Clearly imaging single fluorescent molecules.
Epifluorescence microscopes are a commonly used tool for studying specimens. Improved specificity and contrast provided by the application of fluorescence to the field of microscopy has stimulated the advancement of various discoveries in the biosciences.
In 1843, George Gabriel Stokes described fluorescence as being characterized by the wavelength of an emitted light that is longer than the wavelength of the exciting light.
This discovery led to the invention of the epifluorescence microscope, now a ubiquitous instrument in biological and medical laboratories.
The high contrast and specificity of the images produced have allowed for the increased understanding of cell structures, the location, and dynamics of gene expression and distinct interactions at a molecular level within the cell.
Epifluorescence illumination or epi-illumination
Epifluorescence illumination or epi-illumination is the specific arrangement of these optical components that allow for the illumination of the specimen from above. The objective lens acts as both the source of light which excites the fluorophore and the element of the microscope that collects the emission filter in fluorescence microscopy .
In comparison to other forms of fluorescence microscopy, epifluorescence illumination has the advantage of only requiring a small amount of emitted light to be blocked.
Though this approach means that the excitation light and emission light overlap, the dichroic mirror efficiently separates the excitation from the emission.
The combination of an excitation filter, dichroic mirror and barrier filter in the filter cubes means that only one photon in 10,000 of the wrong excitation wavelength to the specimen passes, with a similar amount for the emission light. This high ratio is important for clearly imaging single fluorescent molecules.
Terminology:
· Fluorophore: A chemical compound that fluoresces by emitting light upon excitation.
· Photon: A fundamental particle of visible light.
· Ground state: The normal, non-excited state of a molecule.
· Excited state: Electrons can move to a higher energy level by absorbing light, therefore achieving an excited state emission filter fluorescence .
OPTOLONG has been offered fluorescent light filter for many instrument manufacturer and also dealer. We could offer right solution to client according to client’s application. Standard blocking dept for fluorescence filters can be OD4, OD5 or above. Standard transmission could be from 70% to 95%. OEM for size from Dia4mm to Dia70mm, transmission, slop are acceptable and with reasonable and economic price. Optical Filter Sets for Fluorescence
Below is the application we involved in:
· Microplate reader
· Realtime PCR
· Fluorometer
· Cell counter
· Flow cytometry
· Fluorescence quantitative analyzer
· Fluorescent Cell Analysis System
· DNA sequence and analyzer
· Microscope imaging system
· Cell imaging system
· Fluorometer and Absorbance Reader
· Biochemical analyzer