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Zeiss 880 Airyscan confocal

Technology Focus

The Zeiss 880 confocal has spectral detection, temperature and CO2 control and photon counting capabilities.

Confocal microscopes are ideal for imaging multi-labelled fluorescent samples up to around 100 microns in depth.

The Zeiss 880 also has an Airyscan detector which comprises 32 spatially separated detectors (see below) to give improved spatial resolution by a factor of 1.7 whilst maintaining the signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of a confocal lightpath with a 1.2 Airy Unit (AU) pinhole.  

Image taken from Zeiss: The Airyscan Detector.pdf

Used in FAST mode, the Airyscan behaves as a line scanner, maintaining the SNR and resolution of a confocal lightpath at higher speeds. FAST mode is ideal for live imaging in one or two colours. 

The image above shows a live imaging acquisition of Drosophila with mitochondria in green and  cytoskeleton in red using the Airyscan FAST mode. 

Sample prepared and imaged by Ason Chiang.

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