Reality → Scale → Micro world → Microscopy

Microscopy

• Light microscopy. Started in 17th century by van Leeuwenhoek ('Father of microbiology'). Resolution of traditional optical microscope limited to about 200 nm, equivalent to half the wavelength of far blue light. Significant improvement in the 1930s through phase contrast ^[1] and confocal imaging in the late-1950s. 'Nano-resolution' achieved in the 1990s through super resolution fluorescence microscopy ^[2] .
• Electron microscope. Developed in the 1930s. Wavelength of electrons about 1000 times shorter than photons (see Wave-particle duality). Hence, resolution about 1000 times greater than light microscopes. Up to 2 million times magnification. Electrostatic and electromagnetic lenses. Cathode ray generation up to 400 keV. Difficult sample preparation ^[3] .
• Scanning tunneling microscope. Developed in the early-1980s ^[4] based on quantum tunneling. Resolution about 0.1 nm lateral and 0.01 nm depth. 'Feels' individual atoms at the surface of a sample.
• Particle accelerators. Electric fields accelerate charged particles and bring them to collision. Energy/mass of subatomic particles can be measured/calculated by evaluation of collision products.

← Micro world