Resolution of stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy

Value 2.4 nm Range: ±0.3 nm
Organism Generic
Reference Wildanger D et al., Solid immersion facilitates fluorescence microscopy with nanometer resolution and sub-ångström emitter localization. Adv Mater. 2012 Nov 20 24(44):OP309-13. doi: 10.1002/adma.201203033. abstract, p.OP309 right column 3rd paragraph & p.OP311 right column top paragraphPubMed ID22968917
Method Abstract:"Exploring the maximum spatial resolution achievable in far-field optical imaging, [investigators] show that applying solid immersion lenses (SIL) in stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy addresses single spins with a resolution down to 2.4 ± 0.3 nm and with a localization precision of 0.09 nm."
Comments p.OP309 right column 3rd paragraph:"Here, [investigators] surpass previous limits for STED microscopy of NV [nitrogen vacancy] centers in diamond, demonstrating that it provides a resolution down to 2.4±0.3 nm in raw data images. This record farfield optical resolution is attained by focusing the STED beam through a solid immersion lens (SIL) fabricated into the diamond. [refs 14–16 ] [Investigators’] data shows that the combination of STED and SIL should be highly effective to characterize arrays of coupled NV spins and to advance applications of NV centers in general, particularly their use as sensors of nanoscale magnetic fields." p.OP311 left column bottom line:"The results are shown in Figure 2 e,f. With SIL aided STED [investigators] achieved an E-PSF [effective point-spread-function] featuring a FWHM [full-width-at-half-maximum] of 2.4±0.3 nm, representing the highest resolving power demonstrated with far-field optical microscopy so far. Note that the 2.4 nm resolution value also exceeds that of near-field optical techniques. [ref 21]"
Entered by Uri M
ID 111786