Construction of super-resolution microscope based on cw laser light source

We constructed a super-resolution microscope system based on a cw laser light source. Electro-optical modulators convert the cw laser light into a light pulse with a width of 15ns and provide a repetition rate of 100kHz. The performance of the microscope was evaluated using 100nmϕ fluorescence microbeads. The fluorescence signal from the beads can be detected with very low statistical fluctuation. The super-resolution image was obtained with better signal to noise ratio compared with that given by a pulse laser light source with a repetition rate of several tens of hertz. The fluorescent size of the beads was 150nm, which is 2.3 times smaller than the diffraction limit. Experimental results confirmed that the two-point resolution also overcomes the diffraction limit. The constructed system is expected to become a commercial microscope.