The Convenience of Polarized Light Microscope

A microscope is a device used mainly to view objects or specimens which are not naturally seen clearly or simply not seen through the naked eye. It is usually used in laboratories in examinations of specimen. In some parts of the world, microscopes were and are still used to trace histories of certain objects and beings as far as 400 years ago or more.

A light microscope that is polarized was made to keep track and capture images of samples of objects that are noticeable and mainly suitable to their anisotropic characteristic. To realize such, the microscope must be supported by a polarizer placed in the light path of a previous specimen and an analyzer placed in the optical pathway between the back opening and the camera port. The image will be seen from the interface of polarized plane light with a double refraction specimen that would create two individual wave mechanisms that are both polarized in equal perpendicular planes.

Polarization of light is a technique that enhances contrast that develops the superiority of the acquired image with double refraction materials evaluated further by other microscopy techniques.

Biological Use

Simple polarizing scopes are just biological microscopes with polarizing or ¡°pol¡± filters, one was inserted under the head and the other one in substage filter holder. Any of the scopes can be modified. The ones that are designed for geological work are called, ¡°Petrographic microscopes¡± that have accessories that assist mineral researches. It include natural and industrial minerals, may it be refined, extracted, mineral fibers, composites of cements, ceramics, and polymers, and greatly ordered biological molecules such as starch, DNA, etc.

It was claimed that:
- It is a method that determines the polarization properties of light in an object which provides a detector for the intensity of light.
- The claim process 1 includes the steps of illumination of the object with elliptical polarized light to determine intensity when retarders are set at a retardence level and illuminates the object with circular polarized light when the said light retarders are set to another retardence levels.
- The claim process 1 that mentions the second retardence level is to be based on retardence level.
- The claim process 1 includes the procedures of setting the retardence of light retarders at a total of four different retardence levels that determine the light intensity on detector at every four retardence levels and determines the properties of polarization of light of the object based on intensities at four retardence levels, the first and the second retardence levels, two of the four retardence levels.
- The claim process 4, where one of the four levels is to be the base level.
- The claim process 4 that includes the process of illuminating the object with elliptical polarization of light to determine intensity when light retarders are set on level three out of the four levels and illuminating the object with circular light when the light retarders are set at another retardance level.
- It is a system that determines the properties of an object that comprises a source of it; a device that detects the intensity; and optical path that extends from the source of the detector; a pair of variable retarders placed in the optical path, that the light from the object that is on the detector passed both retarders in the path.

Geological Applications

Polarized Microscopes provide information on color absorption and boundaries between minerals of different refractive indices as taught in bright field microscopy. It also has the capability to distinguish whether the materials are either isotropic or not. Today, famous and big companies all over he world produce and sell polarized microscopes to shops and online.

By using polarized sunglasses, our eyes are allowed to see the light that travels on a single plane reducing the glare which is usually seen in regular, non polarized sunglasses. Polarized microscopy exploits or uses the optical properties of anisotropy to unveil detailed data of its structure and the basic composition of materials. Such technique is very important for the purposes of diagnosis and identification.

In areas of geological studies such as: mineralogy, petrography, sedimentology and etc., thin section preparation is necessary to examine samples microscopically to analyze its characteristics. The analysis is usually made using a transmitted polarized light that creates a need of thin sections of exact thickness.

Reflected light microscopy is widely used for applications that require the surfaces of samples to be flat and polished.

Conclusion

The polarized light microscopes that are used both in biology and geology truly provides convenience to professionals dealing with these fields. It helps improve the way biologists study about life, its origin, and capabilities. For geologists, it provides precision. Precision to their findings about any mineral, may it be a rock or soil.