Microscopy is an advanced way of observing samples in a special resolution range beyond the unaided eye. Light optical microscopy is considered a simpler microscopic technique when compared to electron and scanning probe microscopy for observing samples for microstructure analysis, but has its own advantages when viewing microstructures. Microstructures are the geometric arrangement of grains and the various phases in a metal or alloy. The light optical microscope use a visible light and a system of lenses to magnify pictures of microscopic specimens. Using light optical microscopes like the M ..read more

Introduction Battery technology, a cornerstone of modern innovation, has propelled advancements across industries by powering an array of devices, from portable electronics to renewable energy systems. Today's landscape is defined by the pursuit of more efficient, sustainable, and compact energy storage solutions. Among the latest trends, solid-state batteries utilizing innovative electrolyte materials promise heightened safety and performance, while lithium-air batteries, though grappling with technical obstacles, offer the allure of unprecedented energy density. However, the road to commerci ..read more

Main Users and Applications Pathology labs. H&E is a fundamental part of all Histopathology Oncology for Cancer study Animal research Toxicology and RND of Pharmaceutical companies and Biotechnology companies Users that need to look at tissue morphology Methodology To study the general morphology of tissue and look for any abnormal tissue development To look for abnormal growth (cell division) in tissue, which may be signs of cancer. To look for any foreign particles that should not be in the tissue Areas of User Interest Abnormal morphology of cell or tissue, where shapes and morphol ..read more

Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs), also known as Printed Wiring Boards, can be extremely complex components with multiple circuit layers. Manufacturers of these products must sample the production for quality control and assurance, the methods of which we will go over in this article.  There are many approaches and techniques to test production quality. There are 3 classes of PCBs, and based on the class the PCBs may require testing with varying degrees of critical tolerance. For example, Class 1 would be part of non-critical, replaceable limited life products such as garage door openers.&nbs ..read more

This article will describe the types of measurements and visual defects that can be acquired under the microscope. The optical technique most commonly used will be Brightfield Reflected Light; however other contrast techniques such as Darkfield, Polarized light and DIC can be used under certain circumstances. For example, DIC (differential interference contrast) can improve viewing of the copper grain structure and make the boundaries of multiple copper layers more easily defined.  With the increase in the layer count and decrease in the hole diameter, the implantation of microscopic cros ..read more

The Additive Manufacturing (AM) industry has been exploding over the last several years with new materials and processes to produce more complex and reliable parts for critical applications. Due to this rapidly growing field with new developments and needs, it becomes extremely important to be able to understand the materials characteristics along with the process variations which can impact the final product. From incoming inspection of raw materials to final inspection of the product, there are several points along the way for Light Microscopy to be a valuable tool in understanding how the p ..read more

Analysis in geoscience can be difficult without the correct equipment. The most up-to-date contrasting and imaging methods are often needed for the capturing of different features. Here are some examples: Transmitted crossed polarized light of anisotropic Olivine thin section showing Birefringence interference colors. Transmitted plane polarized light of geological thin section showing pleochroism, a change of color or intensity as rotated. Angle of Extinction in crossed polarized light. The angle at which extinction occurs, relative to cleavage or crystal habit, can be useful in identify ..read more

Wafer inspection in the semiconductor industry is a complicated, multistage process. In this two part series, our experts at Motic will outline the basics of the inspection process, and how light microscopes can help during optical analysis. Fundamentally, wafer inspection is split into two categories: unpatterned and patterned wafers. Generally, unpatterned inspection looks at defects on bare wafers. Patterned inspection looks at defects on processed wafers now containing circuitry. Today we’ll be looking at unpatterned wafer inspection and how material microscopes should be used in this proc ..read more

Failures in metals can come in many forms: fractures, cracks, inclusions, corrosion, microstructural processing issues and wear just to name a few. Getting to the root cause needs microscope instrumentation that is flexible and can provide multiple contrasting methods.    A few typical examples of FA applications in metals:   Surface corrosion in Darkfield contrast. Pit morphology can provide insight into the type of corrosion process that has taken place. Unetched polished metallographic samples imaged in DIC (Differential Interference Contrast) can make grain structure ..read more

Have you ever crashed your microscope objective into a sample ? At some point we all have This is where the concept of Working Distance comes in. You will see Working Distance (WD) often listed as a spec in microscope or objective brochures. This spec is important as it tells you the distance between the microscope objective lens and your focused sample.  A longer working distance will have less resolution but more space.  A short working distance will have better resolution but can come awfully close to your sample.  When do you make the decision to choose between Long and Shor ..read more