Confocal microscope systems: Confocal systems consist of a confocal microscope interfaced to an image analyzer to allow quantitative measurements of surface topography in both lateral and vertical dimensions

摘要

A confocal microscope is a specialized form of a reflected-light microscope that can measure both vertical and lateral dimensions of a specimen. Its image, called an optical section, displays a planar view of the specimen, centered about the focal plane of the objective lens and oriented perpendicular to the optical axis. The optical section has both high resolution and contrast, because the confocal design of the microscope blocks light reflected from specimen regions distant from the focal plane of the objective lens. Thus, regions that are in focus (near the focal plane) appear bright, but regions that are out of focus (distant from the focal plane) appear dark in this optical section. Exceptionally clear images of the surface features of opaque samples are possible, as well as internal features of transparent samples, because defocused light is removed from the image.