The World's Most Powerful Microscope

In the last ten years there has been developed at Bell Telephone Laboratories a new technic of high-power micrography, which has greatly extended the limits of useful magnification possible with a microscope. Since any extension of the limits of magnification of he microscope which is accompanied by a decrease in definition is useless, it was found necessary to increase the resolving power or definition of the microscope. One way in which this can be done is by decreasing the wavelength of the light used. — A microscope using ultra-violet light was developed about thirty years ago by Koehler of the Zeiss works. Due to various difficulties in operating it, this microscope soon became a scientific curiosity and was almost forgotten. About five years ago, a microscope of this type was obtained from the Zeiss works by Bell Laboratories, and the difficulties involved in the use of this instrument were largely solved by the development of a mechanical method of focusing. With this microscope, it is possible to obtain crisp, brilliant images of metallurgical specimens magnified 5000 to 6000 diameters. In studying the advantages and limitations of this microscope, it was found to be particularly applicable to the study of biological and medical specimens. Such specimens can be examined at high magnification under the ultra-violet microscope without the necessity of cutting, staining, or injuring them in any way.

Print ISSN

0097-5834

Published

1931-04

Content type

Original Research

DOI

10.5594/J08083