The microscope is one of the most important tools inside the many laboratories around the world today. First invented in the 1600s by Dutch scientist Anton van Leeuwenhoek, the microscope allows scientists and researchers to examine and observe specimens and phenomena smaller than the eye can see. Without the microscope, we would neither be able to explore the infinitesimal world nor use the findings that emerge from our observations to drive other scientific and technological discoveries.
Having said that, there are many types of microscopes that are currently in use today, each one of which is designed to fulfill a specific purpose in different fields and in various laboratory settings. Some are simple and deliver the most basic optical magnification while others are specialized in that they use other physical phenomena to generate the images that researchers need. For example, the electron microscope relies on electron beams instead of light to generate magnified images of the specimens.
There are also microscopes that are enhanced with positioning and imaging technologies to make them more efficient at what they do. Consider microscopes with precision motion components, for example. Motion solutions such as linear stages help by moving the sample or the optics along the XYZ axes with pinpoint accuracy. This takes human error out of the equation, allowing the microscope to achieve optimal magnification and focusing as a result.
Whatever type of microscopic tools are used, we can safely say that the microscopes—collectively—are indispensable in the pursuit of knowledge in many scientific fields. If you wish to know more about the microscope and its variants, then read on as we list some of the most well-known types of microscopes used in laboratories worldwide.
The Compound Microscope
The compound microscope is a microscope that uses light and lenses to enable the magnification of the sample being observed or examined. The “compound” part of its name comes from the fact that it uses multiple lenses—namely the ocular lens and the objective lenses—to do its job. In contrast, the simple microscope, which is the most basic type of microscope, only uses one lens.
Thanks to its use of multiple lenses, a compound microscope can deliver magnification of between 1000x to 2000x or more. As such, it is perfect for fields scientific fields that require close-up examination and observation of samples at a cellular level—fields like medicine, biology, botany, and microbiology. It is also used in forensic laboratories to identify drug structures and microscopic pieces of evidence.
The compound microscope is very common and relatively inexpensive, especially the simpler models. Because of this, they are a staple in every laboratory, as well as in school classrooms.
The Stereo Microscope
The stereo microscope gets its name from having two optical paths at slightly different angles. This allows the user to see the specimen in three dimensions under the lenses. This also lets the user to be able to closely observe the specimen while also interacting with it using manual tools, such as a scalpel for dissection. As such, the stereo microscope is also usually called a dissecting microscope. This doesn’t mean that it’s only confined for the examination of biological samples, as it also sees use in trades like the manufacture and repair of watches, as well as in the building and quality checking of circuit boards.
Because of its ability to show the specimen in three dimensions, the stereo microscope can only offer magnification between 10x to 200x. As such, it is inherently inexpensive to acquire and can also be found in school laboratories.
The Metallurgical Microscope
Metallurgical microscopes are used to examine the surface of hard or brittle samples such as metals, ceramics, and plastics. They work in the same way as compound microscopes in that they provide magnification through reflected or transmitted light. The difference is they are designed specifically to help find microscopic defects and signs of stress or strain on the specimen’s surface area, which make them essential in the manufacturing industry. They also see use in fields where the accurate measurement of thin films, grain size, and electroplating coatings are needed.
The Acoustic Microscope
This microscope is similar to the metallurgical microscope in that it is used to find structural faults, defects, and microscopic signs of stress in hard or brittle samples. However, unlike the metallurgical microscope, it uses ultrasound instead of reflected or transmitted light to find these flaws. It also makes the internal examination of samples possible without having to stain or dissect it.
The Electron Microscope
The electron microscope is an extremely powerful magnifying tool, one that easily outclasses even the most advanced compound microscopes. It is capable of providing up to 1,000,000x magnification, and usually at a resolution of at least 2 nanometers. This is possible due to how it utilizes beams of electrons instead of light to enable magnification.
How it works is as follows: first, the object or specimen is either coated or stained in gold or palladium. Then, the microscope bombards it with electron beams. The gold or palladium coating deflects the electrons, and this creates dark and light areas in the generated 3D images of the specimen, replicating the intricate surface details of the sample. This allows for very close examination of ultra-microscopic specimens, such as the surface of cells, bacteria, and even viruses. Larger molecules can also be examined with this particular microscope.
Electron microscopes are usually confined in highly sophisticated medical labs that contribute to the diagnosis of tumors, cancers, and organ diseases such as those of the kidneys. They also have practical applications in fields of study such as biology, gemology, chemistry, and metallurgy.
The X-Ray Microscope
This particular microscope uses X-rays or electromagnetic radiation to generate an image of the specimen being examined. The resolution of the image created by an X-ray microscope usually falls between that of an optical or compound microscope and an electron microscope. It is also sensitive enough to determine the individual placement of atoms, such as with crystal specimens. What’s more, due to the inherent penetrating and non-reflective nature of X-rays, the specimen does not need to be specially prepared for examination, allowing for living tissue or cells to be examined with this microscope.
The microscope: an important tool for scientific progress
The microscope and its many variants are essential for laboratory work as they facilitate the study and examination of elements too small or delicate for the naked eye to see. Without microscopy, a whole host of scientific tasks will be very difficult to perform. What’s more, delicate and complicated manufacturing tasks that require a high amount of precision and accuracy, such as those performed in electronics manufacturing, will also be impossible. As such, we can easily conclude that many of the achievements and breakthroughs in the modern world would not exist without the microscope. Only time will tell what other discoveries the microscope will help us unearth.
