Optical Microscopy of Soft Matter Systems

Abstract

This chapter introduces a variety of optical microscopy techniques available to soft matter researchers. It deals with basic principles and parameters important to all optical microscopy modalities. The chapter describes traditional optical microscopy techniques such as bright field and polarizing microscopy (PM), and discusses state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques such as fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence confocal microscopy. It provides an extended account of Non Linear Optical (NLO) microscopy techniques, and explores an example of a particle-tracking technique that utilizes a pre-engineered point spread function (PSF) and its application in imaging. Since many experiments in soft matter systems require simultaneous noncontact optical manipulation and 3D imaging, integration of these techniques is immensely useful. Finally, the chapter reviews on optical microscopy and discusses future perspectives of its use in the study of soft matter systems.