Abstract

We demonstrate a three-dimensional scanning probe microscope in which the extremely soft spring of an optical tweezers trap is used. Feedback control of the instrument based on backscattered light levels allows three-dimensional imaging of microscopic samples in an aqueous environment. Preliminary results with a 2-µm-diameter spherical probe indicate that features of approximately 200 nm can be resolved, with a sensitivity of 5 nm in the height measurement. The theoretical resolution is limited by the probe dimensions.

© 1999 Optical Society of America

LED-based interference-reflection microscopy combined with optical tweezers for quantitative three-dimensional microtubule imaging

Steve Simmert, Mohammad Kazem Abdosamadi, Gero Hermsdorf, and Erik Schäffer
Opt. Express 26(11) 14499-14513 (2018)

Optical image recognition of three-dimensional objects

Ting-Chung Poon and Taegeun Kim
Appl. Opt. 38(2) 370-381 (1999)

Three-dimensional phase imaging with a scanning optical-fiber interferometer

Julian N. Walford, Keith A. Nugent, Ann Roberts, and Robert E. Scholten
Appl. Opt. 38(16) 3508-3515 (1999)

Demonstration of literal three-dimensional imaging

Cheng Ho, Kevin L. Albright, Alan W. Bird, Jeffrey Bradley, Donald E. Casperson, Miles Hindman, William C. Priedhorsky, W. Robert Scarlett, R. Clayton Smith, James Theiler, and S. Kerry Wilson
Appl. Opt. 38(9) 1833-1840 (1999)

Three-dimensional positioning of optically trapped nanoparticles

Takayuki Higuchi, Quang Duc Pham, Satoshi Hasegawa, and Yoshio Hayasaki
Appl. Opt. 50(34) H183-H188 (2011)