A NEW BREWSTER-ANGLE MICROSCOPE

We present a new Brewster angle microscope for the study of very thin layers as thin as monolayers, using a custom-made objective, This obje ctive avoids the drawbacks of the models existing at the present time, Its optical axis is perpendicular to the studied layer and consequent ly gives an image in focus in all the plane contrary to the existing m odels which give images in focus along a narrow strip. The objective a llows one to obtain images with a good resolution (less than 1 mu m) w ithout scanning the surface, at the video frequency, allowing for dyna mic studies. A large frontal distance associated with a very large ape rture is obtained by using a large lens at the entrance of the objecti ve. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.