Optimizing the Confocal Microscope

这是一个建议，发展共聚焦显微镜的改进 在三个方面：1）固态光子探测器，以增加 系统量子效率（与光电倍增管相比）， 尤其是在红光和近红外波段。 2)掺入 一个额外的，全职的，操作透明的，探测器 链的光后向散射的标本。 3)的 一种实用的自动优化束流系统的研制 使聚焦点的大小总是 适合于采样的体素的大小（参考 标本）。 为了确保这些发展是提供给一般 用户群尽快，建议这一点， 原型研究采取合作的形式， PI和Bio-Rad Inc.，美国一家主要的 共焦设备，其特点是 对感兴趣和有能力的用户的投入作出反应。 具体而言，寻求支助以支付部分工资， 研究的旅费和实验室费用 剑桥大学和Bio-Rad的发展 PI在英国的实验室里， 综合显微镜资源。 部分资金也将用于 在获得休假前的六个月内， 在美国有必要的设备。

This is a proposal to develop improvements in confocal microscopy in three areas: 1) Solid-state photon detectors to increase system quantum efficiency (compared to the photomultiplier tube), especially in the red and near-infrared. 2) The incorporation of an additional, full-time, operationally-transparent, detector chain for light backscattered by the specimen. 3) The development of a practical system of automatic optimal beam shaping so that the size of the focussed spot is always appropriate for the size of the voxels sampled (referred to the specimen). To insure that these developments are made available to general user groups as soon as possible, it is proposed that this prototype research take the form of a cooperative effort between the PI and Bio-Rad Inc., a major American manufacturer of confocal equipment which has distinguished itself by its responsiveness to input from interested and competent users. Specifically, the support is sought to pay for partial salary, travel and laboratory expenses for research to be carried out at the University of Cambridge and the Bio-Rad development laboratory in England by the PI while on sabbatical from the Integrated Microscopical Resource. Some funds will also be used during the six months preceding the sabbatical for acquiring necessary equipment in the US.