High-resolution wide-field standing-wave surface plasmon resonance fluorescence microscopy with optical vortices

Abstract

A technique for high-resolution wide-field fluorescence microscopy by using standing surface plasmon waves induced by optical vortices (OVs) is proposed, aiming at harnessing its unique dynamic properties to sequentially illuminate specimen with different phase-shifted interference excitation field. Topological charges of the OV are employed to modulate phase-shifting of the interference pattern. Numerical studies and experimental results reveal an achievement of 0.25λ optical resolution, a factor of twofold improvement compared with the standard total-internal-reflection fluorescence microscopy. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.