Scanning Confocal Microscope A1R+

ER: Enhance Your 3d Confocal Resolution

The A1 ER enhanced resolution Module combines powerful GPU-based processing and specialized deconvolution algorithms to dramatically enhance the spatial resolution of your A1+ or A1R+ confocal microscope with minimal processing time.

The A1 ER Module provides high quality PSF models for Nikon’s high performance objective lenses, taking the guesswork out of deconvolution analysis.  Other features include automatic or manual mode for iteration selection, enhanced spherical aberration correction, and robust algorithms for noise estimation and removal.

Revolutionary Hybrid Confocal Scan Head

The A1R+ has a hybrid laser scanner head that incorporates both an ultrahigh-speed resonant scanner and a high-resolution galvano scanner. Simultaneous photoactivation and ultrafast imaging using these two scanners allow acquisition of rapid changes after photoactivation and enables observation of intermolecular interaction.

Resonant Scanner Provides Ultrafast Imaging

The A1R+ resonant scanner has an ultrahigh resonance frequency of 7.8 kHz. It allows imaging of intercellular dynamics at 30 fps (512 x 512 pixels) and 420 fps (512 x 32 pixels), the world’s fastest image acquisition. The field of view of the scanned area is approximately five times larger than that of the galvano scanner. The Nikon original optical clock generation method realizes high image quality even at the highest speed. The fiber-optic communication data transfer system can transfer data at a maximum of 4Gbps.

Galvano Scanner Enables High-resolution Imaging

The A1+ utilizes a galvano scanner which enables high-resolution imaging of up to 4096 x 4096 pixels. In addition, with the newly developed scanner driving and sampling systems, plus image correction technology, high-speed acquisition of 10 fps (512 x 512 pixels) is also possible.

GaAsP Multi Detector Unit

Nikon developed the GaAsP multi-detector unit equipped with two GaAsP PMTs and two normal PMTs.

A GaAsP PMT has much higher sensitivity than a normal PMT, thus acquisition of brighter signals with minimal background noise is possible with a GaAsP PMT, even with weak fluorescence, which, until now, has been difficult to detect.

When using resonant scanners, the GaAsP PMT enables low-noise, high-speed imaging.

Increased Light Detection Efficiency

The low-angle incidence method utilized on the dichroic mirrors increases fluorescence efficiency by 30%.

By employing the hexagonal pinhole, higher brightness equivalent to that of a circular pinhole is achieved.

83% of the area of the circle

Nikon’s original dual integration signal processing technology (DISP) has been implemented in the image processing circuitry to improve electrical efficiency, resulting in an extremely high S/N ratio.

Enhanced Spectral Imaging

Acquisition of a 32-channel spectral image (512 x 512 pixels) with a single scan in 0.6 second is possible. Moreover, 512 x 32-pixel images can be captured at 24 fps.

Accurate, High-speed Unmixing

Accurate spectral unmixing provides maximum performance in the separation of closely overlapping fluorescence spectra and the elimination of autofluorescence. Superior algorithms and high-speed data processing enable real time unmixing during image acquisition.

V-filtering Function

Filter-less intensity adjustment is possible by selecting desired spectral ranges from 32 channels that match the spectrum of the fluorescence probe in use and combining them to perform the filtering function.