Integrated dual-color stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and fluorescence emission difference (FED) microscopy

We report on the design and implementation of an integrated dual-color stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy and fluorescence emission difference (FED) microscopy. This highly integrated system combines the respective advantages of STED and FED microscopies, enabling acquisition of super-resolution STED images with specific fluorophores and high laser power, or resolution-enhanced FED imaging for ordinary fluorescent dyes and other materials with moderate demand for laser power. The functional integration enables researchers to select the more appropriate microscopy according to practical scenario and requirements, giving full play to their respective strengths and satisfying the imaging demands maximally. The system's resolution is characterized by dual-color imaging of fluorescent particles. Its practical applicability is verified through imaging various kinds of samples, including several fixed cells stained with different organic dyes and a given organic material-organometallic halide perovskite.