A practical theoretical framework for optimizing spontaneous super-resolution on confocal microscopes (Conference Presentation)

Recently, we realized a simple technique, which spontaneously bypasses the diffraction limit in a conventional confocal microscope by exploiting super-linear effects in nanoparticle bio-markers: super-linear excitation-emission (SEE) microscopy. Here, we present a theoretical framework and its practical implementation for optimizing and expanding this technique. We accurately predict the expected 3D super-resolution by accounting for all crucial parameters affecting the resolution: the empirically measured/modelled excitation-emission curve, the filling factor of the microscope objective back pupil, the polarization and the pinhole setting. The presented theoretical framework is a practical tool, which enables end-users to augment their own confocal microscopes with super-resolution capabilities.