15 – LSM 880 Training Guide
Scanning an Image
Once the laser(s) have been turned on and our light path has been designed, we can scan an image and begin adjusting our
signal level.
1.
From the ‘Channels’ dialog, set the ‘Pinhole’ to 1 AU for the Track with the
longest wavelength (Track 1 in this example).
Note: Setting the pinhole to 1 AU is a compromise between axial resolution
and signal level. When you start with an open pinhole, you are at a point
where your signal is the highest but your axial resolution is at its lowest. As
you reduce the aperture diameter you are increasing your Z resolution but
reducing your signal level. This is a reasonable trade off until you reach 1
AU. Reducing the pinhole lower than 1 AU will still linearly increase your Z
resolution but now signal will start to drop exponentially.
2.
Click ‘Set Exposure’ to have the system scan the image and automatically
adjust the gain and offset for both tracks.
Note: The automatic exposure setting works reasonably well with very
bright signals. It is not intended as a final optimization, just as a baseline
for fine tuning.
