Patent ID: 7430045

Claim:
A method of high spatial resolution measuring a sample, the sample in an area of interest containing a substance, the method comprising the steps of: selecting the substance from a group of substances which are capable of being repeatedly transferred out of a first state having first optical properties into a second state having second optical properties by means of an optical switch over signal, and which are capable of returning out of the second state into the first state, the two states differing with regard to at least one of the following criteria: state of conformation of a molecule, structure formula of a molecule, spatial arrangement of atoms within a molecule, spatial arrangement of bonds within a molecule, attachment of further atoms to a molecule, attachment of further molecules to a molecule, grouping of single atoms, grouping of molecules, grouping of molecules and single atoms, spatial orientation of a molecule, orientation of adjacent molecules, order formed by a multitude of molecules, order formed by a multitude of single atoms, order formed by a multitude of molecules and single atoms, transferring the substance within areas of the sample into the second state by means of the optical switch over signal with which at least one spatially limited area of the sample is purposefully omitted, the at least one spatially limited area of the sample being directed on the area of interest of the sample, and detecting an optical measurement signal, which is associated with the substance in the first state and which comes out of a detection area including both the area purposefully omitted with the switch over signal and areas in which the substance has been transferred into to second state.