| The white light beam (10) passes through a linear polarizer (9) to produce a linear polarized light that is reflected by the Surf (1) which supports the sample (4). Only the sample induces a change of the polarization state. The reflected beams pass through an analyzer (12) crossed with the polarizer : the light coming from the Surf is stopped whereas the light coming from the sample passes through.
Very high contrast images are obtained and allow the direct observation of nanometric thickness films or nanometric diameter objects.
Sarfus gives also impressive results in reflected light DIC (8) Microscopy.
1- Optical polarizing microscope 2- Surf 3- Incident medium 4- Nanometric sample 5- Δθ0 6- θ0 7- Objective 8- Differential Interference contrast device 9- Polarizer 10- Non-polarized white light beam 11- Mirror 12- Crossed polarizer = analyzer |