Both
inverted and stereo microscopes are available at the ERI together with
high resolution digital image capture.
Light microscopes such as those at the ERI can be used to reveal the structures of living cells and tissues, as well as of non-living samples such as rocks and semiconductors.
The
inverted microscope has the illumination system above the stage and the
lens system below the stage. Inverted microscopes are better for looking
through thick specimens, such as dishes of cultured cells, because the
lenses can get closer to the bottom of the dish, where the cells grow.
The stereo microscope uses two different paths of light which allows the
user to see a specimen in 3-D. Stereo microscopes have high depth perception
but low resolution and magnification. These microscopes are used for dissecting
as well as for viewing fossils, insect specimens, particles etc.
