Proper Use Of The Phase Contrast Microscope
Biological tissues can be examined using a phase contrast microscope. This is a type of microscope that uses light to enhance contrasts of colorless and transparent objects. This microscope enables components to be shown in bacteria or cells that are very difficult to see when you use an ordinary microscope. Meaning, the very invisible component of bacteria can be seen if you are going to use the phase contrast microscope. However, the objective lenses used here and the phase contrast condensers are very costly, that is why the phase contrast microscope is rarely used in teaching labs, unless the classes are mainly for health professions.
The phase contrast microscope is composed of four objective lenses, a phase condenser lens and lastly a centering telescope.
If you’d like to learn the ways on how to use the phase contrast microscope. Just follow the procedure and you will be able to use this scientific instrument.
1. Begin with the basics, to set up the instrument for use, you need to push in the long adjustment screws for the proper positioning of the phase ring.
2. Dial the proper setting using the thumb wheel on the opposite side to match with the objective lens. There is a “BF” or brightfiled setting on the thumb wheel that allows the phase objectives to be the standard lenses.
First, to be able to use this scientific equipment, the important factor should be considered. The proper light must be aligned to get the best results. But then, you can also set the microscope at BF or the brightfield setting.
Then insert or slide a component into the condenser Turret by rotating it in the right light path. Then focus with your specimen. The elements to be examined can either be lined up in a steady position or it can be adjusted by the user until the phase effect reaches the optimum quality imaging. Always be reminded that phase contrast microscopy needed more light than the usual ordinary microscope.
Then there will be controls that will stick out on the back from the both sides. This is necessary for the condenser to be centered.
Then you will now remove one eyepiece lens. Then in its place, insert or place the centering telescope. One component of the phase contrast microscope is the set screw; this is used to position the centering telescope.
Now, two rings will be seen when you look through the telescope. It could either be concentric or not. To make it more concentric, you can adjust it by rotating the screws for centering adjustment right on the condenser. Now you will have a more concentric image.
You will now then take away the centering telescope and then eyepiece lends will be replaced. Then put back your specimen on the stage. Now, you are ready to do your phase observations.
When changing your objectives, you will go through this procedure again. It is very tricky to discover the consistency in the alignment of the objectives.
Finally, phase contrast microscopes can also be darkfield microscopes. You will be surprised to discover that when you set the condenser at a setting on a different phase other than your chosen lens, you will now get an even darkfield effect. Darkfield is a method in microscopy in the phase contrast microscope that enables one to view it in a dark background. Now you will be getting two setting in a single microscope, the darkfiled microscope and the brightfield which is the phase contrast microscope. With a darkfiled setting too, the specimen that you will observe, will have an illuminated effect on a pitch black background.
Always be careful about using this scientific instrument. Just be reminded that a microscope is a very expensive scientific instrument, especially the phase contrast microscope, use it properly and it can stay up for so many years.
This phase contrast instrument is a very vital scientific instrument and is highly used in cellular biology and other molecular research. Furthermore, is it is regarded to be of use in the medical laboratories for the medical and clinical diagnosis of some health conditions and many more. The very invisible thing can be seen through this phase contrast microscope. Images that can be obtained in a phase contrast microscope can be very remarkable and extraordinary. Also the technique of using a phase contrast microscope has proved a huge advancement in the line of microscopy. Furthermore, the phase contrast microscope was awarded a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1953.
