
Light microscopy is a core technology in life science research. Since its early days, it has evolved with a wide range of microscopic techniques, driven by the rapid development of optoelectronic detectors and the widespread availability of laser-based light sources.
This development is clear when observing the distinctive design of light-sheet microscopes, which varies greatly from the standard microscope design that has remained for centuries.
The fundamental concept underlying all light-sheet microscopes is that the sample is illuminated with a thin sheet of light (hence the name), typically perpendicular to the observation axis. This decoupling of the illumination and the detection offers greater freedom in design compared to typical epi- or transillumination designs.