Microscopically

Microscopy is the technical field of using microscopes to view objects and areas of objects that cannot be seen with the naked eye (objects that are not within the resolution range of the normal eye). There are three well-known branches of microscopy: optical microscopy, electron microscopy, and scanning probe microscopy.

History

Microscopy was first developed in the 17th century with the invention of the optical microscope. This was followed by the electron microscope in the 20th century, and the scanning probe microscope in the 21st century.

Optical Microscopy

Optical microscopy involves passing light, visible or not, through a sample. The most common type of optical microscope is the light microscope, which uses visible light and a system of lenses to magnify images of small samples.

Electron Microscopy

Electron microscopy uses a beam of accelerated electrons as a source of illumination. The two major types of electron microscopes are the transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Scanning Probe Microscopy

Scanning probe microscopy forms images of surfaces using a physical probe that scans the specimen. The most common type of scanning probe microscope is the atomic force microscope (AFM).

See Also

• Microscope
• Optical microscope
• Electron microscope
• Scanning probe microscope

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