Nikon AX-R + NSPARC Confocal Laser Microscope System

New Imaging System: Available Mid-September 2025
Located in the Center for Advanced Microscopy at McGovern Medical School

The new generation AXR is a modular confocal system containing Ti2-E microscope, six laser unit, scan head, and detector module with four tunable detectors for blue, green, red, and far red. Control module manages the microscope, motorized stage and peripherals.

AXR has two confocal modes: Resonant (high speed) and standard Galvano (slower, capable of scanning 8192 x 8192 pixels). The Resonant scanning minimizes disturbance to samples, and has large field of view 25 mm and band of scanning options with resolution up to 2048 x 2048 pixels. Setup of illumination, detectors, and bandpasses for both modes is done logically and automatically.

This Nikon platform also utilizes a high-end digital Color camera for non-confocal image acquisition.

NSPARC Super-Resolution SensorLateral resolution (XY) 100 nm, Axial (Z) resolution 300 nm

The newly developed Nikon Spatial Array Confocal (NSPARC) detector utilizes an ultra-low noise detector array to collect a two-dimensional image at each scanned point. This method of image scanning microscopy (ISM) improves signal-to-noise ratio by increasing the available signal level while simultaneously allowing imaging with lower excitation power.

Single-photon sensitivity and array detection extend the capabilities of the AX system by revealing unseen details in every image, while array detection pushes the boundaries of resolution beyond the theoretical limits.

Key features include:

6 laser lines Objectives
  • 405 nm LD 15mW
  • 445 nm LD 15mW
  • 488 nm LD 15mW
  • 514 nm LD 15mW
  • 561 nm LD 15mW
  • 640 nm LD 15mW
  • 1X PLAN Ultra Wide, 0.04 NA, 3.2mm WD
  • 2X PLAN APO, 0.10 NA, 8.5mm WD
  • 4X PLAN APO, 0.20 NA, 20.0mm WD
  • 10X PLAN APO, 0.45 NA, 4.0mm WD
  • 20X PLAN APO, 0.80 NA, 0.80mm WD
  • 40X PLAN FLUOR, 1.3 NA Oil, 0.2mm WD
  • 40X APO LWD, 1.15 NA Water, 0.59-0.61mm WD
  • 60X PLAN APO, 1.42 NA Oil, 0.15mm WD
  • 100X SR HP Apo TIRF,  1.49 NA Oil, 0.12mm WD