A 0.2 msec Xenon Strobe Lamp for Flash-Photomicrography

Abstract

As an illuminant for photomicrography Electronic flash has much to offer and is becoming increasingly popular in this field due to its many advantages over thermal type sources. A few commerically available flash-sources are available for this work but are, in general, restricted for use with a given microscope and are of limited application. The unit described is designed to provide for a wide range of work with any free standing microscope and can offer a choice of outputs according to the nature of the task in hand. Whereas most designs incorporate a secondary, thermal, source for lining-up and observation this has not been necessary here due to the employment of a strobe tube providing a 50Hz flicker free continuum which, on command, can be instantly switched to provide a high energy flash for exposure. Apart from the well known advantages such as daylight spectral quality (c.6000°K) and a comparative freedom from heat, the short duration exposure (0.2ms) is highly suitable for arresting motile specimens such as protozoa. Free from such problems as thermal inertia and excessive heat the unit described is ideal for time-lapse Kine recording and its use can be further extended to include flash-fluorescence photomicrography due to the high Ultra-Violet emission from the quartz envelope of the lamp.