Abstract

A variable phase contrast and amplitude contrast device of the polanret type has been developed. It uses only a single polarizing ring, instead of three zonal polarizers as required in Osterberg’s original polanret system, and is therefore much more easily manufactured, its economy of light is better, and its range of amplitude contrast is improved. However, it also requires an easily accessible microscope objective exit pupil, where the polarizing ring must be located to cover the direct image of a conjugate annular diaphragm of a phase contrast condenser.

© 1989 Optical Society of America

The Polanret Microscope*

Harold Osterberg
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 37(9) 726-730 (1947)

The Measurement of Unresolved, Single Particles of Uniform Thickness by Means of Variable Phase Microscopy*

Harold Osterberg and Gilbert E. Pride
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 40(2) 64-73 (1950)

Microscope adapted for the generation of various contrast types: theory and experiment

H. de Lang and N. H. Dekkers
Appl. Opt. 16(8) 2215-2222 (1977)

Separation of phase and absorption images in phase-contrast microscopy

Tomoya Noda and Satoshi Kawata
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 9(6) 924-931 (1992)

Evanescent field excitation of fluorescence by epi-illumination microscopy

Andrea L. Stout and Daniel Axelrod
Appl. Opt. 28(24) 5237-5242 (1989)