1. Light Sources: The choice of light source, whether it's a laser, LED, or incandescent lamp, depends on the application. Lasers are preferred for their coherence and monochromatic properties, while LEDs are used for their stability and longer lifespan.
2. Lenses and Mirrors: These elements are used to focus or direct light onto the sample. Objectives in microscopes, for example, are specially designed lenses that provide high magnification and resolution.
3. Detectors: Common detectors include photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), charge-coupled devices (CCDs), and complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. These detectors convert light into electrical signals for analysis.
4. Filters and Dichroic Mirrors: Filters are used to select specific wavelengths of light, while dichroic mirrors can reflect one wavelength and transmit another, which is crucial in fluorescence microscopy.
