How to keep the optical path of a microscope clear
The optical path of a microscope includes an eyepiece, objective lens, upper or lower light source, and a light box. These parts form an optical path system, and if one of them malfunctions, it can cause the entire system to malfunction. Below, I will briefly explain how to ensure the clarity of the microscope light path!
The surface of the eyepiece and objective lens is highly susceptible to contamination by dust, dirt, and oil. When a decrease in contrast and clarity is observed, resulting in fogging, it is necessary to carefully inspect the condition of the front lens of the eyepiece and objective lens with a magnifying glass.
This is very important for ensuring the optical performance of the microscope. When the microscope is not in use, it should be covered with the dust cover provided with the instrument. If there is dust and dirt on the optical surface and instrument, use a balloon to blow off the dust or use a soft brush to remove the dirt before wiping the surface.
Optical surfaces should be cleaned with lint free cotton cloth, lens paper, or cotton swabs dampened with specialized lens cleaning solution. When cleaning, excessive solvents should be avoided. The lens wiping paper or cotton swab should be properly wetted with solvents, but should not penetrate into the objective lens due to the use of too much solvent, otherwise it will cause a decrease in the clarity of the objective lens and damage to it.
Low magnification objective lenses have a relatively large front group lens, which can be wiped with a cotton cloth, cotton swab, or lens wiping paper dipped in ethanol wrapped around the fingers. 40X and 100X objective lenses require extra caution and careful inspection using a magnifying glass. In order to achieve high flatness in the high-power mirror, a front group lens with a small curvature radius concave surface is used. When wiping this group of lenses, a toothpick or cotton swab with a cotton ball can be used for cleaning. When wiping the surface of the lens, be gentle and avoid excessive force or scraping, and ensure that the concave surface of the lens can be touched. After cleaning, use a magnifying glass to check if the objective lens is damaged. If it is necessary to open the observation tube, be careful not to touch the exposed lens under the tube. Fingerprints on the surface of the lens will reduce the clarity of the image, and should be wiped according to the method of cleaning the objective lens and eyepiece.
