Optical Microscope Technology in Japan
Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2023 2:42 am
I recently stumbled upon a 2017 article others may find interesting or useful: https://sts.kahaku.go.jp/diversity/docu ... /101_e.pdf
The author (Nagano) covers four main topics:
1) An introduction to the fundamentals of microscope optics as background, going back to the earliest innovations and covering a lot of territory in relatively few pages. You'll find Snell's law, Abbe, various types of optical glasses, various types of aberrations described and so on. The author has an academic background in optics and worked in Olympus R&D.
2) A history of Japanese microscopes (prepared for a major exhibition) going back to the earliest days (what brought me to the article was a Google search trying to figure out which Japanese company made the "Eliza" phase contrast system).
3) The competitive aspects, covering especially the competition between German and Japanese makers after WWII and the competition between Tiyoda and especially Olympus and Nikon to near the present day. Nagano also served as secretary of the Japanese optical manufacturers society.
4) A chronology of microscope development (by model). You'll find the Nikon S-Ke was the first Kohler-equipped microscope made in Japan and then follow through to its latest infinity models. Similarly for Olympus from the early gray-bodied microscopes through the BH, CH, BH2, and a dozen or so BX infinity models.
The author (Nagano) covers four main topics:
1) An introduction to the fundamentals of microscope optics as background, going back to the earliest innovations and covering a lot of territory in relatively few pages. You'll find Snell's law, Abbe, various types of optical glasses, various types of aberrations described and so on. The author has an academic background in optics and worked in Olympus R&D.
2) A history of Japanese microscopes (prepared for a major exhibition) going back to the earliest days (what brought me to the article was a Google search trying to figure out which Japanese company made the "Eliza" phase contrast system).
3) The competitive aspects, covering especially the competition between German and Japanese makers after WWII and the competition between Tiyoda and especially Olympus and Nikon to near the present day. Nagano also served as secretary of the Japanese optical manufacturers society.
4) A chronology of microscope development (by model). You'll find the Nikon S-Ke was the first Kohler-equipped microscope made in Japan and then follow through to its latest infinity models. Similarly for Olympus from the early gray-bodied microscopes through the BH, CH, BH2, and a dozen or so BX infinity models.