Microscope Parts & Specifications
Historians credit the invention of the
compound microscope to the Dutch
spectacle maker, Zacharias Janssen and
Han Janssen, around the year 1590. The
compound microscope uses lenses and
light to enlarge the image and is also called
an optical or light microscope (versus an
electron microscope). The simplest optical
microscope is the magnifying glass and is
good to about ten times (10x)
magnification.
The compound microscope has two
systems of lenses for greater magnification:
1. Ocular eyepiece lens to look through.
2. Objective lens, closest to the object.
The Functions & Parts of a Microscope
What are the Parts of a Microscope?
Eyepiece Lens: the lens at the top that you look through, usually 10x or
15x power.
Tube: Connects the eyepiece to the objective lenses.
Arm: Supports the tube and connects it to the base.
Base: The bottom of the microscope, used for support.
Illuminator: A steady light source (110 volts) used in place of a mirror. If
your microscope has a mirror, it is used to reflect light from an external light
source up through the bottom of the stage.
Stage with Stage Clips: The flat platform where you place your slides.
Stage clips hold the slides in place. If your microscope has a mechanical
stage, you will be able to move the slide around by turning two knobs. One
moves it left and right, the other moves it up and down.
Revolving Nosepiece or Turret: This is the part of the microscope that
holds two or more objective lenses and can be rotated to easily change
power.
Objective Lenses: Usually you will find 3 or 4 objective lenses on a
microscope. They almost always consist of 4x, 10x, 40x and 100x powers.
When coupled with a 10x (most common) eyepiece lens, total magnification
is 40x (4x times 10x), 100x , 400x and 1000x. To have good resolution at
1000x, you will need a relatively sophisticated microscope with an Abbe
condenser. An Abbe condenser is composed of two lenses that control the
light that passes through the specimen before entering the objective lens
on the microscope. The shortest lens is the lowest power, the longest one
is the lens with the greatest power. Lenses are color coded and if built to
DIN standards are interchangeable between microscopes. "DIN" is an
abbreviation of "Deutsche Industrial Normen". This is a German standard
that has been adopted internationally as an optical standard used in most
quality microscopes. A typical DIN standard microscope objective lens has
a 0.7965" (20.1mm) diameter threads, 36 TPI (threads per inch), and a 55º
Whitworth. Many high - power objective lenses are retractable (i.e. 40XR).
This means that if they hit a slide, the end of the lens will push in (spring
loaded) thereby protecting the lens and the slide. All good quality
microscopes have achromatic, par centered, parfocal lenses.
Rack Stop: This is an adjustment that determines
how close the objective lens can get to the slide.
It is set at the factory and keeps students from
cranking the high- power objective lens down into
the slide and breaking things. You would only
need to adjust this if you were using very thin
slides and you weren't able to focus on the
specimen at high power. (Tip: If you are using thin
slides and can't focus, rather than adjust the rack
stop, place a clear glass slide under the original
slide to raise it a bit higher).
Condenser Lens: The purpose of the condenser lens is to focus the light
onto the specimen. Condenser lenses are most useful at the highest
powers (400x and above). Microscopes with in-stage condenser lenses
render a sharper image than those with no lens (at 400x). If your
microscope has a maximum power of 400x, you will get the maximum
benefit by using a condenser lenses rated at 0.65 NA or greater. 0.65 NA
condenser lenses may be mounted in the stage and work quite well. A big
advantage to a stage mounted lens is that there is one less focusing item to
deal with. If you go to 1000x then you should have a condenser lens with
an N.A. of 1.25 or greater. All of our 1000x microscopes use 1.25 Abbe
condenser lens systems. The Abbe condenser lens can be moved up and
down. It is set very close to the slide at 1000x and moved further away at
the lower powers.
Diaphragm or Iris: Many microscopes have a rotating disk under the
stage. This diaphragm has different sized holes and is used to vary the
intensity and size of the cone of light that is projected upward into the slide.
There is no set rule regarding which setting to use for a particular power.
Rather, the setting is a function of the transparency of the specimen, the
degree of contrast you desire and the particular objective lens in use.
How to Focus Your Microscope: The proper way to focus a microscope
is to start with the lowest power objective lens first and while looking from
the side, crank the lens down as close to the specimen as possible without
touching it. Now, look through the eyepiece lens and focus upward only
until the image is sharp. If you can't get it in focus, repeat the process
again. Once the image is sharp with the low power lens, you should be able
to simply click in the next power lens and do minor adjustments with the
focus knob. If your microscope has a fine focus adjustment, turning it a bit
should be all that's necessary. Continue with subsequent objective lenses
and fine focus each time.
What is the Difference Between Compound Microscope
Parts and Other Microscope Parts?
Compound microscopes and other types of microscopes differ in their
design and functionality. Here are the key differences between compound
microscope parts and those of other microscopes:
Objective Lenses: Compound microscopes have multiple objective lenses
mounted on a rotating nosepiece, typically with magnifications ranging from
4x to 100x or higher. Other microscopes, such as dissecting or stereo
microscopes, usually have fixed magnification lenses.
Eyepiece/Ocular: Compound microscopes commonly have a pair of
eyepieces that provide binocular vision. Other microscopes may have a
single eyepiece or sometimes no eyepieces at all.
Magnification: Compound microscopes are designed for higher
magnifications, typically used for observing microscopic details. Other
microscopes may have lower magnification capabilities, suitable for larger
specimens or samples.
Illumination: Compound microscopes often have built-in illumination
systems, such as a substage light source, condenser, and diaphragm, to
provide transmitted light through the specimen. Other microscopes, like
dissecting or fluorescence microscopes, may utilize different lighting
techniques or illumination configurations.
Sample Size and Depth of Field: Compound microscopes are designed to
observe thin, transparent specimens placed on glass slides. They offer a
narrow depth of field, allowing clear focus on one plane at a time. Other
microscopes, like stereo or electron microscopes, can accommodate larger
specimens or samples with more depth, providing a wider depth of field.
Applications: Compound microscopes are commonly used in fields such
as biology, medicine, and research, where detailed examination of small
structures is required. Other microscopes, such as stereo microscopes, are
utilized for examining larger objects or conducting dissections. Electron
microscopes are used for high-resolution imaging of nanoscale structures.
It's important to note that the term "other microscope parts" is quite broad
and can include various microscope types with different designs and
features. The above differences are generalized and may not apply to
every microscope outside the category of compound microscopes.
Types of Microscopes
What are the Different Microscope
Types and Their Uses?
There are a number of different types of
microscopes and each of them solves
unique problems. Below you will find
information on the five different microscope
types along with the applications for each
microscope and just who might use each instrument. Below each
description of the microscope and its use is an image that was captured
using that particular microscope.
5 Different Types of Microscopes:
1. Stereo Microscope
2. Compound Microscope
3. Inverted Microscope
4. Metallurgical Microscope
5. Polarizing Microscope
Stereo Microscopes
Stereo microscopes are used to look at a variety of
samples that you would be able to hold in your hand. A
stereo microscope provides a 3D image or "stereo" image
and typically will provide magnification between 10x - 40x.
The stereo microscope is used in manufacturing, quality
control, coin collecting, science, for high school dissection
projects, and botany. A stereo microscope typically
provides both transmitted and reflected illumination and
can be used to view a sample that will not allow light to
pass through it
Compound Microscopes
A compound microscope may also be referred to as a biological
microscope. Compound microscopes are used in laboratories,
schools, wastewater treatment plants, veterinary offices, and for
histology and pathology. The samples viewed under a compound
microscope must be prepared on a microscope slide using
a cover slip to flatten the sample. Students will often
view prepared slides under the microscope to save time by
eliminating the slide preparation process.
The compound microscope can be used to view a variety of samples, some of which
include: blood cells, cheek cells, parasites, bacteria, algae, tissue, and thin sections of
organs. Compound microscopes are used to view samples that can not be seen with
the naked eye. The magnification of a compound microscope is most commonly 40x,
100x, 400x, and sometimes 1000x. Microscopes that advertise magnification above
1000x should not be purchased as they are offering empty magnification with low
resolution.
Inverted Microscopes
Inverted microscopes are available as biological
inverted microscopes or metallurgical inverted
microscopes. Biological inverted microscopes provide
magnification of 40x, 100x and sometimes 200x and
400x. These biological inverted microscopes are used
to view living samples that are in a petri dish. An
inverted microscope allows the user to place the petri
dish on a flat stage, with the objective lenses housed
beneath the stage. Inverted microscopes are used for
in-vitro fertilization, live cell imaging, developmental
biology, cell biology, neuroscience, and microbiology.
Inverted microscopes are often used in research to
analyze and study tissues and cells, and in particular living cells.
Metallurgical inverted microscopes are used to examine large parts at high
magnification for fractures or faults. They are similar to biological inverted microscope in
the magnification provided, but one primary difference is that the samples are not
placed in a petri dish, but rather a smooth side of the sample must be prepared so it can
lay flat on the stage. This smooth sample is polished and is sometimes referred to as a
puck.
Metallurgical Microscopes
Metallurgical microscopes are high power microscopes
designed to view samples that do not allow light to pass
through them. Reflected light shines down through the
objective lenses providing magnification of 50x, 100x,
200x, and sometimes 500x. Metallurgical microscopes are
utilized to examine micron level cracks in metals, very thin
layers of coatings such as paint, and grain sizing.
Metallurgical microscopes are utilized in the aerospace
industry, the automobile manufacturing industry, and by companies analyzing metallic
structures, composites, glass, wood, ceramics, polymers, and liquid crystals.
Polarizing Microscopes
Polarizing microscopes use polarized light along with transmitted
and, or reflected illumination to examine chemicals, rocks, and
minerals. Polarizing microscopes are utilized by geologists,
petrologists, chemists, and the pharmaceutical industry on a daily
basis.
All polarizing microscopes have both a polarizer and an analyzer.
The polarizer will only allow certain light waves to pass through it.
The analyzer determines the amount of light and direction of light
that will illuminate the sample. The polarizer basically focuses different wavelengths of
light onto a single plane. This function makes the microscope perfect for viewing
birefringent materials.
Microscope History
• Circa 1000AD – The first vision aid was invented (inventor unknown) called a reading
stone. It was a glass sphere that magnified when laid on top of reading materials.
• Circa 1284 - Italian, Salvino D'Armate is credited with inventing the first wearable eye
glasses.
• 1590 – Two Dutch eye glass makers, Zaccharias Janssen and son Hans Janssen
experimented with multiple lenses placed in a tube. The Janssens observed that viewed
objects in front of the tube appeared greatly enlarged, creating both the forerunner of
the compound microscope and the telescope.
• 1665 – English physicist, Robert Hooke looked at a sliver of cork through a
microscope lens and noticed some "pores" or "cells" in it.
• 1674 – Anton van Leeuwenhoek built a simple microscope with only one lens to
examine blood, yeast, insects and many other tiny objects. Leeuwenhoek was the first
person to describe bacteria, and he invented new methods for grinding and polishing
microscope lenses that allowed for curvatures providing magnifications of up to 270
diameters, the best available lenses at that time.
• 18th century – Technical innovations improved microscopes, leading to microscopy
becoming popular among scientists. Lenses combining two types of glass reduced the
"chromatic effect" the disturbing halos resulting from differences in refraction of light.
• 1830 – Joseph Jackson Lister reduces spherical aberration or the "chromatic effect"
by showing that several weak lenses used together at certain distances gave good
magnification without blurring the image. This was the prototype for the compound
microscope.
• 1872 – Ernst Abbe, then research director of the Zeiss Optical Works, wrote a
mathematical formula called the "Abbe Sine Condition". His formula provided
calculations that allowed for the maximum resolution in microscopes possible.
• 1903 – Richard Zsigmondy developed the ultramicroscope that could study objects
below the wavelength of light. He won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1925.
• 1932 – Frits Zernike invented the phase-contrast microscope that allowed for the
study of colorless and transparent biological materials for which he won the Nobel Prize
in Physics in 1953.
• 1931 – Ernst Ruska co-invented the electron microscope for which he won the
Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986. An electron microscope depends on electrons rather
than light to view an object, electrons are speeded up in a vacuum until their wavelength
is extremely short, only one hundred thousandth that of white light. Electron
microscopes make it possible to view objects as small as the diameter of an atom.
• 1981 – Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer invented the scanning tunneling
microscope that gives three-dimensional images of objects down to the atomic level.
Binnig and Rohrer won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1986. The powerful scanning
tunneling microscope is the strongest microscope to date.
