| Optical microscopy has fascinated biologists for probing and observing cellular structure while performing scientific research. While numerous wide-field and scanning microscopic techniques are being developed for probing cellular structure and function with high spatial and temporal resolution, mapping of complete biochemical, material and structural properties of the cell in three dimensions requires integration of multiple microscopic imaging techniques. In this thesis, conventional phase contrast microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy techniques were combined with other imaging methods such as digital holography microscopy (DHM) also known as quantitative phase microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) and multiphoton microscopy (MPM). Introductory chapter will describe the importance of each technique and how the shortcoming of one technique is overcome by inclusion of other. Characterization of laser microbeam induced nanoscale manipulation was achieved using this multimodal imaging system. |
