Microscope operation (Olympus IX70, IX71)

1. Microscope is a precision instrument. Handle it with care and avoid subjecting it to sudden or severe impact. Avoid exposure to dust, liquid spills, etc.

2. To save the life time of the lamps, please make sure that light sources are off when not in use.

For Olympus IX71: pressing “MODE” button on illumination system cycles between a) manual exposition, b) timed exposition and c) length of lamp operation in hours. According to manufacturers specifications average lifetime of the lamp is about 2000 h.

3. Turn ON CCD camera last and turn it OFF first to avoid camera damage!!!

4. Before turning on CCD camera make sure that selector is returned to eyepiece position.

5. When not in use light has to be guided to eyepieces and NOT to CCD camera. Make sure selector is returned to eyepiece position when done.

6. Before turning selector from eyepieces to CCD camera make sure there is no excessive light intensity collected (room lights on or bright field illumination on)

  • When in doubt about your signal intensity, set camera to gain 1 and multiplication gain to 0. Progress further from lower sensitivity settings to higher (From gain 1, to 2, to 3 and then increase avalanche gain from 0 in several increments up to 4095)
  • Note: avalanche gain operates only in Multiplication Gain mode!!!
  • Note: avalanche gain scale is exponential (there is very little amplification from 0 to ~3000, but very significant above 3000)!!!
  • When brightfield illumination is necessary to acquire image, set camera gain to 1, adjust brightfield lamp intensity to minimum, change selector from eyepieces to CCD camera and slowly increase illumination intensity till reasonable light intensity is achieved (intensity should not exceed 65535 counts).

7. When focusing

  • find easily recognizable object (microfluidic channel, edge, etc) to focus on.
  • If possible, use brightfield illumination for initial focusing
  • progress from lower magnification objectives to higher (10x to 20x to 40x, etc.)
  • IMPORTANT: never turn focusing knobs simultaneously in opposite directions (e.g. right side knob clockwise, while left side knob is rotated counterclockwise), this can damage Z-stage