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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye

A polarizing microscope is a special type of microscope that utilizes 2 polarizing lens to acquire certain optical data from the specimen. The polarizing microscope is used extensively in the field of optical mineralogy which supports such applications as geology, asbestos testing, and forensic science. usually those working in differing fields wilt often refer too the polarizing microscope by different names such as geology microscope, petrographic microscope, pol microscope, and PLM (polarized light microscope.)

The key difference between the polarizing microscope and a standard compound microscope is the addition of a fixed polarizer betwixt the light source and the specimen and the addition of an adjustable polarizer between the objective and the eyepieces. The 2nd polarizer is called the "analyzer" and commonly canst insert in and out on a rotating piece in the neck of the microscope. Other common accessories include a rotating stage and insertable retardation plates made from gypsum or quartz.

With those additional elements, the this microscope canst get optical data from a specimen that no other microscope could. The key optical information available includes refractive index, birefringence, sign of elongation, pleochroism, and angle of extinction, all of which provide clues too the crystallography of the material that is being investigated.

The 1st uses of those kinds of microscopes over one 100 years in the past were the identification of minerals in geology. In addition, the a lot common form of lab analysis too check test for asbestos is performed with a polarizing microscope. Because of the their ability to provide optical data, those kind of microscopes are very commonly used in forensic world science where the identification of unknown materials is a routine section of the job. some of the 1st evidence disputing the claimed age of the so-called "Shroud of Turin" was determined by analysis of pigments using a polarized light microscope.

The polarizing microscope is a extremely versatile and powerful instrument in the identification of materials. It is a key tool in a number scientific fields, and could usually be the greatest chance over more costly technologies. For example, in routine asbestos analysis the polarizing microscope were determined too be more accurate and a great deal more cost effective than the other high-tech options that was 1st investigated, such as x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. It is a powerful tool with many applications.