A low-cost confocal microscope for the undergraduate lab

Abstract

We demonstrate a simple and cost-efficient scanning confocal microscope setup for use in advanced instructional physics laboratories. The setup is constructed from readily available commercial products, and the implementation of a 3D-printed flexure stage allows for further cost reduction and pedagogical opportunity. Experiments exploring the thickness of a microscope slide and the surface of solid objects with height variation are presented as foundational components of undergraduate laboratory projects, and demonstrate the capabilities of a confocal microscope. This system allows observation of key components of a confocal microscope, including depth perception and data acquisition via transverse scanning, making it an excellent pedagogical resource.

References in corpus (3)

• A one-piece 3D printed flexure translation stage for open-source microscopy
• The OpenFlexure Block Stage: Sub-100 nm fibre alignment with a monolithic plastic flexure stage
• 3D Printing an External Cavity Diode Laser Housing