Light Microscopy
Optical microscopy is a vital and often overlooked technique for material analysis. The technique utilises visible light to analyse a sample, either by reflecting or transmitting the light through the microstructure. The performance of the technique is inherently limited by the wavelength of light, which ranges from 400nm (Ultraviolet) to 700nm (IR). However, the contrast techniques it offers hold some key advantages beyond simply speed compared to EM analytical techniques offered within AIM: differential focus of micro height differences mean that etched samples produce high contrast microstructural images. Darkfield, Polarised Light and Interference contrast further the potential while motorisation and image processing also enable extended depth of field with differential focus to allow the colour contrast potential to higher magnification than traditional compound microscopes.
