CONFOCOR
3
ConfoCor 3
Introduction to Laser Scanning Microscopy and Fluorescence …
Carl Zeiss
02/2010 M60-1-0025
e
5
9.1.2
Optical Diagram of the ConfoCor
3 and the LSM
710 and LSM
780 Systems
(Schematic)
Fig. 3
Optical path, schematic (3-channel configuration)
APD
Avalanche photodiode
MBS Main Beam Splitter
DBS
Dichroic Beam Splitter
NDD Non-Descanned Detector
EF Emission Filter
PMT Photomultiplier
HAL Halogen
Lamp
T-PMT
Transmission-Photomultiplier
HBO Mercury Vapor Short-Arc Lamp
ZO
Zoom Optics
IBF
Infrared Blocking Filter
The diagram above is a schematic representation of the LSM 710 / LSM 780-ConfoCor 3 system.
Laser light is focused onto the specimen through an objective in a diffraction-limited mode. Light emitted
at the focal plane and at planes below and above it is directed via an XY scanner onto a main dichroic
beam splitter (MDBS), which separates the emissions from the excitation light. The fluorescences are
separated from each other by a series of dichroic beam splitters (DBS1 ... maximally DBS4) and directed to
individual photomultipliers (PMT1 ... maximally PMT3) or via Channel 4 into the ConfoCor 3 module.
Here light passes though block filters for NLO light (if applicable), and is directed via a dichroic beam
splitter (DBS 5) to avalanche photodiodes (APD1 ... maximally APD2) or GaAsP (GaAsP1 … maximally
GaAsP2) detectors. The pinholes (VP) block all out of focus light, whereas emission filters (EF) are used to
select a specific spectrum of the emitted light and to suppress any remaining excitation light.
