, to create doughnut-shaped depletion beams is discussed. The lecture also explores the dynamic tuning of spatial resolution in STED microscopy, showcasing sub-diffraction imaging capabilities and the comparison with confocal microscopy through practical examples.

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Instructors (2)

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

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)

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Related concepts (18)

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.

Super-resolution imaging

Super-resolution imaging (SR) is a class of techniques that enhance (increase) the of an imaging system. In optical SR the diffraction limit of systems is transcended, while in geometrical SR the resolution of digital is enhanced. In some radar and sonar imaging applications (e.g. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), high-resolution computed tomography), subspace decomposition-based methods (e.g. MUSIC) and compressed sensing-based algorithms (e.g., SAMV) are employed to achieve SR over standard periodogram algorithm.

Fluorescence microscope

A fluorescence microscope is an optical microscope that uses fluorescence instead of, or in addition to, scattering, reflection, and attenuation or absorption, to study the properties of organic or inorganic substances. "Fluorescence microscope" refers to any microscope that uses fluorescence to generate an image, whether it is a simple set up like an epifluorescence microscope or a more complicated design such as a confocal microscope, which uses optical sectioning to get better resolution of the fluorescence image.

Optical microscope

The optical microscope, also referred to as a light microscope, is a type of microscope that commonly uses visible light and a system of lenses to generate magnified images of small objects. Optical microscopes are the oldest design of microscope and were possibly invented in their present compound form in the 17th century. Basic optical microscopes can be very simple, although many complex designs aim to improve resolution and sample contrast. The object is placed on a stage and may be directly viewed through one or two eyepieces on the microscope.

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