A polarizing microscope places the sample between two polarizing filters. When the filters are crossed, isotropic materials stay dark while anisotropic materials — most crystals, minerals, polymers and fibres — show interference colours that reveal structure, orientation and composition.
Yikmo builds transmitted and reflected polarizing microscopes with strain-free optics, a 360° rotating stage with vernier, a rotating analyzer and a Bertrand lens for conoscopic observation.
Orthoscopic single polarization: the analyzer is out. You see pleochroism, relief and surface texture — useful for identifying opaque minerals and checking fibre orientation.
Orthoscopic crossed polarization: both polarizers in, usually at 90°. Anisotropic material shows interference colours; the stage is rotated to measure extinction angles and to identify the optic character of grains.
Conoscopic observation: the Bertrand lens is inserted and the objective aperture is fully open, producing a interference figure in the back focal plane. This is how optic sign, 2V and uniaxial/biaxial character are determined.
| Strain-free optics | Essential. Normal objectives induce birefringence that appears as a cross in the interference figure; strain-free objectives avoid this. |
|---|---|
| Rotating stage | A 360° stage with 1° graduations and a locking screw lets you measure extinction angles directly. |
| Analyzer | A 360° rotating analyzer with fine graduations is needed for quantitative work; a fixed 90° analyzer is enough for qualitative screening. |
| Compensators | A λ plate, λ/4 plate and quartz wedge let you measure retardation and determine optic sign. |
| Illumination | Transmitted light for thin sections and films; reflected light for polished opaque minerals and metals. |
Polarized light uses two filters to reveal anisotropic structure through interference colours. Darkfield blocks direct light and shows only scattered light, revealing edges and particles. They answer different questions.
For identification and measurement, yes. A fixed stage limits you to qualitative observation; a 360° graduated stage allows extinction angle measurement and conoscopic work.
Reflected-light polarizing microscopes are used for opaque minerals, coatings and anisotropic metals. For general metallography, brightfield and darkfield are more common.
Send us the material and what you need to measure. We reply within one business day with a specification and quotation.
