Patent ID: 8462336
Filing Date: 2013-06-11
Classification: G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A method of imaging a sample with an optical system characterized by a diffraction-limited resolution volume, wherein the sample includes a plurality of optical labels distributed in the sample with a density greater than an inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume of the optical system, the method comprising: providing radiation to the sample to induce emission of fluorescence radiation from a plurality of subsets of the optical labels, wherein different subsets of the optical labels emit fluorescence radiation at different times; controlling an intensity of the radiation provided to the sample such that the mean volume per fluorescing optical label in the subsets is greater than or approximately equal to the diffraction-limited resolution volume of the imaging system; detecting the fluorescence radiation, wherein fluorescence radiation from optical labels of different subsets is detected at different times; determining locations of a plurality of the individual optical labels with sub-diffraction limited accuracy based on the detected radiation; and generating an image of the sample based on the determined locations of the plurality of individual optical labels.