Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Kathy Spencer wrote:
> Search the CONFOCAL archive at
> http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal
>
> Hello All!
>         Basic generic question....what is the limit of resolution on a
> confocal? I'm using an Olympus Fluoview confocal, 60x 1.4NA objective, oil
> (1.516), pinhole automatically set for 1 Airy disk. For 488nm laser, I
> calculate 174nm using resolution=wavelength/2NA. But can the confocal
> resolve more than that? What is a good formula?
>         Thanks!

In-plane and z-line resolution differ by a factor of three. Which one
are you after? You might want to get hold of a copy of some standard
text (Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy, Pawley Ed. is very
good) that covers basic questions like this. Note that in practice the
'theoretical' resolution can be severely degraded by instrument
misalignment and aberrations (largely caused by refractive index mismatch).

If in doubt measure using subresolution beads!

   Christian Soeller