Interference microscopy recording

The phase measurement interference microscopy (PMIM) is mainly used for surface analysis. A resolution depth of 0.6 nm can be achieved, whereas the lateral resolution is only in the range of about 1 ftm [White et al., 1990]. A laser beam in the microscope is reflected from the sample surface and simultaneously from a semitransparent smooth reference surface [Stamm, 1992]. The interference pattern is recorded which can be converted into a contour map of the sample surface, e.g., to determine the root-mean-square roughness of materials. 

Finally, one has to mention that interference microscopy is only able to record relative changes in sorbate concentration. Hence, the joint application of interference and IR microscopy turns out to be indispensable for the determination of the absolute loadings under which the experiments are performed. 

Fig. 39 The mean concentration integrals I recorded by FTIR (diamonds) and interference microscopy (points) along the y direction for x values between 35 and 55 xm x, y, and z are the crystallographic directions...

Fig. 45 Comparison of the transient concentration profiles during methanol uptake by the MOF-type crystal as recorded by interference microscopy (symbols) with the corresponding profiles recalculated from the measured diffusivities with surface permeabilities (full line in Fig. 44) which lead to the best fit to the experimental points...

Principle Optical Coherent Microscopy, using femtocorrelated infrared radiation and interference recording of near-infrared light backscattered from the tissue, allows us to see the internal structure in biological objects with high resolution. 

More advanced (and expensive) microscopy techniques are differential interference contrast microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. The latter can provide precise optical sectioning so that three-dimensional images of stmctures can be recorded. 

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