While using a microscope, light is crucial. It is impossible to examine a specimen if there is no light to see it. Over the years, microscope manufacturing companies have improved their lighting techniques. Kohler Illumination is the newest lighting technique that microscopes now use. The question is, what is it exactly?
Kohler Illumination is a method of lighting a specimen that ensures the light sources will not be seen in the reflection of the equipment. This creates optimal lighting for viewing a specimen. It is the most popular method and it is the most commonly used in the industry.
Why was this method of illumination created? Let’s learn more about the fascinating backstory and development of Kohler Illumination.
The History and Creation of Kohler Illumination
Kohler Illumination was named after its creator, August Koehler (1866-1948), who had produced this new method in 1893 when he was 27 years old. Previous to his method, scientists were viewing their specimens with light that was provided through a complex setup of mirrors and gas lamps. Due to the poor lighting which was available for microscopes, scientists often got inconsistent readings and outcomes from experiments.
In 1893 the Journal of Scientific Microscopy and Microscopic Technique released an article which Kohler had written titled “A New System of Illumination for Photomicrographic Purposes”. In this article, Kohler had addressed some of the main problems which the previous method of illumination caused. “Auer gas lights” were the most commonly used technique of illumination before the Kohler Illumination Method.
The “Auer gas lights” were also named after their inventor, Carl Auer von Welsbach. He had also created the gas mantle, which was used for street lighting throughout Europe. Using this method of illumination on a microscope created a glare that could drastically affect the examination of the specimen and the overall conclusion of the experiment.
Kohler had expressed his thoughts on the Auer illumination method as being difficult. He then figured out a way to align and set up each component on the microscope so they are in relation to one another. Doing this makes the lighting more consistent.
A More Thorough Explanation of Kohler Illumination
Without proper lighting and illumination, it can be impossible to properly view and examine your specimen. Kohler knew how important this was and had created the method which most scientists now use while examining a specimen.
Some scientists still do not set their microscopes to these standards because they do not think that it is helpful enough or even worth the trouble. When you thoroughly understand what the Kohler method of illumination does and how you can use it, you will understand that it is worth the one minute of trouble it can take to adjust your microscope to those standards.
Setting up a microscope to the standards illustrated in the Kohler Illumination Method allows the viewer of the specimen to view the specimen more clearly. This is crucial to ensure consistency between different experiments and various examinations of specimens. Kohler had created this method to remove any inconsistencies that lighting and illumination may cause. Not being able to view a clear and well-lit specimen can make it impossible or extremely difficult to properly examine and determine what is happening.
If you don’t need to deal with glare or false reflections, you’ll have a much easier time seeing your specimen clearly.
When you set up your microscope to the standards of the Kohler Illumination Method, you also check the lighting mechanism on your microscope. So even if you do not adjust all the settings to fit the Kohler Method, you can be sure that your microscope is working properly before you begin your examination.
How to Set Up Your Own Microscope Using The Kohler Illumination Method
Setting up Kohler Illumination on your own microscope is actually a very quick thing to do. While the first time may take a little longer and be a little confusing, after you have set it up once, it will be easy to repeat the process each time you use a microscope.
Click the video below to watch a demonstration of how to set up Kohler Illumination on your microscope.
As you saw in the video, it’s important to put a slide on the microscope stage so you’re able to examine something to make sure you’re setting up your microscope properly. In setting up Kohler Illumination on your microscope, it’s important to be precise in your adjustments as this can affect the overall image you’ll see when you look through the microscope.
Also in the video, it is shown that you need to completely close the field iris at the bottom of the microscope and leave only a single point from which light can escape, and then you slowly open it up to be just barely outside of your field of view. It is interesting to note that Kohler Illumination doesn’t require much light, but rather a focused point of light. This helps the picture you see through the microscope to come out much more clear and focused, making it ideal for examination.
Why Kohler Illumination is Important
After you have learned how to set up a microscope using the Kohler Illumination Method, it should become second nature for you. Like buckling your seatbelt as soon as you get in a car, you should immediately set up a microscope to these standards. It only takes about a minute to set up and greatly enhances the visibility of your specimen.
When you have set up your microscope to fit the standards of the Kohler Illumination Method, you have a huge advantage over other microscopes which have not set up those same components. Your specimen will be more clearly illuminated and will remove any glare which other sources of illumination or lighting may cause.
When the Kohler Illumination Method is used, this method of illumination will produce a sharper image to examine and allow you to collect more usable imaging data from the specimens you are examining. This lighting method also increases the contrast between regions of tissue or areas of straining in your sections.
Setting up your microscope to fit the standards of Kohler Illumination is a must, especially if you are capturing images of your specimen. Your images will be clearer and easier to view in this format.