Optical Microscopy of Soft Matter Systems

TL;DR

This paper reviews the latest optical microscopy techniques used in soft matter research, highlighting advances from basic to advanced 3D imaging methods and their applications in understanding soft materials.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of traditional and cutting-edge optical microscopy methods tailored for soft matter studies, emphasizing recent technological developments.

Findings

Introduction to various optical microscopy techniques

Discussion of advanced 3D imaging modalities

Examples of applications in soft matter research

Abstract

The fast-growing field of soft matter research requires increasingly sophisticated tools for experimental studies. One of the oldest and most widely used tools to study soft matter systems is optical microscopy. Recent advances in optical microscopy techniques have resulted in a vast body of new experimental results and discoveries. New imaging modalities, such as nonlinear optical microscopy techniques that were developed to achieve higher resolution, enable soft matter research at length scales ranging from the molecular to the macroscopic. The aim of this chapter is to introduce a variety of optical microscopy techniques available to soft matter researchers, starting from basic principles and finishing with a discussion of the most advanced microscopy systems. We describe traditional imaging techniques, such as bright field and polarizing microscopy, along with state-of-the-art three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques, such as fluorescence confocal and nonlinear optical microscopies. Different approaches are discussed along with their applications in the study of soft matter systems by providing typical examples.