光学顕微鏡

This article describes cross-section analysis for electronics concerning quality control and failure analysis of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and assemblies (PCBAs), integrated circuits (ICs), etc.

This article discusses the development of epi-illumination and reflection contrast for fluorescence microscopy concerning life-science applications. Much was done by the Ploem research group collaborating with the company Leitz.

This article describes a test to determine the robustness of Leica microscopes to mold and fungus growth. The test follows the specifications of the ISO 9022 part 11 standard for optical instruments.

Deciding which microscope camera best fits your experimental needs can be daunting. This guide presents the key factors to consider when selecting the right camera for your life science research.

An optical microscope is often one of the central devices in a life-science research lab. It can be used for various applications which shed light on many scientific questions. Thereby the configuration and features of the microscope are crucial for its application coverage, ranging from brightfield through fluorescence microscopy to live-cell imaging. This article provides a brief overview of the relevant microscope features and wraps up the key questions one should consider when selecting a research microscope.

Rapid, accurate, and reliable rating of non-metallic inclusions (NMIs) is instrumental for the determination of steel quality. This article describes the challenges that arise from manual NMI rating, which is commonly used in steel production and component manufacturing, when striving for an efficient and cost-effective steel quality evaluation.

Supplying components and products made of steel to users worldwide can require that a single batch be compliant with multiple steel quality standards. This user demand creates significant challenges for suppliers. The standards specify rigorous methods for rating non-metallic inclusions in steel, as the inclusions have a strong influence on quality. Rating the steel quality helps ensure that products and components meet performance and safety specifications.

Oftentimes we find ourselves caught up in tedious analyses by reticle and comparison chart, time-consuming double-evaluation according to several standards or subjective inspection results with a bias from different users. In this webinar, Dr. Nicol Ecke will talk about the advantages of automated analysis of non-metallic inclusions using LAS X Steel Expert*. Learn how this will help you get the reliable, unbiased and standard-compliant results you are aiming for faster and easier than ever before.

This webinar and report describe optimal microscopy solutions for rating steel quality in terms of non-metallic inclusions and reviews the various international and regional standards concerning rigorous quality assessment methods, e.g., EN 10247, ASTM E45, DIN 50602, and ISO 4967.

The advantages of a 2-in-1 materials analysis solution combining optical microscopy and laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for simultaneous visual and chemical inspection are described in this report. The basic principles of the 2-in-1 solution and a comparison between it and other common materials analysis methods, such scanning electron microscopy (SEM), are explained to demonstrate how a rapid, efficient workflow is achieved. A 2-in-1 analysis solution can reduce significantly the cost and time for obtaining material image and composition data. Such data are instrumental in assuring quality and reliability to make confident decisions quickly during production, quality control, failure analysis, and research and development in industries and fields, such as automotive and metallurgy.

Optical microscopes are used to magnify objects which are otherwise invisible for the human eye. For this purpose high quality optics is necessary to achieve appropriate resolution. However, besides intentional effects, all optical components have also unwanted intrinsic influence on light, resulting in aberrations. This article highlights optical elements and their physical parameters involved in this process. Based on this, it gives a historical overview of philosophies about how to cope with aberration reduction. Seeing the microscope as a whole system turned out to be beneficial, leading to the harmonization of its constituents for optimal microscopic results.

“Infinity Optics” refers to the concept of a beam path with parallel rays between the objective and the tube lens of a microscope. Flat optical components can be brought into this “Infinity Space” without influencing image formation, which is critical for the utilization of contrast methods such as DIC or fluorescence. Modern microscopy techniques require the addition of multiple optical instruments, such as light sources or laser devices, into the infinite light path. Different approaches to fulfill this need have emerged and are described here.