Optics in Instruments

Chapter 9

From the Classic Microscope to the Tunnel Effect Microscope ¹

9.1. Introduction

In this chapter we will provide an overview of the recent evolutions in optical microscopy, present in life sciences and in non-destructive testing associated with micro- and nano-technology. In terms of direction, we shall follow the notion of transfer function [SHE 92] and provide a leading role to confocal microscopy, which will allow us to comprehend it easily. For a more in-depth introduction to this discipline, we refer the reader to a number of works [GOO 70, PLU 80, ROB 99, WIL 90] as well as instructional websites recommended by laboratories and manufacturers.

The birth of modern microscopy can be traced back to the 17th Century, with the invention of the microscope, made up of an objective and an eyepiece, by an Englishman Robert Hooke (1635-1703). This gave rise to revolutionary observation of living matter (insects, plant cells). This basic structure blossomed fully in the industrial age, with the famous work of Ernst Abbe (1835-1905) who laid the theoretical foundations for the perfection of optical design. Its scientific advance is closely associated with the development of the Carl Zeiss company, in a sort of partnership which remains emblematic. The improvement of resolution, contrast, interferometry and the theory of aberrations further advanced microscopy in the 20^th Century; then, microcomputing opened up a vast range of applications for the capture and processing of images. ...