It is my hope that this thesis may serve as a guide for future students wishing to build a microscope from scratch. The design and construction of a scanning, confocal fluorescence microscope equipped with shaped microwave excitation is detailed. The use of the microscope is demonstrated by coherently manipulating single Nitrogen-Vacancy centres in diamond. Further the instrument is used to investigate a dual Halbach array magnet system.

It is my hope that this thesis may serve as a guide for future students wishing to build a microscope from scratch. The design and construction of a scanning, confocal fluorescence microscope equipped with shaped microwave excitation is detailed. The use of the microscope is demonstrated by coherently manipulating single Nitrogen-Vacancy centres in diamond. Further the instrument is used to investigate a dual Halbach array magnet system.