Microscope Illumination
Light sources used in optical microscopy, particularly fluorescence microscopy, need to provide almost monochromatic illumination.
Xenon arc lamps, which produce a uniform, bright white light similar to sunlight, are often used in quantitative fluorescence microscopy.
High-pressure mercury vapor arc lamps lend themselves toward use with low-abundance or weak fluorophores.
Fiber-optic illuminators, designed for use with fiber-optic light guides, provide cool illumination that is easy to manipulate. Fiber-optic light sources can cover wavelength ranges from 800 to 1650 nm.
What Are Considerations When Choosing a Microscope Light Source?
How a light source performs depends on its emission characteristics, including
- light’s spatial distribution
- wavelength distribution
- brightness
- level of control for those parameters
