Microscopy

It teaches us to appreciate the little things in life.


Microscopy



We offer comprehensive microscopy and image analysis including spacial location, volume reconstruction, imaging, and mapping. Please see below for a complete description of our capabilities...




Optical Microscopy -

Magnify images of small objects

Application AND Technique Description
Microscopes are instruments designed to produce magnified visual or photographic images of small objects. The microscope must accomplish three tasks: produce a magnified image of the specimen, separate the details in the image (resolution), and render the details visible to the human eye or camera.

Magnification is a function of the number of lenses. Resolution is a function of the ability of a lens to gather light. Apertures can be used to affect resolution and depth of field. Polarized light microscopy is capable of providing information on absorption color and optical path boundaries between materials of differing refractive indices, in a manner similar to bright-field illumination, but the technique can also distinguish between isotropic and anisotropic substances. Crystals with non-cubic crystal structures are often birefringent, as are plastics under mechanical stress.

A partial list of the properties that can be determined with polarized light microscopy would include size, shape, color, density, surface texture, refractive indices, transparency/opacity, crystal habit, crystal system and interfacial angles.
Instruments Used Models Notes:
Leica and
Keyence Digital 		M80 - Stereo Still and dynamic image capturing

DM2500P - Compound Still and dynamic image capturing

Keyence VHX-2000E Digital - Still and topography image capturing

Polarizing Light Microscope

Pax-it2! V.1.4.3 Software

cGMP
cGMP Analysis Available 		Wiki Reference for Microscopy






RAMAN Spectroscopy -

Identify molecules, study chemical bonding,
spatially locate chemicals

Application AND Technique Description
Raman is a spectroscopic technique used to observe vibrational, rotational, and other low-frequency modes in a system. Raman spectroscopy is commonly used in chemistry to provide a structural fingerprint by which molecules can be identified. A sample is illuminated with a laser beam. Electromagnetic radiation from the illuminated spot is collected with a lens and sent through a monochromator. Elastic scattered radiation at the wavelength corresponding to the laser line (Rayleigh scattering) is filtered out by either a notch filter, edge pass filter, or a band pass filter, while the rest of the collected light is dispersed onto a detector.

We specialize in hyper-spectral imaging or chemical imaging, in which thousands of Raman spectra are acquired from all over the field of view. The data can then be used to generate images showing the location and amount of different components. Raman spectroscopy is suitable for the microscopic examination of minerals, polymers and ceramics, forensic trace evidence, organic and inorganic materials, and to differentiate polymorphic forms of active pharmaceuticals.
Instruments Used Models Notes:
Renishaw


Thermo


Ondax

Dispersive Raman: inVia Chemical imaging, microsampling, Confocal, 785 nm laser

FT Raman: Thermo FT Micro and macro sampling, 1064 nm laser, Omnic v.9.7.46 software with spectral libraries.

Low frequency: Ondax THz-Raman® With Probe Stokes and anti-Stokes signals from ±5 cm-1 to 200 cm-1, (or 150 GHz to 6 THz)

cGMP

 Wiki Reference for Raman spectroscopy




Infrared Imaging -

Chemical, physical, and distribution information of a sample, Contaminant Identificatin

Application AND Technique Description
Provides chemical, physical and distribution information. Analyze samples as small as 50 microns with no need for liquid nitrogen. Allows the analysis in reflection and ATR of samples as thick as 20 mm with no need to remove condenser. Over 20 mm samples can be measured, depending on the overall size.

Chemical imaging, microsampling, 1um resolution, Spectral range 7600-375 cm-1 Collection of data in any sampling mode (transmission, reflection and ATR). Extended range allows inorganics and fillers analysis. Ultra fast imaging speed allows the collection of 1.2 x 1.2 mm image in as low as 20 seconds instead of 4.5 minutes of ultra-fast mapping. Real-time identification of samples with material identification, size, percentage of distribution, and chemical image of particles within an area.
Instrument Used Model Notes:
Thermo iN10 MX, Model with
Picta 1.5.141 software 		Reference for IR Imaging



Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) -

Investigate ultrastructure

Application AND Technique Description
Electron microscopes are used to investigate the ultrastructure of a wide range of biological and inorganic specimens including microorganisms, cells, large molecules, biopsy samples, metals, and crystals. The SEM produces images by probing the specimen with a focused electron beam that is scanned across a rectangular area of the specimen (raster scanning).

Due to the very narrow electron beam, SEM micrographs have a large depth of field yielding a characteristic three-dimensional appearance useful for understanding the surface structure of a sample. A wide range of magnifications is possible, from about 10 times (about equivalent to that of a powerful hand-lens) to more than 500,000 times, about 250 times the magnification limit of the best light microscopes.

Specimens are observed in high vacuum in conventional SEM, or in low vacuum or wet conditions in variable pressure or environmental SEM, and at a wide range of cryogenic or elevated temperatures with specialized instruments.

Our Capabilities:

o High Vacuum
o Low Vacuum
o Cryo
o Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX)

Instruments Used Model Notes:
Thermo Phemom XL Fully integrated EDX and BSE detector
FEI Quanta 3D FEG High and low vacuum, Cryo capability
Oxford INCA PentFEXx3 Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX)
Wiki Reference for SEM



Hot Stage Optical Microscopy -

Reveal Thermal Behavior

Application AND Technique Description
A technique for studying the phases of solid drug substances and cocrystal development using a programmable melting apparatus. Also known as fusion methods; thermo-microscopy. Useful for identifying fusable solids.
Instrument Used Model Notes:
Linkam LTS420
Ambient - 600 °C 		Wiki Reference for Hot Stage Microscopy



Atomic Force Microscopy -

Imaging on the nanometer scale

Application AND Technique Description
High-resolution scanning probe microscopy with demonstrated resolution on the order of fractions of a nanometer, more than 1000 times better than the optical diffraction limit. One of the most important tools for imaging on the nanometer scale, Atomic Force Microscopy uses a cantilever with a sharp probe that scans the surface of the specimen. When the tip of the probe travels near to a surface, the forces between the tip and sample deflect the cantilever according to Hooke's law.
The atomic force microscope is a powerful tool that is invaluable if you want to measure incredibly small samples with a great degree of accuracy.

Unlike rival technologies (e.g. electron microscopy), it does not require either a vacuum or the sample to undergo treatment that might damage it. One of the major downsides is the single scan image size, which is of the order of 150x150 micrometers, compared with millimeters for a scanning electron microscope. Another disadvantage is the relatively slow scan time, which can lead to thermal drift on the sample.
Instruments Used Model Notes:
Hitatchi and Park All Modes Wiki Reference for Atomic Force Microscopy