We demonstrate an inexpensive alternative to total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. A method for imaging ultrathin films and living cells located on waveguides—illuminated with their evanescent fields—is introduced. An extensive analysis of ion-exchanged waveguides focusing on their application as microscopy substrates for studying interfacial phenomena is presented. Experimental results are in excellent agreement with the simulations. As an application osteoblasts bone matrix forming cells and ultrathin Langmuir–Blodgett films were imaged. The fluorescence intensity has been used to determine the cell attachment. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.
