A simple miniature epi-illuminator to integrate four advanced light microscopy techniques

PI: Richard Berry

Department: Physics

Dr Berry’s group has developed (patent pending) a light microscopy technology, which is based on a simple optical design and enables integration and miniaturization of four powerful advanced techniques in a low-cost attachment. Of these four, epi-fluorescence, interference reflection contrast and dark field surface reflection have limited availability to non-specialist users due to their high costs, while back-scattering dark field is not available commercially and requires custom modifications of existing commercial microscopes.

Only one modular device is needed to add all these techniques to a standard microscope. The aim is to substantially improve and refine the design of the prototype to make it usable on any commercial microscope, and then develop a portable low-cost near-market version of the device for non-specialist users. It is expected that the technology will expand availability of these techniques to a broad audience, including among others public health and educational sector and budget-tight organisations.