- Light microscopes play an important role in many research laboratories, including electron microscopy facilities.
- They can be used as a primary visualization tool or in support of electron microscopy.
- Samples for light microscopy are prepared in an ever-increasing number of techniques, and can range from sliced biological organisms and tissue cultures to materials science and geological samples.
- Light and electron microscopes share many similarities in their optical principles.
- Understanding how a light microscope works is not only critical for obtaining optimum light images, but also for understanding electron microscopy.
Principles of Light, Electrons, & Microscopy
- In microscopy we take advantage of waveform properties of light.
- These waves when produced at a particular source vibrate at right angles to the line of propagation.
- Each wave has a peak and trough. The distance traveled forward by the light ray is one wavelength (lambda).
- Wavelength varies with the color and intensity of the source.
