written by
Michael Davidson, Mortimer Abramowitz, and Daniel Axelrod
published by
the Olympus America, Inc. and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
This item is a comprehensive tutorial on TIRFM (total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy). The technology, developed in the 1980's, is used extensively in cell and molecular biology for observation of thin regions of a specimen, often less than 200nm. This tutorial includes fundamental concepts, theoretical aspects, basic and advanced microscope configurations, and a set of Java applets that depict the fluorophore excitation process and instrument configurations.
This item is part of a larger collection of materials on optics and microscopy developed by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University. See Related items below for a link to the full tutorial on Fluorescence Microscopy.
<a href="https://www.compadre.org/introphys/items/detail.cfm?ID=6724">Davidson, M, M. Abramowitz, and D. Axelrod. Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy. Center Valley: Olympus America, Inc., July 26, 2005.</a>
M. Davidson, M. Abramowitz, and D. Axelrod, (Olympus America, Inc., Center Valley, 1998), WWW Document, (https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html).
M. Davidson, M. Abramowitz, and D. Axelrod, Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy (Olympus America, Inc., Center Valley, 1998), <https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html>.
Davidson, M., Abramowitz, M., & Axelrod, D. (2005, July 26). Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy. Retrieved February 7, 2025, from Olympus America, Inc.: https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html
Davidson, M, M. Abramowitz, and D. Axelrod. Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy. Center Valley: Olympus America, Inc., July 26, 2005. https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html (accessed 7 February 2025).
%A Michael Davidson %A Mortimer Abramowitz %A Daniel Axelrod %T Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy %D July 26, 2005 %I Olympus America, Inc. %C Center Valley %U https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html %O text/html
%0 Electronic Source %A Davidson, Michael %A Abramowitz, Mortimer %A Axelrod, Daniel %D July 26, 2005 %T Molecular Expressions: Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Microscopy %I Olympus America, Inc. %V 2025 %N 7 February 2025 %8 July 26, 2005 %9 text/html %U https://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/techniques/fluorescence/tirf/tirfhome.html
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This is the full tutorial by the same authors on Fluorescence Microscopy. It discusses applications of the technology, electronic imaging detection, and information about advanced techniques including LSCM, FRET, TIRF, live-cell imaging, confocal microscopy, and contrast combination.
This is a java simulation depicting a microscope configuration using a trapezoidal prism, one approach for achieving TIRF (total internal reflection fluorescence).
This interactive Java simulation explores the relationships among evanescent wave intensity, incident angle, and polarization components of the light beam.