TYPES OF MICROSCOPES

lecture 2 (Theory)

Dr. Bayram D. Ahmed. PhD

 List of 16 types of microscopes
• 1. Simple Microscope • 9. Scanning Probe
• 2. Compound Microscope Microscope (SPM)
• 3. Phase Contrast • 10. Inverted Microscope
Microscope • 11. Acoustic Microscope
• 4. Fluorescence • 12. X-Ray Microscope
Microscope
• 13. Polarizing Microscope
• 5. Electron Microscope
• 14. Metallurgical
• 6. Dark Field Microscope
Microscope
• 7. Dissecting Microscope
• 15. Pocket Microscope
(Stereo Microscope)
• 16. USB Microscope
• 8. Digital Microscope
 1. Simple microscopes
It has one convex lens which
produce a virtual, erect and
magnified image at the least
distance of distinct vision from
the eye that is held at the lens.
It is common among the
watchmakers, jewelers, schools
and Dermatologists.
M= 1+D/F
 2. Compound microscopes.

It has a combination of lenses such as objective

lens and ocular lens.
It is used to see micro-organisms.
Magnification = m= D/f0 x L/fe Where,
D is the least distance of distinct vision
L is the length of the microscope tube
fo is the focal length of the objective lens
fe is the focal length of the eyepiece
 3. Stereo microscope
It works on the reflected
light from the sample (3D
view).
It is suitable for thick and
solid samples such as coins,
crystals and microsurgery.
The magnification of the
stereo microscope is
between 20x and 50x.
 4. Scanning Probe Microscope
• It can examine samples at the
nanoscale levels by the sharp tip.
• The study of a specimen’s
properties, its reaction time and
its behavior when stimulated can
be done with the help of a
scanning probe microscope.
• It is used in studying different
properties of the sample such as
electrical properties, magnetic
properties and transferring of
information on the sample.
 5. Dark field microscopy
•It uses indirect scattered or
diffracted light on the sample to
enter the lens so that light can be
projected against a dark field of
view.
•It is suitable for observing
colorless, transparent living cells
samples.
•It produce a picture with greater
resolution.
Dark field microscope
 6- Phase contrast microscopy
This type of microscopy is based on the phase
contrast (light variations) caused by light
diffraction.
Colorless, transparent samples, such as living
tissues and cells, they generate phase contrast due to
their differing refractive indexes or thicknesses.
This technique that converts phase shifts in light
passing through a transparent specimen to
brightness changes in the image by phase plate.
 The same cells imaged with
traditional bright-field microscopy
(left), and with phase-contrast
microscopy (right)

May be used
to visualize
live samples
and avoid
distortion
from cell stain
 7- Fluorescence microscope
It is composed of light source (xenon arc lamp or
mercury-vapor lamp ,high-power LEDs and
lasers), the excitation filter, the dichroic mirror
and the emission filter.
The specimen is illuminated with light of a
specific wavelength which is absorbed by the
fluorophores, causing them to emit light of
longer wavelengths (i.e., of a different color )
This microscope can be used to study living cells and cell
organelles, identify specific proteins, antigens and
immunoglobulin. They have very high sensitivity .

DNA is stained blue, a protein is green, and

the microtubules are red.
 8- Laser microscope
This microscope uses laser beams for clear
observation of thick samples with different focal
distances
Laser scanning confocal uses the principle of
fluorescence excitation to investigate the structural
properties of cells and the location of particular
structures or protein within cells in fixed tissue.
It is an optical imaging technique for increasing
optical resolution and contrast of a micrograph .
Laser microscope
 9. Electron microscope
• It uses the beam of accelerated electrons as a
source of light.
• It has high resolution of images as the images
can be magnified in nanometers.
• The electron beam is focused by electrostatic
and electromagnetic lenses, and transmitted
through the specimen that is in part
transparent to electrons and in part scatters
them out of the beam.
 Scanning Electron Microscope
• The image is seen in 3-D.
• The specimen is coated in gold and the electrons
bounce off to give you and exterior view of the
specimen.
•The pictures are in black and white (could be colored).
Surface and detail of cells and viruses are examined.
•The best resolution 20nm and magnification reaches
50000X times.
Scanning electron microscope
Transmission electron microscopes (TEM)

• They are used to generate

a highly-magnified image.
• TEMs can magnify objects
up to 50 million times.
• It gives 2D photos.
• Black and white picture.
• Resolution is 0.05 nm.
 bacillus bacteria
dividing

mitochondrion
Diagram of both SEM and TEM
 Comparison between SEM and TEM
Scanning Electron Microscope
(SEM)
• Imaging is based on emitted and
scattered electrons.
• It produces a 3-D image.
• Gives information about
morphology and topography.
• A thicker sample can be
processed.
• Resolve objects to 20 nm.
• Magnification up to 100,000X.
Transmission Electron
Microscope (TEM)
•Its imaging is based on
transmitted electrons.
•It produces a 2-D image.
•It provides information
about morphology only.
•Need a very thin sample.
•It can resolve objects as
close as 1nm.
• Higher magnification,
up to 1000,000X.
Compares between light and electron
microscope
Compares between light and electron
microscope
 Advantages of light microscopes
• Can magnify up to 2000 times
• Shows shape and structure of cells and tiny
organisms
• Specimens can be alive
• Resolution up to 0.2m
• Cheap
• Easy to work with
 Disadvantages of light microscope
• Often need stain to see image (low contrast)
but will kill organism and produce artifacts
• Cannot see viruses, magnify up to 2000X,
Can’t produce image of objects smaller than
(0.4 μ)
• Low resolution 0.2 μ , and image contrast
• Can’t be used to view living internal structures
• Require thin, and stained specimen