Shrinkage-mediated imaging of entire organs and organisms using uDISCO.

Recent tissue-clearing approaches have become important alternatives to standard histology approaches. However, light scattering in thick tissues and the size restrictions on samples that can be imaged with standard light-sheet microscopy pose limitations for analyzing large samples such as an entire rodent body. We developed 'ultimate DISCO' (uDISCO) clearing to overcome these limitations in volumetric imaging.

Fiber-based distance sensing interferometry.

We present an interferometric displacement sensor based on a folded low-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity. The fiber-optic sensor uses a quadrature detection scheme based on the wavelength modulation of a DFB laser. This enables measuring position changes over a range of 1 m for velocities up to 2 m/s.

Combining nanoscale manipulation with macroscale relocation of single quantum dots.

We have controllably positioned, with nanometre precision, single CdSe quantum dots referenced to a registration template such that the location of a given nanoparticle on a macroscopic (≈1 cm(2)) sample surface can be repeatedly revisited. The atomically flat sapphire substrate we use is particularly suited to optical measurements of the isolated quantum dots, enabling combined manipulation-spectroscopy experiments on a single particle. Automated nanoparticle manipulation and imaging routines have been developed so as to facilitate the rapid assembly of specific nanoparticle arrangements.