Optical Binocular stereoscopic A microscope that allows easy observation of 3D

microscope microscope objects at low magnification.

Brightfield microscope A typical microscope that uses transmitted light to

observe targets at high magnification.

Polarizing microscope A microscope that uses different light

transmission characteristics of materials, such as
crystalline structures, to produce an image.

Phase contrast A microscope that visualizes minute surface

microscope irregularities by using light interference. It is
-> What is a phase commonly used to observe living cells without
contrast microscope? staining them.

Differential This microscope, similar to the phase contrast, is

interference contrast used to observe minute surface irregularities but
microscope at a higher resolution. However, the use of
polarized light limits the variety of observable
specimen containers.

Fluorescence A biological microscope that observes

microscope fluorescence emitted by samples by using special
-> What is a light sources such as mercury lamps. When
fluorescence combined with additional equipment, brightfield
microscope? microscopes can also perform fluorescence
imaging.
 Total internal A fluorescence microscope that uses an
reflection fluorescence evanescent wave to only illuminate near the
microscope surface of a specimen. The region that is viewed is
generally very thin compared to conventional
microscopes. Observation is possible in molecular
units due to reduced background light.

Laser microscope This microscope uses laser beams for clear

(Laser scanning observation of thick samples with different focal
confocal microscope) distances.
-> What is a laser
scanning confocal
microscope?

Multiphoton excitation The use of multiple excitation lasers reduces

microscope damage to cells and allows high-resolution
observation of deep areas. This type of
microscope is used to observe nerve cells and
blood flow in the brain.

Structured illumination A high-resolution microscope with advanced

microscope technology to overcome limited resolution found
-> What is a structured in optical microscopes that is caused by the
illumination diffraction of light.
microscope?

Electron Transmission electron These microscopes emit electron beams, not light
microscope microscope (TEM), beams, toward targets to magnify them.
 scanning electron
microscope (SEM), etc.

Scanning Atomic force This microscope scans the surface of samples with
probe microscope (AFM), a probe and this interaction is used to measure
microscope scanning near-field fine surface shapes or properties.
(SPM) optical microscope
(SNOM), etc.

Others X-ray microscope,

ultrasonic microscope,
etc.

In addition to the above categories, optical microscopes can be classified as

follows:

Classification by application

Biological With a magnification ranging from 50x to 1,500x, this microscope uses sliced
microscope samples that are fixed onto slides for observation.

(Binocular) The binocular system allows 3D observation of samples, such as insects or minerals,
stereoscopic in their natural state without the need to be sliced. The magnification ranges from
microscope
10x to 50x.
Classification by structure

Upright Observes targets from above. This type of microscope is used to observe specimens
microscope on slides.

Inverted Observes targets from below. This microscope is used to observe, for example, cells
microscope soaked with culture in a dish.

Menu...

Home

> Types of Microscopes

Types of Microscopes and Their Uses

There are many different types of microscopes, from little plastic toys for kids to highly
advanced scanning microscopes for scientists. But how many types are there and who
uses them?

You can categorize microscopes in a number of different ways, but one of the
easiest ways is to look at how the microscope produces the image. Some use
visible light, while others use a beam of electrons or sound waves. Some
produce highly detailed two-dimensional images for research, and others
generate a low-magnification three-dimensional image for dissection.

Here we've divided the different types of microscopes into three main
categories: optical microscopes, electron microscopes, and other. While you
probably won't use most of these, it's fascinating to see what's out there!
 Optical Microscopes
You're probably most familiar with optical microscopes (also called light
microscopes). This type of microscope magnifies specimens through the use of
lenses and visible light. The oldest and simplest in design, this is the
microscope most likely to be used by students, hobbyists, and certain types of
scientists. We divide optical microscopes into three main categories:

Compound Microscopes - Most people immediately recognize a compound

microscope from seeing them in movies or using them in their student days.
The original microscope design was a compound optical, and it's still the most
commonly used today.

A compound microscope works by illuminating the slide from underneath with a

light bulb. The specimen is then magnified by a series of lenses, one near the
slide (called the objective lens) and one near the top (called the eyepiece). This
results in a two-dimensional image that you can adjust depending on the
strength of your lenses.

Compound microscope parts vary per design, but are usually pretty standard.
This makes them easy for anyone to learn and use. Other advantages of
compound microscopes are that they can go up to a high magnification and are
affordable for amateurs, students, and scientists. A disadvantage is that they
have a lower resolution, so your image will never be as crisp and sharp as
some more advanced types of microscopes.
 Quallity Entry Level Student Optical Microscopes Can
Be Purchased
For Just Under $100
Shown: AmScope M150C Microscope

Stereo Microscopes - A stereo microscope differs from a compound

microscope in a few key features. The most critical difference

you may notice is that it has two eyepieces instead of

one.

The purpose of the stereo microscope is to produce a three-dimensional image,

hence the two eyepieces that send a different image to the right and left eye.
The specimen is usually lit from above, rather than underneath. This makes the
stereo microscope ideal for dissection, inspection, circuit board work,
manufacturing, or use with any opaque specimen.

Stereo microscopes are very easy to use and are fairly inexpensive, making
them ideal for amateurs, professionals, and people in industries that aren't
overtly scientific. They have a low magnification so you cannot see individual
cells, which may or may not be an advantage depending on your needs. Their
biggest use is the ability to create three-dimensional images. More info about
stereo microscopes is here.
 By Unknown Photographers [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Confocal Microscopes - Unlike stereo and compound microscopes, the visible

light source comes from a laser. The laser scans the sample with the help of a
series of scanning mirrors, assembles the image in a computer, and displays
the image on a screen. No eyepieces here.

Because the laser can penetrate a sample deeper than light from a bulb, you
can create a three-dimensional image from a selected depth of the specimen.
So you can examine interior structures of a non-opaque specimen, or look at
the surface of an opaque specimen as deep as the laser light can penetrate.
This results in highly selective, detailed images.

As you can imagine, confocal microscopes aren't for the layperson. They cost
tens of thousands of dollars or more, and are used by research scientists such
as molecular biologists.

These days, many optical microscopes send their image to a computer screen
rather than an eyepiece. Then they're often referred to as digital microscopes,
but the light source and interior parts of the microscope are still the same.
These have become much more popular over the years, because it's way easier
to look at a large screen than a tiny eyepiece!

Return to top

Electron Microscopes
The next category is electron microscopes. Many people have heard of these, but
aren't clear how they actually work. Put simply, an
electron microscope scans with electrons rather than
visible light, resulting in a verydetailed (and awesome looking) image. This
works because the wavelength of the electrons is much smaller than the
wavelength of light from a bulb or laser, allowing for greater detail when
scanning. There are two main types of electron microscope:

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) - A SEM sends a beam of focused

electrons to the sample, which bounce off to create a three-dimensional surface
image. With this method, you can create a picture with high magnification and
high resolution, but it will always be an exterior view.

When using a SEM, the sample must be electrically conductive enough so the
electrons actually bounce off it to create the image. Thus specimens are often
coated in a thin layer of gold or other metal.

By kallerna (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) - A TEM works by sending the
beam of electrons through a very thin specimen. So rather than scanning over
and bouncing off, the electrons pass through the sample to create a highly
detailed two-dimensional image.

Since the TEM allows for such incredible interior detail, they're often used in
medical research and nanotechnology.

Electron microscopes are very expensive and technical to use. Thus they're for
serious scientists, not students or hobbyists. There are some disadvantages of
electron microscopes, but their contribution to research is invaluable.

Return to top

Other Types of Microscopes

Most other types of microscopes are less common and used by research
scientists. These include:

 Scanning Probe Microscope - These scan the sample with a physical probe.
The tip of the probe raster scans (goes line by line) the specimen and generates
an image with a computer. Unlike an electron microscope, these scan in normal
air rather than a vacuum (or partial vacuum). But the scanning can be slow and
the maximum image size is limited.

 Scanning Acoustic Microscope - These use a principle similar to sonar, in that

they employ sound waves to measure the sample. This type of microscope,
called a SAM, is used to find cracks and voids, detect counterfeit materials, test
for failure and reliability, and perform quality control on physical materials. They
can also provide information on the elasticity of cells for biological research.

 X-ray Microscope - This one uses electromagnetic radiation in the form of x-

rays to produce images of tiny objects. Unlike an electron microscope, it can be
used to generate an image of living cells. They're useful in biological research
and metallurgy, as the images are highly detailed.

Those are the main types of microscopes, but there are others. Some have
fallen out of fashion, and some (such as the neutron microscope), are still in the
more experimental stages. As technology and scientific understanding moves
forward, the types of microscopes available will change as well.

The average person will only use a compound or stereo microscope, but it's fun
to learn about the others. Microscopy has come a long way, and the detailed
images an advanced research microscope produces are amazing!
All Content Copyright © Microscope Detective. All rights reserved.

SBI Template Design by Cre8ve Online

Privacy Policy

Disclosure

Contact