Microscope Slides
Petrographic and microscope slides, cover glass, and slide storage for thin-section preparation and microscopy. Our slides are precision-made in the USA from premium Swiss glass and held to tight dimensional and optical tolerances, suited to polarized light microscopy, reflected-light ore microscopy, and general materials analysis. Used across geology, petrography, materials science, semiconductor, and related professional fields.
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Petrographic slides | 27 mm × 46 mm and 2 inch × 3 inch formats; Swiss glass, made in USA; ground and polished flat, free of striations, bubbles, and stress birefringence. |
| Cover glass | Colorless borosilicate, No. 1.5 (0.16–0.19 mm), the thickness for which high-NA objectives are corrected. |
| Storage boxes | Hold 25 slides in individual numbered slots for archival storage. |
Why Precision Slides Matter
A petrographic thin section is ground to a standard 30 micrometers, the thickness at which most rock-forming silicate minerals show their characteristic interference colors under crossed polars. At the working magnifications of petrographic microscopy, thickness variation and optical inhomogeneity in the slide itself introduce parallax and birefringence artifacts that can be mistaken for features of the specimen. Standard laboratory slides, with looser tolerances and no optical-homogeneity control, should not be substituted for petrographic slides in quantitative polarized light work.
Choosing Cover Glass Thickness
Use No. 1.5 borosilicate cover glass (0.16–0.19 mm) for petrographic and high-magnification work, because high-numerical-aperture objectives (40×, 63×, 100×) are optically corrected for that thickness. Thinner (No. 1) or thicker (No. 2) cover glass introduces spherical aberration that reduces resolution and distorts interference colors under crossed polarizers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard size and thickness of a petrographic thin section?
The slide is 27 mm × 46 mm (ISO/European) or 2 inch × 3 inch (American), and the section itself is ground to a standard 30 micrometers. That thickness is the point at which most silicate minerals display their diagnostic interference colors under crossed polarized light, which is why it is held so consistently.
What is the difference between a petrographic slide and a standard microscope slide?
Petrographic slides are made from optically homogeneous glass to tight thickness tolerance and are free of striations, bubbles, and stress birefringence. Standard laboratory slides have looser tolerances and are not tested for optical homogeneity, so they introduce birefringence artifacts and cannot be substituted in quantitative polarized light analysis.
What cover glass thickness should I use?
Use No. 1.5 borosilicate cover glass (0.16–0.19 mm) for petrographic and high-magnification work, because high-NA objectives are corrected for that thickness. Thinner or thicker cover glass introduces spherical aberration that reduces resolution and distorts interference colors at high magnification.
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