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Related Concept Videos

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy01:26

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

Phase-Contrast Microscopes
In-phase-contrast microscopes, interference between light directly passing through a cell and light refracted by cellular components is used to create high-contrast, high-resolution images without staining. It is the oldest and simplest type of microscope that creates an image by altering the wavelengths of light rays passing through the specimen. Altered wavelength paths are created using an annular stop in the condenser. The annular stop produces a hollow cone of...
Transmission Electron Microscopy01:15

Transmission Electron Microscopy

In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
Overview of Electron Microscopy01:25

Overview of Electron Microscopy

The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.
Overview of Microscopy Techniques01:22

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
Scanning Electron Microscopy01:07

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction01:07

Electron Microscope Tomography and Single-particle Reconstruction

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) can be used to determine the 3D structure of biological samples with the help of techniques such as electron microscope tomography and single-particle reconstruction. While single-particle reconstruction can examine macromolecules and macromolecular complexes in vitro conditions only, tomography permits the study of cell components or small cells in vivo.
Electron Tomography
Electron tomography can be performed either in TEM or STEM (scanning transmission...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy
06:49

Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy

Published on: August 6, 2008

Possibility of a phase contrast electron microscope.

D F Parsons, H M Johnson

    Applied Optics
    |February 2, 2010
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Electron microscopes can now achieve in-focus phase contrast, similar to light microscopy, using specialized carbon films. This technique enhances imaging for thick, unstained biological samples.

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    Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization
    07:50

    Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization

    Published on: July 17, 2015

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

    Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy
    06:49

    Phase Contrast and Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) Microscopy

    Published on: August 6, 2008

    Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization
    07:50

    Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization

    Published on: July 17, 2015

    Area of Science:

    • Electron Microscopy
    • Phase Contrast Imaging
    • Materials Science

    Background:

    • Zernike phase contrast revolutionized light microscopy.
    • Adapting phase contrast principles to electron microscopy presents unique challenges.
    • Previous methods lacked sufficient contrast for certain sample types.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To demonstrate in-focus phase contrast in electron microscopy.
    • To investigate the use of carbon films for phase-shifting electron beams.
    • To evaluate the effectiveness of this technique for imaging unstained biological specimens.

    Main Methods:

    • Utilized an arrangement analogous to Zernike phase contrast light microscopy.
    • Placed thin carbon films with central holes in the objective lens's back focal plane.
    • Adjusted film thickness to achieve approximately pi/2 retardation for scattered electrons.

    Main Results:

    • Achieved in-focus phase contrast in an electron microscope.
    • Maximum contrast was obtained with elastically scattered electrons.
    • Observed contrast was approximately 50% of theoretical calculations.
    • Demonstrated potential for imaging thick unstained objects (>2000 A) at 1.0 MeV.

    Conclusions:

    • In-focus phase contrast is feasible in electron microscopy using carbon films.
    • Elastically scattered electrons are crucial for generating phase contrast.
    • Further improvements possible with beam stops, electrostatic lenses, and optimized objective lenses.
    • Combination contrast modes are recommended for conventional electron microscopes.