Bright-field microscopy (BF) is the simplest of all the
optical microscopyillumination techniques. Sample illumination is transmitted (i.e., illuminated from below and observed from above)
white light, and contrast in the sample is caused by
attenuation of the transmitted light in dense areas of the sample. Bright-field microscopy is the simplest of a range of techniques used for illumination of samples in light microscopes, and its simplicity makes it a popular technique. The typical appearance of a bright-field microscopy image is a dark sample on a bright background, hence the name.
The light path of a bright-field microscope is extremely simple, no additional components are required beyond the normal light-microscope setup. The light path therefore consists of:
a transillumination light source, commonly a
halogen lamp in the microscope stand;
a
condenser lens, which focuses light from the light source onto the sample;
an
objective lens, which collects light from the sample and magnifies the image;
Bright-field microscopy typically has low
contrast with most biological samples, as few absorb light to a great extent.
Staining is often required to increase contrast, which prevents use on live cells in many situations. Bright-field illumination is useful for samples that have an intrinsic color, for example mitochondria found in cells.
Comparison of transillumination techniques used to generate contrast in a sample of
tissue paper (1.559 μm/pixel)
Bright-field illumination, sample contrast comes from
absorbance of light in the sample
The practical limit to magnification with a light microscope is around 1300X. Although higher magnifications are possible, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain image clarity as the magnification increases;[2]
Low apparent
optical resolution due to the blur of out-of-focus material;
Samples that are naturally colorless and transparent cannot be seen well, e.g. many types of mammalian cells. These samples often have to be stained before viewing. Samples that do have their own color can be seen without preparation, e.g. the observation of
cytoplasmic streaming in
Chara cells.
Enhancements
Reducing or increasing the amount of the light source by the
iris diaphragm.
Use of an
oil-immersion objective lens and a special immersion oil placed on a glass cover over the specimen. Immersion oil has the same
refraction as glass and improves the resolution of the observed specimen.
Use of sample-staining methods for use in
microbiology, such as simple stains (
methylene blue,
safranin,
crystal violet) and differential stains (negative stains, flagellar stains, endospore stains).
Use of a colored (usually blue) or polarizing
filter on the light source to highlight features not visible under white light. The use of filters is especially useful with
mineral samples.