I.

Introduce
The optical microscope, also referred to as a light microscope, is a type
of microscope that commonly uses visible light and a system of lenses to
generate magnified images of small objects. Optical microscopes are the
oldest design of microscope and were possibly invented in their present
compound form in the 17th century. Basic optical microscopes can be
very simple, although many complex designs aim to improve resolution
and sample contrast.
The object is placed on a stage and may be directly viewed through one
or two eyepieces on the microscope. In high-power microscopes, both
eyepieces typically show the same image, but with stereo microscope,
slightly different images are used to create a 3-D effect. A camera is
typically used to capture the image (micrograph).
The sample can be lit in a variety of ways. Transparent objects can be lit
from below and solid objects can be lit with light coming through (bright
field) or around (dark field) the objective lens. Polarised light may be
used to determine crystal orientation of metallic objects. Phase-contrast
imaging can be used to increase image contrast by highlighting small
details of differing refractive index.
A range of objective lenses with different magnification are usually
provided mounted on a turret, allowing them to be rotated into place and
providing an ability to zoom-in. The maximum magnification power of
optical microscopes is typically limited to around 1000x because of the
limited resolving power of visible light. While larger magnifications are
possible no additional details of the object are resolved.
Alternatives to optical microscopy which do not use visible light
include scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron
microscopy and scanning probe microscopy and as a result, can achieve
much greater magnifications.
 Sơ đồ nguyên lý cấu tạo của một kính hiển vi quang học.

II. Types
There are two basic types of optical microscopes: simple microscopes
and compound microscopes. A simple microscope uses the optical
power of single lens or group of lenses for magnification. A compound
microscope uses a system of lenses (one set enlarging the image
produced by another) to achieve much higher magnification of an object.
The vast majority of modern research microscopes are compound
microscopes while some cheaper commercial digital microscopes are
simple single lens microscopes. Compound microscopes can be further
divided into a variety of other types of microscopes which differ in their
optical configurations, cost, and intended purposes.
 Simple microscope
A simple microscope uses a lens or set of lenses to enlarge an object through
angular magnification alone, giving the viewer an erect enlarged virtual image.
The use of a single convex lens or groups of lenses are found in simple
magnification devices such as the magnifying glass, loupes,
and eyepieces for telescopes and microscopes.
 Diagram of a simple microscope

 Compound microscope
A compound microscope uses a lens close to the object being viewed to
collect light (called the objective lens) which focuses a real image of the
object inside the microscope (image 1). That image is then magnified by
a second lens or group of lenses (called the eyepiece) that gives the
viewer an enlarged inverted virtual image of the object (image 2). The
use of a compound objective/eyepiece combination allows for much
higher magnification. Common compound microscopes often feature
exchangeable objective lenses, allowing the user to quickly adjust the
magnification. A compound microscope also enables more advanced
illumination setups, such as phase contrast.
 Diagram of a compound microscope

III. Structure and Operation

An optical microscope consists of many parts, which can be divided into the
following parts:

 Light source;
 The system converges and creates parallel beams;
 Specimen price;
 The objective lens (which can be a lens or a lens system) is the main
component that produces magnification;
 Image flip system (prism, lens);
 The eyepiece is the lens that creates the final observation image;
 Image recording system.
 Hình ảnh một kính hiển vi với số đánh thể hiện vị trí các bộ phận

1. Eyepiece: Can be from one to two glass lenses that allow to create the final
image of the object through the optical system. The magnification of the eyepiece
is quite small, usually just under 10x, and is mounted in a cylinder, allowing for
easy changeover.
2. The objective adjustment bracket, also known as the rotating disc with the
objective lenses, can rotate the disc to switch to another objective
3. Objective lens: is the most important lens of the lens-based imaging systems, is
a (or possibly a multiple-lens system) with short focal length, allowing to magnify
objects with great magnification. Thanks to the adjustable bracket, different
objectives can be rotated to change the magnification value. On the objective lens
can record magnification values 4x, 5x, 10x, 20x, 40x, 50x, 80x or 100x. In some
special objective lenses, oil can be used to increase the resolution of the system.
4, 5. Micro-adjustment bracket, allowing adjustment of the specimen's height for
focus during imaging.
6. Specimen rack, also known as glass table.
7. System of lights, mirrors... creating light to illuminate the specimen.
8. Aperture system, and converging lenses to focus and produce a parallel beam of
light that shines through the specimen.
9. Micro-adjustment allows the specimen to be moved horizontally to view
different sections at will.
Optical microscopes work entirely on the principle of refraction of light
through a system of glass lenses. The objective lens, which is a type of lens with a
short focal length, is the main part that creates the image magnification of the
specimen. The image produced through this lens is the real image, and is inverted
from the original specimen. The image observed in the eyepiece is only flipped in
the correct direction thanks to the intermediate lens (or prism) system that acts as
the image flip system. Depending on the way of observing and recording the
image, the image created in the eyepiece can be a real image or a virtual image.
This image will be a virtual image when the eyepiece system is designed for direct
observation with the naked eye, or will be a real image when the eyepiece system
is attached to recording devices such as optical film or CCD camera.

 Limited resolution
 The resolution of an optical system is the ability to distinguish spatial points,
defined by the distance between the two closest points that can be distinguished by
this optical system. The resolution of an optical microscope is determined by the
resolving power of the lenses, which is here limited by light diffraction. The
resolution of an optical microscope will be limited by the wavelength of visible
light and the aperture number:

Usually a wavelength of 550 nm is assumed, which corresponds to green light.

With air as the external medium, the highest practical NA is 0.95, and with oil, up
to 1.5. In practice the lowest value of d obtainable with conventional lenses is
about 200 nm. A new type of lens using multiple scattering of light allowed to
improve the resolution to below 100 nm.
IV. Applications
Optical microscopy is used extensively in microelectronics, nanophysics,
biotechnology, pharmaceutic research, mineralogy and microbiology.
Optical microscopy is used for medical diagnosis, the field being termed
histopathology when dealing with tissues, or in smear tests on free cells or
tissue fragments.
In industrial use, binocular microscopes are common. Aside from applications
needing true depth perception, the use of dual eyepieces reduces eye strain
associated with long workdays at a microscopy station. In certain applications,
long-working-distance or long-focus microscopes are beneficial. An item may
need to be examined behind a window, or industrial subjects may be a hazard to
the objective. Such optics resemble telescopes with close-focus capabilities.
Measuring microscopes are used for precision measurement. There are two
basic types. One has a reticle graduated to allow measuring distances in the
focal plane. The other (and older) type has simple crosshairs and a micrometer
mechanism for moving the subject relative to the microscope.
Very small, portable microscopes have found some usage in places where a
laboratory microscope would be a burden.