Patent ID: 7626695
Filing Date: 2009-12-01
Classification: G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus comprising: a position-sensitive detector adapted for detecting intensities of radiation as a function of position on the detector; an optical system characterized by a diffraction-limited resolution volume, adapted for imaging light emitted from a plurality of activated and excited phototransformable optical labels (“PTOLs”) in a sample onto the position sensitive-detector; a first light source adapted to provide first activation radiation to the sample to activate a first subset of the PTOLs that are distributed in the sample with a density greater than an inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume of the optical system; a second light source adapted to provide first excitation radiation to the sample to excite a first portion of the PTOLs in the first subset of the PTOLs; and a controller adapted to control one or both of the activation radiation and the excitation radiation provided to the sample such that a density of PTOLs in the first portion of the PTOLs is less than the inverse of the diffraction-limited resolution volume.