Cleaning, Handling, and Orientation
Cleaning and Handling
Handle coated pieces by the edges only. Clean gently only if necessary. Loose particles should be removed with a bulb puffer or filtered, pressurized air cleaner. If necessary, gently wipe surface using anhydrous alcohol and lint-free lab towels. Use new surface of towel with each wipe.
- AVOID TOUCHING OR WIPING A/R COATED OR METAL MIRROR SURFACES
- AVOID HANDLING EXPOSED COATINGS WITH BARE FINGERS
Orientation Instructions
Proper orientation of the filter is necessary in order to minimize autofluorescence and maximize performance. There is a caret (arrow) located on the edge of each filter in order to aid orientation. Excitation (x) filters should be positioned with the arrow pointing toward the specimen, toward the inside of the cube, and away from the light source. Emission (m) filters should be placed with the arrow pointing toward the specimen, toward the inside of the cube, and away from the detector/eye. Dichroic mirrors should be mounted with the coated surface toward the light source, excitation filters, and the specimen. The dichroics either have an arrow on the side pointing to the coated side, or they are beveled on the coated side. The beveled side is the smaller surface.
Orientation Instructions for Transpolychroics
Proper orientation of the filter is necessary in order to minimize autofluorescence and maximize performance. There is a caret (arrow) located on the edge of each filter in order to aid orientation. Excitation (x) filters should be positioned with the arrow pointing toward the specimen, toward the inside of the cube, and away from the light source. Emission (m) filters should be placed with the arrow pointing toward the specimen, toward the inside of the cube, and away from the detector/eye. Transmitting mirrors/polychroics, such as Yokogawa and others, are mounted opposite those for all other equipment. These mirrors should be mounted with the coated surface toward the sample and detector. The Trans PC have an arrow pointing toward the coated side.
