How stimulated emission depletion enables super-resolution microscopy

First laser

Causes features of interest, which have been marked with fluorescent tags, to emit light

Second laser

Torus shape actively depletes (cancels out) fluorescence caused by the first laser

Focal point

The centre remains unaffected, greatly increasing resolution and enabling the visualisation of fine intracellular structures

First laser

Causes features of interest, which have been marked with fluorescent tags, to emit light

Second laser

Torus shape actively depletes (cancels out) fluorescence caused by the first laser

Focal point

The centre remains unaffected, greatly increasing resolution and enabling the visualisation of fine intracellular structures

First laser

Second laser

Focal point

Causes features of interest, which have been marked with fluorescent tags, to emit light

Torus shape actively depletes (cancels out) fluorescence caused by the first laser

The centre remains unaffected, greatly increasing resolution and enabling the visualisation of fine intracellular structures

First laser

Second laser

Focal point

Causes features of interest, which have been marked with fluorescent tags, to emit light

Torus shape actively depletes (cancels out) fluorescence caused by the first laser

The centre remains unaffected, greatly increasing resolution and enabling the visualisation of fine intracellular structures