The Open University

Mae-Wan Ho

Michael J Lawrence

In the establishment of interference colors in weakly birefringent materials within living organisms, in fixed tissues or in preparations of liquid crystals, a compensating birefringent plate is positioned in series with the object in the direction of the light path between a crossed polarizer and analyzer in a polarizing microscope, and is aligned with the vibrational direction of its slow wave at a small angle of horizontal rotation from the vibrational direction of the polarizer or of the analyzer. The small angle of rotation is between 2.degree. and 15.degree., more especially 4.degree. and 7.5.degree.. The chromatic response (color intensity) is enhanced and increased color contrast is obtained for all live organisms, freshly fixed sections, and liquid crystal preparations.

Growing community of inventors

London, United Kingdom

Mae-Wan Ho