THE MOST IMPORTANT MICROSCOPE PROPERTIES - TECHNOLOGY - 2025

The most outstanding properties of the microscope are the resolving power, the magnification of the object of study and the definition. These capabilities allow the study of microscope objects and have applications in various fields of study.

The microscope is an instrument that has evolved over time, thanks to the application of new technologies to offer incredible images much more complete and clear of the various elements that are the object of study in fields such as biology, chemistry, physics, medicine, among many other disciplines.

The high definition images that can be obtained with advanced microscopes can be quite impressive. Today it is possible to observe particle atoms with a level of detail that years ago was unimaginable.

There are three main types of microscopes. The best known is the optical or light microscope, a device that consists of one or two lenses (compound microscope).

There is also the acoustic microscope, which works by creating the image from high-frequency sound waves, and electron microscopes, which are in turn classified into scanning (SEM, Scanning Electron Microscope) and tunneling (STM, Scanning Tunneling) microscopes. Microscope).

The latter provide an image formed from the ability of electrons to "pass" through the surface of a solid by means of the so-called "tunnel effect", more common in the field of quantum physics.

Although the conformation and principle of operation of each of these types of microscopes are different, they share a series of properties, which despite being measured in different ways in some cases, remain common to all. These are in turn the factors that define the quality of the images.

The common properties of the microscope

1- Power of Resolution

It relates to the minimum detail that a microscope can offer. It depends on the design of the equipment and the radiation properties. Usually this term is confused with "resolution" which refers to the detail actually achieved by the microscope.

To better understand the difference between resolving power and resolution, it must be taken into account that the former is a property of the instrument as such, defined more broadly as "the minimum separation of points of the object under observation that can be perceived under conditions optimal ”(Slayter and Slayter, 1992).

While, on the other hand, the resolution is the minimum separation between points of the studied object that were actually observed, under real conditions, which could have been different from the ideal conditions for which the microscope was designed.

It is for this reason, that in some cases, the observed resolution is not equal to the maximum possible under the desired conditions.

To obtain a good resolution, in addition to the power of resolution, good contrast properties are required, both of the microscope and of the object or specimen to be observed.

2- Contrast or definition

High definition image of a single-celled organism. Via Youtube.

This property refers to the ability of the microscope to define the edges or limits of an object with respect to the background where it is.

It is the product of the interaction between radiation (emission of light, thermal, or other energy) and the object under study, which is why we speak of inherent contrast (that of the specimen) and instrumental contrast (that of the microscope itself).

That is why, by means of the graduation of the instrumental contrast, it is possible to improve the quality of the image, so that an optimal combination of the variable factors that influence a good result is obtained.

For example, in an optical microscope, absorption (a property that defines the lightness, darkness, transparency, opacity, and colors observed in an object) is the main source of contrast.

3- Magnification

Pollen seen through a microscope.

Also called the degree of Magnification, this characteristic is nothing more than the numerical relationship between the size of the image and the size of the object.

It is usually denoted by a number accompanied by the letter "X", so a microscope whose magnification is equal to 10000X will offer an image 10,000 times larger than the actual size of the specimen or object under observation.

Contrary to what one might think, magnification is not the most important property of a microscope, since a computer can have a fairly high magnification level but a very poor resolution.

From this fact is derived the concept of useful magnification, that is, the level of magnification that, in combination with the contrast of the microscope, truly provides a high quality and sharp image.

On the other hand, empty or false magnification occurs when the maximum useful magnification is exceeded. From that point on, despite continuing to enlarge the image, no more useful information will be obtained but on the contrary, the result will be a larger but blurry image since the resolution remains the same.

The following figure illustrates these two concepts in a clear way:

The magnification is much higher in electron microscopes than in optical microscopes that reach a magnification of 1500X for the most advanced ones, the former reaching levels of up to 30000X in the case of SEM-type microscopes.

As for scanning tunneling microscopes (STM), the magnification range can reach atomic levels of 100 million times the size of the particle, and it is even possible to move them and place them in defined arrangements.

conclusion

It is important to point out that, according to the properties explained above of each of the types of microscopes mentioned, each one has a specific application, which allows to take advantage of the advantages and benefits regarding the quality of the images in an optimal way.

If some types have limitations in certain areas, these can be covered by the technology of the others.

For example, scanning electron microscopes (SEM) are generally used to generate high resolution images, especially in the field of chemical analysis, levels that could not be reached by a lens microscope.

The acoustic microscope is used more frequently in the study of non-transparent solid materials and characterization of cells. Easily detect voids within a material, as well as internal defects, fractures, cracks, and other hidden items.

For its part, the conventional optical microscope continues to be useful in some areas of science because of its ease of use, its relatively low cost, and because its properties still generate beneficial results for the studies in question.

References

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