BioHackersNetWhat is LSCM? --edited by Kees van der Wulp (imgp@mbimp1.mbl.TNO.NL)
"Laser Scanning Confocal Microscopy (LSCM, also referred to as CSLM, ConfocalScanningLaserMicroscopy) is now established as a valuable tool for obtaining high resolution images and 3-D reconstructions of a variety of biological specimens.
"In LSCM, a laser light beam is expanded to make optimal use of the optics in the objective. Through a x-y deflection mechanism this beam is turned into a scanning beam, focussed to a small spot by an objective lens onto a fluorescent specimen. The mixture of reflected light and emitted fluorescent light is captured by the same objective and (after conversion into a static beam by the x-y scanner device) is focused onto a photodetector (photomultiplier) via a dichroic mirror (beam splitter). The reflected light is deviated by the dichroic mirror while the emitted fluorescent light passes through in the direction of the photomultiplier. A confocal aperture (pinhole) is placed in front of the photodetector, such that the fluorescent light (not the reflected light!) from points on the specimen that are not within the focal plane (the so called out-of-focus light) where the laser beam was focussed will be largly obstructed by the pinhole. In this way, out-of-focus information (both above and below the focal plane) is greatly reduced."
http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/ladic/confocal.html
