CNOPTEC BK-PH Upright Phase Contrast Microscope

Overview

The CNOPTEC BK-PH is an upright phase contrast microscope engineered for routine clinical diagnostics, undergraduate and graduate life science education, and mid-tier research laboratories requiring reliable, high-fidelity contrast enhancement of unstained, transparent biological specimens. It operates on the principle of optical path difference modulation—leveraging annular illumination and matched phase rings in the objective to convert subtle refractive index gradients into visible intensity contrast without chemical fixation or staining. Its OTICS infinity-corrected achromatic optical architecture ensures consistent chromatic and spherical aberration correction across the full magnification range (40×–1600×), delivering high-resolution, low-distortion imaging essential for morphological assessment of live cells, tissue sections, and microorganisms.

Key Features

• Infinity-corrected optical pathway with plan achromat objectives (2.5×, 4×, 10×, 20×S, 40×S, 60×S, 100×S/O, 100×S/W), enabling modular expansion and compatibility with auxiliary modules including fluorescence, darkfield, and polarization.
• Hinged trinocular observation head (30° inclination, interpupillary range 48–76 mm) with dual-mode beam splitting: selectable 100% visual observation or 20% viewing / 80% imaging output—optimized for simultaneous real-time microscopy and digital documentation.
• Inclined five-position internal-stop nosepiece with precise mechanical indexing—designed to minimize parfocal drift and maintain alignment during objective switching.
• Wire-driven mechanical stage featuring non-protruding X-axis travel and dual-slide clamping—enhancing operator safety and specimen stability during extended observation or time-lapse workflows.
• Swing-out condenser (N.A. 0.9/0.13) with centerable iris diaphragm and dedicated phase annulus turret supporting 10×, 20×, 40×, and 100× phase objectives—ensuring optimal Köhler illumination and annulus-objective matching for quantitative phase contrast fidelity.
• Universal-voltage halogen illumination (6 V / 30 W, 100–240 V AC input) with adjustable field diaphragm and built-in heat-absorbing filter—providing stable, color-temperature-consistent illumination for prolonged use in teaching labs and clinical settings.

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

The BK-PH accommodates standard 1″ × 3″ glass slides and 24 mm × 50 mm coverslips, supporting both wet-mount and sealed chamber preparations. Its phase contrast configuration is validated for routine examination of erythrocytes, leukocytes, protozoa, bacterial suspensions, and cultured mammalian cells—including adherent monolayers and suspension cultures. While not certified for GMP-regulated production environments, the system meets ISO 10934-1 (Microscopes — Nomenclature of Components) and complies with IEC 61000-6-3 (EMC Emission Standards) and IEC 61000-6-2 (Immunity Requirements). Its modular design allows integration into GLP-aligned workflows when paired with audit-trail-capable imaging software and calibrated reference standards.

Software & Data Management

The BK-PH interfaces seamlessly with third-party imaging platforms via standard C-mount adapters (1× or 0.5× reduction optics). Compatible digital solutions include CNOPTEC’s proprietary ImageCapture Pro (v4.x), which supports time-stamped acquisition, multi-channel overlay (brightfield + phase + optional fluorescence), region-of-interest measurement (area, perimeter, mean intensity), and export to TIFF, JPEG2000, and OME-TIFF formats. When deployed with FDA 21 CFR Part 11-compliant software (e.g., NIS-Elements AR or ZEN Blue), the system supports electronic signatures, user access control, and immutable audit trails—enabling traceability in academic publishing, regulatory submissions, and quality control documentation.

Applications

• Clinical hematology: Rapid identification and morphological classification of blood cells in peripheral smears without staining artifacts.
• Microbiology education: Real-time observation of motile bacteria (e.g., Proteus, Vibrio) and protozoan locomotion in wet mounts.
• Cell culture QC: Assessment of confluency, viability (via phase halo integrity), and contamination (e.g., fungal hyphae, mycoplasma-like bodies) in CO₂ incubator-maintained flasks and dishes.
• Developmental biology: Time-lapse monitoring of zebrafish embryo cleavage stages, nematode embryogenesis, and plant root tip mitosis under ambient conditions.
• Pharmaceutical screening: Evaluation of compound-induced cytoplasmic vacuolization, nuclear condensation, or membrane blebbing in immortalized cell lines.

FAQ

Does the BK-PH support oil immersion with phase contrast objectives?
Yes—the 100× S/O (oil immersion) and 100× S/W (water immersion) phase objectives are fully compatible with the five-position phase turret and optimized for high-N.A. phase contrast imaging of subcellular structures.
Can the halogen illumination be replaced with LED?
While the base system uses a 6 V / 30 W halogen lamp, CNOPTEC offers an optional LED illumination upgrade kit (model LED-BK-6000) delivering 5,000 K CCT, >90 CRI, and 50,000-hour lifetime—with native integration into the existing power management and field diaphragm controls.
Is the BK-PH suitable for quantitative phase imaging (QPI)?
No—the BK-PH implements classical Zernike phase contrast, not digital holographic or differential interference contrast (DIC) methods required for absolute optical path difference quantification. It is intended for qualitative and semi-quantitative morphological analysis.
What is the maximum working distance for the phase objectives?
The 10× and 20× phase objectives feature working distances of 6.5 mm and 3.2 mm respectively; the 40× phase objective provides 0.6 mm WD, and the 100× oil-immersion phase objective offers 0.13 mm WD.
Are calibration certificates available for the BK-PH?
CNOPTEC provides factory calibration reports for mechanical stage linearity, focus repeatability (±0.5 µm over 100 µm travel), and objective parfocality (≤0.02 mm deviation across all positions)—traceable to NIST-certified reference standards upon request.