Method of microscopically examining a spatial finestructure

US7538893B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Föderung der Wissenschaften e.V. · US

Inventors

• Stefan W. Hell · Oebisfelde, DE
• Volker Westphal · Hannover, DE
• Norbert Quaas · Bremen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 26, 2007
• Grant date: May 26, 2009
• Expiry date: Dec 10, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N21/6458
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method of microscopically examining a spatial fine structure comprises the steps of selecting a luminophore from the group of luminophores which have two physical states, the two states differing from each other with regard to the luminescence properties displayed by the luminophore, and which are reversibly, but essentially completely transferable out of one into the other state of their two states by means of an optical signal; overlaying a surface of the spatial fine structure with the luminophore; and determining the profile of the surface overlaid with the luminophore. The step of determining the profile of the surface comprises the sub-steps of transferring the luminophore by means of the optical signal out of the one into the other of its two states outside a presently observed measurement point, measuring luminescence light emitted by the luminophore, and repeating the sub-steps of transferring and measuring for further measurement points distributed over the surface.