Which type of microscopy provides the highest resolution?

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provides the highest resolution compared to other microscopy techniques due to its use of electrons instead of light to visualize samples. In TEM, a focused beam of electrons is transmitted through an ultra-thin specimen. The short wavelength of electrons allows for much greater resolving power than light, enabling the visualization of structures at the nanometer scale, including the internal details of cells and organelles.

This method achieves resolutions on the order of 0.1 nanometers, which is significantly higher than what is achievable with light microscopy techniques. Light and fluorescence microscopy rely on visible light, which has much longer wavelengths and therefore lower resolution capabilities, typically limited to around 200 nanometers. Similarly, scanned probe microscopy can achieve high resolutions as well, but it generally does not reach the resolution capabilities of transmission electron microscopy for internal cellular structures.

In summary, the use of electron beams in transmission electron microscopy allows for high-resolution imaging that reveals fine structural details, making it the superior choice for applications requiring the utmost clarity in observation.