CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY OF WATER UNDER STATIC PRESSURE

Developments in confocal microscopy have revolutionized the imaging of samples. Unlike conventional microscopes, which illuminate a wide area, confocal microscopes focus laser light onto a single spot on the sample. The laser spot is scanned, data are collected point by point, and an image is reconstructed from the collected data. The sample can be translated vertically, allowing one to obtain three dimensional (3D) image reconstructions. We have used confocal microscopy to obtain high‐quality images of water freezing in a moissanite anvil cell. This technique could prove useful for a variety of equation‐of‐state investigations.