What serves as the energy source for fluorescence microscopes?

Fluorescence microscopes primarily utilize a mercury vapor lamp as their energy source due to its ability to produce intense and specific wavelengths of light, which are essential for exciting fluorescent dyes or labels in biological samples. The mercury vapor lamp emits a broad spectrum of ultraviolet (UV) light in addition to visible light. This UV light is particularly effective for exciting fluorophores, which then emit light at longer wavelengths as they return to their ground state after being excited.

While other light sources like incandescent bulbs, xenon flash lamps, and LED lights can also be used in some fluorescence microscopy applications, the mercury vapor lamp is the traditional and widely preferred source for standard fluorescence microscopy due to its high intensity and efficiency in producing the appropriate excitation wavelengths. Additionally, the characteristics of the light emitted from a mercury vapor lamp are suitable for many common fluorescent stains and markers, which makes it an integral part of most fluorescence microscopy setups.

LED lights, although more energy-efficient and increasingly popular in modern applications, were not the traditional standard for fluorescence microscopy and may have limitations in certain scenarios compared to the powerful output of a mercury vapor lamp.