Three-dimensional imaging of biological specimens with standing wave fluorescence microscopy

Axial resolution in fluorescence microscopy can be improved significantly by using standing wave illumination to selectively excite planes within the depth of field of the microscope. When the specimen is thinner than 0.18 micrometers , an estimate of its 3D structure may be determined from three images within the same focal plane without re-focusing. Thicker objects require a combination of multi-focal-plane data and/or a priori knowledge.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.