Application note: Vibration control in optical microscopy

 

How a Princeton University research lab handles vibration control in optical microscopy

Assistant Professor Tian-Ming Fu’s research in Princeton University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering involves light-sheet, adaptive optics, and multi-photon microscopy. His focus is on advancing the field of optical microscopy for biological and biomedical research. Achieving high-resolution imaging of biological samples, including single molecules, subcellular organelles, and other microscopic structures, is critical to understanding their functions and interactions in living organisms.

 

I build optical microscopes,” said Tian-Ming. “Because these microscopes have such a high resolution, I must build the microscope on top of an optical table to eliminate vibrations. If you want to look at something at a hundred or even tens-ofnanometer resolution, any vibration will quickly destroy your resolution. So, I need to make sure I have a super stable table. There is no way to make a building so stable that you don’t need an optical table.”

 

Due to his work in a previous lab, Tian-Ming knew that TC’s tables were well-suited for his need to minimize the effects of vibration on imaging.

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