CLSM - Leica SP8 upright (Virology, Irchel)

The Leica SP8 is an automated upright confocal laser scanning microscope allowing simultaneous aquisition of 3 fluorescent channels and 1 transmitted light channel (BF or DIC). This system is ideal for fixed samples.

Location

University Zurich, Irchel Campus, Medical Virology, Room Y36 M78.

Training Request

Follow this link to apply for an introduction to the microscope.

Technical Specifications

Light sources and lasers

Halogen lamp for transmitted light
External fluorescence lamp LQ-HXP 120
Solid state diode lasers: 405 nm (50 mW), 488 nm (20 mW), 552 nm (20 mW) and 638 nm (30 mW)

Scanners

Dual scanning system:

Regular scanner: 10 - 1800 Hz

Resonant scanner: 8000 Hz

Objectives

Name	Magnification	NA	Immersion	WD (mm)
HC PL FLUOTAR	10x	0.3	Air	11.0
HC PL APO CS2	20x	0.75	IMM	0.67
HC PL APO CS2	63x	1.4	Oil	0.14

^{CS2 objectives: improved color correction, perfect VIS-405; IMM = multi immersion (either water, glycerol or oil)}

Detector System

Two Hybrid (HyD) detectors, one photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector and one additional PMT for transmission. Excitation controlled by AOTF, beam splitters: RT 15/85, substrate, TD 488/552/638, DD 488/552 for separation between excitation and emission. Accurate emission detection by spectral detectors.

Fluorescence Filters

Name	Excitation Range	Excitation Filter	Dichroic	Emission Filter
DAP	UV	BP 350/50	400	BP 460/50
GFP	blue	BP 470/40	495	BP 525/50
N2.1	green	BP 538/45	580	LP 590
CFP	violet/blue	BP 436/20	455	BP 480/40
I3	blue	BP 470/40	510	LP 515
DsR	green	BP 546/11	560	BP 605/75

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How to acknowledge contributions of the Center for Microscopy

Remarks

This microscope acquires images with improved axial resolution compared with more coventional widefield microscopes. In addition to the multicolor images in fixed samples the microscope can acquire large tile scans fully automatically.