Monday, July 28, 2008

In light microscopy, oil immersion is a technique used to increase the resolution of a microscope. This can be accomplished by submerging the objective lens and the specimen in a transparent oil of high refractive index, increasing the numerical orifice of the objective lens. Immersion Oils are transparent oils that will have a high viscosity. Immersion oil has been created so that its refractive index is identical to that of glass. When light passes from a material of one refractive index to material of another , as from glass to air or from air to glass, it bends. Light at different wavelengths bends at different angles, so that the objects are magnified and the images become less noticeable.