Synonyms
Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM); Spinning-disk confocal microscopy
Definition
Confocal microscopy is a form of light microscopy that allows for high contrast imaging, and three-dimensional reconstruction. A confocal microscope employs laser excitation sources focused through pinhole(s) to excite fluorophores in a thin plane of a sample while rejecting out-of-focus light. The result is increased contrast and selective imaging at relatively high resolution across a wide range of wavelengths. Major advantages of confocal microscopy over conventional light microscopy include the availability of laser light sources in a broad range of wavelengths, the shallow depth of field, elimination of out-of-focus flare generated by fluorescence, noninvasive (optical) sectioning ability from relatively thick sections, and marginal improvement in axial and lateral resolution. With regards to micro- and nanofluidics, many of the current detection schemes utilized in fluidic devices...
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© 2008 Springer-Verlag
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Minerick, A.R., Thibaudeau, G. (2008). Confocal Microscopy, Detection. In: Li, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-48998-8_255
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-48998-8_255
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-32468-5
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-48998-8
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