Author name: ICO Optics

Low-light microscopy lets us capture delicate biological processes without damaging the sample. But honestly, noise can quickly overwhelm the signal […]

Immersive media is changing how we experience visual content by surrounding us with sights and sounds that feel like real

High numerical aperture (NA) objective lenses really drive the ability to capture fine detail in microscopy, semiconductor inspection, and advanced

High-resolution microscopes really need motion control systems that can position samples and optics with extreme accuracy. Piezoelectric actuators answer this

Multiphoton excitation microscopy uses a nonlinear optical process where two or more low-energy photons hit a molecule almost simultaneously to

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has really changed the way scientists look at complex structures in thick specimens. By focusing

Fluorescence microscopy lets us see structures and processes that standard light microscopy just can’t reveal. You shine specific wavelengths of

Polarization microscopy gives us a precise way to study materials that mess with light as it passes through. We call

Brightfield microscopy isn’t just about powerful objective lenses. The condenser lens actually does a lot of the heavy lifting when

Phase contrast microscopy lets scientists see transparent, living cells in detail without staining or harming them. It works by turning

Abbe’s theory of image formation really changed how scientists think about microscopes. He pointed out that clarity in fine details

Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy relies on the physics of polarized light and interference to bring out fine details in

Köhler illumination stands out as a go-to method in optical microscopy because it delivers bright, even lighting across the field

When light passes through a microscope lens, it just can’t create a perfect image of tiny details. The wave nature

Optical magnification in a microscope lets you see tiny details by enlarging the image of a specimen with a series

Numerical aperture sits at the core of how well an optical system can show fine details. It tells you how

Microscope design really hinges on how we think about light. Ray optics looks at light as straight lines, which makes

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has really changed the game in structural biology. Scientists can now actually see proteins, viruses, and cellular

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) lets us see and measure surfaces at the nanometer scale with a level of precision that

Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) lets us see structures way beyond what light-based imaging can manage. Instead of visible light, TEM

Electron diffraction in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) gives researchers a sharp tool for exploring how atoms line up inside

Near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), sometimes called scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM), lets scientists capture optical details way smaller than

A scanning electron microscope fires a tightly focused beam of electrons and uses electromagnetic lenses to bring out surface details

Brillouin microscopy gives us a way to see the mechanical landscape of materials without ever touching or changing them. Instead

Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) microscopy gives researchers a powerful way to visualize a sample’s chemical makeup without using dyes

Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) gives researchers a precise way to study living cells without needing dyes or stains. It measures

Raman microscopy brings together the molecular insight of Raman spectroscopy and the spatial detail of optical microscopy. It lets you

Spectral imaging in microscopy isn’t just about snapping a picture. It captures both spatial and spectral information, so every pixel

Digital Holographic Microscopy (DHM) does more than capture the intensity of light—it measures how light waves shift as they pass

Interference Reflection Microscopy (IRM) gives researchers a sharp way to see how cells interact with surfaces at the nanometer scale.

Stimulated Emission Depletion (STED) microscopy takes fluorescence imaging to the next level by deciding exactly when and where molecules emit

Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM) gives researchers a unique way to capture high-resolution, three-dimensional images with minimal photodamage. By lighting

Super-resolution microscopy has totally changed how scientists look at the tiny details inside cells and molecules. Of all the methods

Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) gives researchers a practical way to see beyond the diffraction limit of light, all without ditching

Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (TIRFM) lets scientists watch what’s happening right at the cell surface with impressive clarity. Using

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) changed how we explore surfaces at the atomic scale. It relies on quantum tunneling, where electrons

Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) in microscopy gives us a precise method to study molecular interactions at distances that regular

Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) gives us a precise way to visualize and study magnetic domains at the nanoscale. By picking