Often understated, but essential to virtually all analysis. The use of visible light is usually how problems or features of interest are initially found, and is usually when the course of action for analysis is determined.

The magnification range is large:

• Areas the size of a room to a building (naked eye).
• Macroscopy (1X to 10X range)
• Stereo Microscopy (10X to 50X)
• Microscopy (>50X up to ~2000X)

Illumination Variability:

• Bright Field (incident illumination)
• Dark Field (oblique illumination)
• Polarized light
• Nomarski Interference

Applications: Applications of Optical Microscopy include:

• Incoming inspection and sample review
• Documentation in color over a wide magnification range
• Metallurgical microstructure examination
• Semiconductor die inspection
• Fractography