| The utility of infrared (IR) microscopy for the chemical identification of small particles has lead to its widespread use over the past two decades. The recent addition of imaging detectors to IR microscopes has opened up many more applications of the technique.
As its name implies, IR microscopy is a fusion of IR spectroscopy and optical microscopy. In order to fully interpret the data that such microscopes provide, the user must understand not only the spectroscopic aspects, but also the optical performance of the system. For instance, two resolutions have to be considered - spectral and spatial.
Whereas spectral resolution is well known to most spectroscopists, spatial resolution is a critical parameter in defining the performance of any microscope. The ultimate spatial resolution of any microscope is limited by diffraction.
AN50717 describes the diffraction limit and the roles played by instrument components in determining the spatial resolution of an IR microscope. |
0 Items 