Description:

Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) is a common fluorescence imaging technique for achieving optical sectioning by blocking out-of-focus lights with a pinhole in the detection light path. By capturing multiple two-dimensional images of a relatively thick sample at different depths, a confocal image volume can be obtained, and the latter will also enable 3D visualization of the sample. This makes confocal microscopy very useful in life and material sciences.
The Leica TCS SPE is an entry-level confocal microscope. The operating software, LAS X, is user-friendly and allows novice users to capture confocal images with high lateral and axial resolution within a short time. The Lecia TCS SPE is equipped with multiple single-wavelength excitation laser lines and a tunable spectral detector, allowing sequential imaging of multiple fluorescent dyes in a sample. 3D visualization of confocal volume data (i.e., a Z-stack) can be performed with an additional offline LAS X software package (also available at the ULS).
 

Specifications:

• Manual inverted microscope (Leica DMi8) with TCS SPE confocal module
• Objectives: 10×/0.3 dry; 40×/1.15 oil; 63×/1.3 oil
• 4 laser lines available: 405 nm, 488 nm, 561 nm, 635 nm (solid state laser)
• Spectral detection: tunable from 380 to 800 nm
• Detector: 1 photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector
• LAS AF software: easy-to-use interface with additional software package for 3D visualization

Location: Y708

Hourly rate: $125 (internal users); $250 (collaborators); $625 (external users)

Staff-in-charge: Dr Alan Leung

Training: please contact Dr Alan Leung (email: alan.sl.leung@polyu.edu.hk / Tel.: 3400 8984) for arrangement.