What Are Stereo Microscopes?

What Are Stereo Microscopes?

What are stereo microscopes? A stereo microscope, sometimes called a reflecting microscope, is an instrument used to view specimens under the magnifying objective lens of a microscope using both optical and mechanical means.what are stereo microscopes The stereo, or confocal, microscope is an ideal optical microscope variation designed for low magnification observation of even a very small sample, usually using reflected light from the sample's surface rather than transmitted via it.

As its name implies, a stereo microscope uses reflected light to provide a magnification rather than a direct transmission (by electron beam) for viewing microscopic objects.what are stereo microscopes what are stereo microscopes One example of such a specimen is the helix structure of bacteria. When viewed with a confocal microscope, the image reveals a regular structure, the helix, with a pole point at its center. However, if the microscope was equipped with a stereo lens, the image would be enlarged by the amount of reflection it receives and revealed a fine structure bordered by a smooth and shiny reflective coating on each side.

A stereo microscope differs from a confocal microscope in that the specimen is viewable with both eyes.what are stereo microscopes In addition, because the specimen is viewed with both eyes, the image is shown on a very large scale both with respect to the size of the specimen, as well as the magnification employed. A stereo microscope has two objectives, either to view the whole specimen with both eyes (single vision) or just one eye (double vision). The magnification of the image seen through a stereo microscope depends only upon the setting of the desired level of detail.

A stereo microscope uses mechanical and optical strategies to increase the resolution of images. Both techniques involve using multiple mirrors to reflect light, usually via a focusing device, back and forth between the source and lens. In a confocal microscope where there is only a single camera to observe the sample, the light transmission is greatly increased by the focusing device used. However, in a stereo microscope, due to the position of the camera relative to the eyepiece, the transmission also is increased. One of the most common techniques used to achieve this is to use a lens with longer wavelengths at the receiving eyepiece than the source. As the source moves away from the eyepiece the lens stops sending light, thereby effectively cutting the length of the fiber optics cable.

Stereo microscopy is a very useful technique. It allows the observation of specimens that would otherwise be unreachable with other methods. It is also used to study microbial life, such as in the case of detecting the presence of DNA in samples. It is also used extensively in the field of archeology, allowing for detailed examination of artifacts that would otherwise have been difficult to identify.

A stereo microscope can be used to examine almost any type of material. It is particularly well suited to biopsies because it has high sensitivity and can be used on such difficult to handle materials as dried blood, soft tissue, and even coral reefs underwater. A stereo microscope is truly one of the great tools of the medical and dental professions. Without these devices in the field of medical research would not be as robust or as advanced as it is today. Hopefully, now that you understand what are stereo microscopes, you will not hesitate to use one.

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