Abberior Instruments MINFLUX (minimal photon fluxes) is the cutting-edge method for localizing fluorescent molecules in space with unprecedented precision. By introducing the MINFLUX nanoscope, Abberior Instruments offers the first commercially available light microscope with a resolution of the size of a molecule. 

Previously, the location of single fluorescent molecules was established by finding the centroid or maximum of their diffraction-limited image on a camera, yielding resolutions on the order of 20-30 nm in practice.

In contrast, MINFLUX probes the location of emitters with an excitation intensity minimum, and therefore reduces the number of fluorescent photons required for high-precision localization by a factor of up to 20. By the same token, for a given number of photons, the precision is improved, and therefore, localizations below 2 nm are obtained for the first time in a light microscope!

Alternatively, MINFLUX tracks molecular movement with up to 10 kHz, that is one data point every 100 µs, or hundred times faster than camera-based tracking. Additionally, due to the low number of fluorescence photons required for each localization, single molecules can be tracked over seconds (e.g. 28000 localizations at 20 nm precision).

What’s more, our MINFLUX system is based on a standard microscope stand with an active sub-nm stabilization system. Therefore, all traditional modalities can be added, such as fluorescent widefield, epi-fluorescence, confocal and even STED imaging. This unprecedented array of possibilities allows you to record images across all length scales – from micrometers down to a few nanometers. 

MINFLUX is the ultimate super resolution fluorescence microscope.

Further resources:

STEFAN W. HELL (2019): Reaching Molecular Size Resolution in Lens-Based Microscopy: the Diffraction Limit Blown Away. Online video of lecture.

Supplementary Materials for Nanometer resolution imaging and tracking of fluorescent molecules with minimal photon fluxes Francisco Balzarotti,* Yvan Eilers, Klaus C. Gwosch, Arvid H. Gynnå, Volker Westphal, Fernando D. Stefani, Johan Elf, Stefan W. Hell*

MINFLUX monitors rapid molecular jumps with superior spatiotemporal resolution Yvan Eilersa,1, Haisen Taa,1, Klaus C. Gwoscha , Francisco Balzarottia , and Stefan W. Hella,b,2

Nanometer resolution imaging and tracking of fluorescent molecules with minimal photon fluxes Francisco Balzarotti,1 *† Yvan Eilers,1 * Klaus C. Gwosch,1 * Arvid H. Gynnå,2 Volker Westphal,1 Fernando D. Stefani,3,4 Johan Elf,2 Stefan W. Hell1,5,6†

MINFLUX nanoscopy delivers multicolor nanometer 3Dresolution in (living) cells Klaus C. Gwosch1*, Jasmin K. Pape1*, Francisco Balzarotti1*, Philipp Hoess2 , Jan Ellenberg2 , Jonas Ries2 , Stefan W. Hell1,3#