Nov 21 2008
Olympus, a leader in research microcopy worldwide, now offers an important addition to its line of products for advanced fluorescence research imaging. Type-F Immersion Oil is designed to contribute very little background signal and subsequent noise during fluorescence excitation. The new immersion oil is of a higher viscosity than standard immersion oils, making it easier to use, especially for inverted and long- term time-lapse applications. Type-F oil has one-tenth the level of auto-fluorescence compared to standard oils, making it comparable to or better than other manufacturers' low auto-fluorescence oils, and without the typical noxious odors that some low auto-fluorescence oils have.
Auto-fluorescence in the ultraviolet (UV) range is especially problematic for immersion oils, optical elements and cements. Compared to other microscope manufacturers' low auto-fluorescence oils, Olympus Type-F oil has the least auto-fluorescence in the UV range. It is also equal to or better than comparable oils' performance under blue and green (visible light) excitation. The common artifacts of a hazy background and 'tube flare' are dramatically reduced with Type-F oil. It remains stable at 40oCelsius for up to two weeks and is excellent for time-lapse studies.
"With the dramatic increase in fluorescence microscopy applications over the past decade and the introduction of our UIS2 optical system, fluorescence performance is more important than ever," said Nicolas George, Group Marketing Manager – Light Microscopy. "Building on the demand for increased signal-to-noise ratios in fluorescence applications, we have designed an ultra-low auto-fluorescence oil that performs at the highest level, but without any of the odors or other performance issues of some low auto-fluorescence oils."
Type-F oil is manufactured to ultra-tight tolerances, and is ISO certified to be unwavering in performance over its lifespan. It is compatible with Olympus’ standard immersion oil, and does not present any special problems if mixed with the current oil.
Immersion oil is an essential element in most live cell microscopy applications. Light passing through a microscope system is refracted each time it passes through a medium with a different refractive index (from air to glass and back, for instance), and the quality of the image is diminished with each passage. By reducing the number of such refractive index shifts, the clarity, brilliance and resolving power of the system is preserved. Immersion oil is designed to fill the air space between the microscope objective and the specimen, and is formulated to have a refractive index equal to that of glass. Thus, there is minimal refraction of light when it passes from the specimen to the microscope objective and vice versa.