Miracles under reflected light illumination: How does the metallographic microscope reshape microscopic observation?- Trojan (Suzhou) material technology Co., Ltd.

Miracles under reflected light illumination: How does the metallographic microscope reshape microscopic observation?

09-01-2025

The key to the metallographic microscope's ability to stand out among many microscopic observation tools lies in its unique reflected light illumination method. This design abandons the traditional transmitted light illumination mode and instead uses the method of light entering the vertical illuminator through a condenser lens, and then irradiating the sample at a 45-degree angle after being adjusted by the aperture diaphragm and the field diaphragm. This innovation not only simplifies the observation process, but also achieves a qualitative leap in observation effect.

The reflected light illumination method ensures the uniform distribution of light on the entire sample surface. Under traditional transmitted light illumination, the light needs to penetrate the sample, so factors such as the thickness and density of the sample will affect the propagation of light, resulting in uneven brightness of the image. Under the reflected light illumination method, the light is only reflected on the sample surface, avoiding the uneven distribution of light caused by internal factors of the sample. This design makes the observed image highly consistent in brightness, providing a more reliable basis for subsequent image analysis and processing.

The obliquely illuminated light can penetrate the sample more deeply, allowing the microscopic structure inside the sample to be more clearly displayed. Under traditional transmitted light illumination, since the light needs to penetrate the entire sample, when the sample is thick or the internal structure is complex, the light will be greatly attenuated and scattered during the propagation process, resulting in blurred images. In the reflected light illumination mode, the light is irradiated on the sample at a 45-degree angle. The choice of this angle not only reduces the reflection and scattering of the light on the sample surface, but also allows the light to form a certain penetration depth inside the sample, thereby revealing a more detailed and real microstructure.

The ingenious design of the reflected light illumination mode has brought significant improvements in the observation effect of the metallographic microscope. This is not only reflected in the uniformity of image brightness, but also in the image clarity, contrast and resolution.

In terms of brightness, the reflected light illumination mode ensures the uniform distribution of light on the entire sample surface, avoiding the uneven brightness of the image caused by uneven light distribution. This design makes the observed image highly consistent in brightness, providing a more reliable basis for subsequent image analysis and processing. Due to the high reflection efficiency of light on the sample surface, the metallographic microscope can also perform well when observing darker or more reflective samples.

In terms of clarity, the obliquely illuminated light can penetrate the sample more deeply, revealing a more detailed and realistic microstructure. This design gives the metallographic microscope a significant advantage in observing samples with complex internal structures. For example, in the metallographic analysis of metal materials, the metallographic microscope can clearly observe the morphology, size and distribution of grains, providing an important basis for the evaluation of material properties and the optimization of process parameters.

In terms of contrast and resolution, the reflected light illumination method also performs well. Due to the high reflection efficiency of light on the sample surface, the metallographic microscope can also show a high contrast when observing samples with slight structural differences. Due to the moderate penetration depth of light inside the sample, the metallographic microscope can also maintain a high resolution when observing thicker samples.

With its unique reflected light illumination method and significant improvement in observation effect, the metallographic microscope has shown broad application prospects in the fields of materials science and industrial testing.

In the field of materials science, metallographic microscopes are widely used in metallographic analysis of metal materials, microstructure observation of non-metallic materials, and interface research of composite materials. By observing the microstructural characteristics of materials, scientists can gain a deep understanding of the mechanism by which factors such as material performance, composition, and preparation process affect material performance, providing an important basis for the development of new materials and the optimization of the performance of existing materials.

In the field of industrial testing, metallographic microscopes are used to detect microscopic defects such as defects, inclusions, and non-metallic inclusions in metal materials. These defects often have an important impact on the performance and service life of materials. Through observation and analysis with metallographic microscopes, engineers can promptly discover and repair these defects to ensure the quality and reliability of products. In addition, metallographic microscopes are also used to evaluate the heat treatment effects, welding quality, and corrosion performance of metal materials, providing strong support for the optimization and improvement of industrial production.