ISO 18337:2015 PDF

Overview

ISO 18337:2015 specifies a practical method to measure the lateral resolution of a confocal fluorescence microscope (CFM). The standard describes imaging an object much smaller than the expected resolution and analysing the resulting point spread function (PSF) to determine the lateral resolution, typically expressed as the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the PSF. The procedure is written to be suitable for non‑expert operators and supports consistent performance assessment for CFMs used in surface chemical analysis and imaging of thin films and nanomaterials.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Measurement principle: Image a sub‑resolution fluorescent object so the recorded image represents the convolution of the PSF and the object; estimate lateral resolution from the PSF FWHM.
• Sample selection: Use very small fluorescent particles (e.g., polymer beads, quantum dots). ISO 18337:2015 notes that a particle smaller than one‑fourth of the PSF contributes