UV spectroscopic microscopy

Summary form only received as follows: Electronic imaging is a pervasive technology which when combined with microspectroscopic techniques offers a vast range of possibilities for microanalytical imaging. The primary detector technology for scientific imaging is the CCD. CCDs can be coupled to photons from X-ray to near infrared as well as other forms of radiation. The electronic image produced by the CCD is available for visualisation, interpretation and analysis by computer and it is in this form that one can begin to question the chemical structure of microscopic specimens. The author has developed a broadband (UV-Vis), achromatic, spectroscopic microscope which can be used to study the microstructure of a wide range of specimens in a chemically specific manner. The instrument system is described in broad outline. However, the the author´s primary goal is to illustrate how spectrally-resolved transmission and reflectance images can be utilised to identify chemical species in microscopic specimens. This is illustrated in various emulsion specimens and the discussion considers the use of the technique with biological material. Because the technique can be used with specificity, one can probe for individual structures and study kinetic processes