Examining The Various Types of Microscope

This guide to microscopes shows the numerous kinds available, how one differs from the other, and what kind of application might be suited for each one.

If you think that a microscope is a microscope is a microscope, then you clearly don't know about the dozens of types of microscope available.  But those involved in sciences that use a microscope know this all too well.  But maybe you don't know all the different kinds and what the differences are.  Perhaps you're still not clear on which one is best suited for your specific need.  They're not all the same, you know.  There are definite differences that will affect your decision as to the right one to buy. 

There is the simple lens microscope and more sophisticated ones with imaging systems.  There are differences in illumination method, type of image, resolution, magnification, field of view and degree of automation.  You need to know these differences.  They matter.  For instance, a stereo microscope is completely different than using a compound light microscope.  In this guide, we'll examine those differences.

The major categories of microscope are often broadly categorized as electron microscopes, light microscopes and confocal microscopes.  And then, within these larger categories are smaller sub-categories.  As an example, all types of electron microscope aren't alike.  To find the right one for your needs, you'll need to know how they differ.

An electron microscope is a sophisticated microscope which has as its radiation source a compact stream of electrons.  This stream gives the scope a higher level of magnification.  The electron microscope is frequently used in geology, archaeology and medicine.

A transmission electron microscope is used to magnify the inner details of objects and specimens via the use of a single electron beam.  The scientist or doctor uses a scanning electron microscope in order to analyze the three-dimensional image that it provides. There is also a variation of this microscope called the STEM.  This stands for "scanning transmission electron microscope."  Its primary advantage is that it is capable of scanning objects and specimens at a considerably accelerated rate. 

The light microscope uses as its radiation source visible light.  There are varieties within this group.  For instance, there are both compound microscopes as well as stereo microscopes.  The compound scope offers a 2-D view of objects and specimens, making it ideal for laboratory work.  The stereo scope, on the other hand, gives a 3-D view of a specimen like a bacterial compound.  It's frequently called a dissection microscope.

Some other light microscopes include the dark field microscope and the phase contrast microscope.  Both of these, like other light microscopes, enhance an object's overall visual quality.  You'll also occasionally find an oil immersion microscope.  As the name suggests, it uses a layer of oil between the object and lens, thus increasing the magnification.

Our final major grouping of microscopes is confocal microscopes.  This category contains scopes which are automated and which use, for their radiation source, lasers.  One popular form of confocal scope is the fluorescence microscope.  This one gives a brighter image by exciting a dyed specimen via radiation.

There are other lesser known types of microscope.  For instance, the scanning probe microscope is one which forms images as it scans a specimen via a physical probe.  A sub category of the scanning probe scope is the atomic force microscope, the scanning tunneling microscope and the near-field optical microscope.  Each works best in fields like nanotechnology.  Also available are interference microscopes, which are typically used with transparent objects that would be invisible to any other kind of microscope.

Lastly, there are microscopes which are based on acoustics, microwave or magnetic force.  One thing is certain:  With so many types of microscope, you're certain to find something perfect for your task, depending on what your scientific endeavor is.

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