Axioskop 2 plus OPERATIONAxioskop 2 mot plus Illumination and contrasting techniques Carl ZeissB 40-075 e 02/01 3-37• Bring SENARMONT polarizer (3-26/7c), consisting of carrier with λ/4 plate (above) and rotary polarizer(below), in click-stop position below the condenser, unless polarization filters are integrated.• Set luminous-field diaphragm and aperture diaphragm (3-26/8) in accordance with the KÖHLER rules.• Use knurled screw (3-26/5) on the DIC slider (3-26/4) to set optimum contrast. When the DIC slider ismoved symmetrically around its center position, specimen details can be imaged in such a way thatthey appear in three dimensions.• In SENARMONT DIC, the optimum contrast is set by turning the polarizer via the lever in the lowerpart of the SENARMONT polarizer (3-26/7c). The λ/4-plate above it must always be switched on forSENARMONT contrasting to function. If the DIC slider was moved to the center position before, therewill be darkness in the stop position of the SENARMONT-polarizer, i.e. the path difference amounts to0 nm in this position.• If required, the compensator λ (3-26/6) can be inserted in the compartment for compensators abovethe nosepiece to produce colored DIC contrast.☞ Because of its use of polarized light, the DIC-technique is impaired if birefringent components,e.g. foils sometimes used with histological sections, are positioned between polarizer andanalyzer. The same applies to Plexiglas culture chambers if the chamber is made of plastic. Insuch cases, it is recommended to use chambers with glass bottoms to avoid the loss of opticalperformance.
