5 Most Common Microscope Problems And Their Solutions

A microscope is indeed a magnifying tool used in various medical and scientific fields to study things that are too tiny for the human eye to perceive. In medicine, microscopes may be used to examine microscopic items such as cells, tissue samples, germs, and viruses and perform precise surgical operations.

During the use of microscopes we commonly faced some of the problems. Most of the users try reaching the manufacturers to get it solved. Therefore, here we are describing the most common problems with their solutions. However, these are 5 most common problems that you can solve it yourself.

Problem 1

A portion of the image is veiled or has an unequal amount of light falling on it.

Solution:

Make sure the goals are positioned appropriately in the light path. Rotate the spinning nosepiece till it "snaps" into position on the truce, and then remove it. The plan should be firmly established as a result of this step. The cube must be positioned correctly in the light path, and the activation and barrier filters must be compatible with the chromosphere for the experiment to be successful.

Insufficient opening and misalignment of the pitch or aperture diaphragm are common causes of issues like this. Open and shut these diaphragms while looking at the specimen to discover if they cause the problem. Inadequate focus adjustment or prolonged shutter sliders are some possible causes. If the microscope is appropriately adjusted for illumination, most or all of the above issues will be remedied.

Problem 2

Mercury burns, but there is no sign of electricity flowing through the switch.

Solution:

First, check to see if the mercury burner connections are correctly attached. Make sure that the interlock on the light housing is working as well. Tighten the bulb's socket locking screw to do this. Auto-ignition switches may be at blame if the problem persists. When you're having trouble lighting the burner, try turning it off and switching it back on the power supply unit. Proper microscope working understanding helps saving time in repair. Still, if this doesn't work, call a professional technician.

Problem 3

Secondary fluorescence is being emitted from the material; however, the picture lacks adequate contrast and clarity.

Solution:

A filthy objective or filter is the most likely culprit in this case. Soft tissue or lens paper is a good choice for cleaning the front lens and any filters. If persistent dust, grime, or debris persists on the glass surface, use a small quantity of lens cleaning solution (s). Both exciter filter and barrier filter pair should be checked to see whether it is sufficient for the fluorochrome if this does not solve the problem.

Additionally, poor contrast can be caused by either over-opening the iris diaphragm of an objective lens or under-closing the aperture diaphragm of a vertical illuminator lens. Make any required adjustments to the diaphragm and aperture once you've checked everything thoroughly. You may achieve this by opening its aperture iris diaphragm entirely and closing the pitch iris diaphragm opening to just beyond the photo frame. To contrast the specimen, progressively reduce the aperture diaphragm in doing so. Check that the fluorescence filter cube is compatible with the wavelengths you're looking for.

Problem 4

The mercury burner is either flickering or entirely out.

Solution:

This happens whenever the mercurial burner is getting ready to fire up. After flipping on the burner, allow the arc light to steady for 10 minutes. If the issue persists for more than 20 minutes, the bulb may have failed. If the mercury burner's life meter reads more than 200 hours, it must be replaced.

Problem 5

The picture cannot be seen, or it seems darker than it should.

Solution:

Using a low transmission (extremely dense) neutral density filter may create this issue if the shutters knob is not closed. Eliminate the neutral density filters from the light path to correct the problem. Alternatively, adjust the shutters knob to an open aperture. Also, if you spin the fluorescence cube incorrectly or choose a cube that isn't appropriate for the sample (wrong excitation and barriers filter), the same issues arise. Check your filter parameters and switch to a different cube if no illumination is seen after moving the cube into the correct position Dimmer or non-existent light in the microscope eyepieces can also be caused by an inappropriate mix of the exciter and barrier filter.

Fluorescence datasheets from the manufacturer should be checked to ensure the correct filter is being used. As the last step, make sure that the objective lenses condensing apertures, irises diaphragm, the field iris flap, and target iris diaphragm (if available) are all open to the correct setting. Observe if the specimen generates primary fluorescence by opening the diaphragms to their most extended position and looking through the eyepieces.