| ultraviolet microscope | <instrument> A microscope having optics of quartz and fluorite that allow transmission of light waves shorter than those of the visible spectrum, i.e., below 400 nm; the image is made visible by photography, fluorescence of special glasses, or television; in a scanning instrument the receptor is a multiplier phototube. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| field-emission microscope | <instrument, microscopy> Either one of two kinds of point-projection microscopes, both invented by E. W. Muller: (1) The older device (1936) is a specialised cathode-ray tube, employing field-emission of electrons from a negatively charged tip of a very sharp needle in a vacuum, by point-projection of the image onto a positively charged, fluorescent screen. (2) A later device (field-ion-mission microscope, 1950) emits absorbed helium ions from an anode. (05 Aug 1998) |
| field ion microscope | <instrument> Type of microscopy in which the specimen is illuminated with ions, often gallium ions, that are focussed electrostatically. The ions remove components of the specimen, lower atomic masses first. These are imaged and provide information on elemental distribution with a resolution of perhaps 30 nm. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fluorescence microscope | <instrument, microscopy> A microscope illuminated by ultraviolet or blue light so that the object may re-radiate light of longer wavelengths. To protect the eyes, a W-absorbing filter should be provided if not built into the fluorescence microscope. (05 Aug 1998) |
| fluorescent microscope | <instrument> A microscope equipped to examine material that fluoresces under ultraviolet (UV) light. (12 Dec 1998) |
| flying spot microscope | <instrument> A microscope in which a moving spot of light is imaged in the object plane, the energy transmitted by the specimen being detected with a photoelectric cell; the light source may be a cathode ray tube, a scanning disk or drum, or an oscillating mirror. (05 Mar 2000) |
| laser microscope | <instrument> A microscope in which a laser beam is focused on a microscopic field, causing it to vaporise; the emitted radiation is analyzed by means of a microspectrophotometer; at a low intensity the laser is employed as the light source in an interference microscope. (05 Mar 2000) |
| light microscope | <instrument> The most common type of microscope (a device used to magnify small objects or substances) used in laboratories. The device works by passing visible light through a condenser and an objective lens. (09 Oct 1997) |