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The difference between an electron microscope and a digital microscope

Feb 20, 2023

The difference between an electron microscope and a digital microscope

 

The term "digital microscope" actually refers to a digital imaging equipment that has been attached to an optical microscope and may display an image created by the microscope directly on a computer screen. It is built upon the optical microscope, and the essential workings of the electron microscope's imaging concept are used. the distinction. We must make a distinction between resolution and magnification in this case. The high resolution of a picture of a small item that has been zoomed in relies on the wavelength of the reflected light wave. The resolution increases as the wavelength gets shorter. While conventional "digital microscopes" can have a very high magnification, the resolution cannot be enhanced, electron microscopes use X-ray imaging with a wavelength considerably shorter than ordinary visible light, of course, and have a very high resolution.

 

The wavelength of the light wave affects the resolution of an optical microscope. The optical microscope is incapable of detecting objects that are near to or smaller than the wavelength of light. Smaller objects can be seen because the wavelength of electron movement is substantially less than the wavelength of a light wave. An electron microscope uses electron flow in place of visible light, a magnetic field in place of lenses, and electron movement in place of photons to see objects that are smaller than those that can be seen by an optical system. An optical microscope is a magnified imaging system made up of a set of optical lenses.

 

An optical microscope uses visible light illumination to create a magnified image of tiny objects, whereas an electron microscope is a large-scale instrument that uses electron beams as the illumination source to form images on a fluorescent screen through the transmission or reflection of the electron flow on the sample and the multi-stage magnification of the electromagnetic lens. In conclusion, the following features set electron microscopes apart from optical microscopes:

 

1. A variety of illumination sources The electron flow emitted by the electron cannon serves as the illumination source for the electron microscope, whereas visible light serves as the illumination source for the light microscope (sunlight or light). The electron microscope's magnification and resolution are substantially greater than those of the light microscope because the wavelength of the electron flow is much shorter than that of the light wave.

 

2. Various lenses Whereas the objective lens of the light microscope is an optical lens made of glass, the magnifying objective lens of the electron microscope is an electromagnetic lens (an annular electromagnetic coil that may generate a magnetic field in the central area). The condenser lens, objective lens, and eyepiece functions of the light microscope are analogous in the electron microscope to three groups of electromagnetic lenses.

 

3. A different imaging principle is used. The electromagnetic lens of an electron microscope amplifies an electron beam that is acting on the sample being examined before it can be imaged on a fluorescent screen or a photosensitive film. When the electron beam strikes the sample under test, the incident electrons hit with the substance's atoms to create scattering, which is the mechanism for the variation in electron density. The sample's electron picture is given in hues because different portions of the sample scatter electrons at varying rates.The object picture of the sample is displayed as a difference in brightness in the light microscope, which is brought on by the variation in the amount of light drawn in by the various structures of the sample under examination.

 

4. There are various techniques utilized for specimen preparation. The technical difficulties and cost of preparing tissue cell specimens for viewing under an electron microscope are both significant. Material collection, fixation, dehydration, and embedding are steps that call for specialized chemicals and procedures. The imbedded tissue blocks must next be cut into ultra-thin specimen slices using an ultra-microtome that have a thickness of 50–100 nm. Light microscopy specimens, such as regular tissue slice specimens, cell smear specimens, tissue compression specimens, and cell drop specimens, are typically mounted on glass slides.

 

2 Electronic Microscope

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