CRi CRi

Skip to content

Abrio™ FAQs

For Abrio IM & LS:

  • What does the system measure?

    The system quantifies retardance and slow-axis orientation of birefringent structures. These two parameters can be interpreted as structural density and orientation, respectively. The Abrio and Oosight systems are truly unique in their ability to measure molecular order.

  • What is birefringence?

    The phenomenon of double refraction of light wavefronts in a transparent, molecularly ordered material produced by the existence or orientation-dependent differences in refractive index. The term birefringence also commonly refers to the refractive index difference experienced by a transmitted wave through such a material. Wavefronts of light incident on a birefringent specimen are split into ordinary (no) and extraordinary (ne) components that can recombine after emergence from the specimen to produce linearly, elliptically, or circularly polarized light. The rays usually propagate in different directions and will have different speeds

  • What is retardance?

    Retardance is the relative phase shift between two wavefronts, usually expressed in fractions of a wavelength. Retardation between wavefronts is critical to the introduction of specimen contrast in polarized light imaging. This difference is represented as the product of the birefringence magnitude and the thickness of a sample (?n (ne - no) *t). In Abrio, it is reported in nanometers (nm).

  • When imaging cells, do I need to prepare them in a special manner?

    Sample preparation is always critical to achieving good images, so we recommend that the samples be free from debris and if adherent cells, they should be fully attached to their respective surface. Otherwise, the system does not require the use of any special dyes or labels. Also, an area large enough to span the field-of-view should be left clear and free of sample for proper background imaging.

  • Is resolution affected by the system?

    Spatial resolution is not affected. Abrio optics are diffraction limited.

  • What microscope models does the system fit to?

    The system can be integrated to fit most research-grade microscopes that have 100W illumination, including:

    • Leica:
      DMI-IRB, DMI-IRE, DMI-x000 series, Upright models subject to configuration
    • Nikon:
      Diaphot, Diaphot TMD, Diaphot 200/300, TE-200/300, TE2000, Eclipse Ti, Eclipse 400, 600 and 800
    • Olympus:
      IX-series, BX-series
    • Zeiss:
      Axiovert 100/135, Axiovert 200, AxioObserver series, Axioplan-2

  • Do I need special objectives or condenser?

    DIC, Plan Fluor or brightfield optics work fine. It is advised to use strain-free optics whenever possible. Also, if possible, avoid the use of phase or apochromatic lenses. For upright microscopes, Pol objectives work best.

  • Can I use my own camera or software package?

    This is not feasible. The camera is uniquely integrated with the system's electronics and controlling software.

  • Can I use my own computer?

    As long as the computer meets CRi's minimum specifications. Contact CRi for additional details.

  • Can I take fluorescence images with the system?

    The high-resolution, cooled CCD camera that comes standard with the Abrio systems has been specified for fluorescence microscopy.

For Abrio IM:

  • How does birefringence relate to stress?

    Birefringence in transparent materials can be used to calculate mechanical stress. The equation is such that s=R/(t C) where s is stress in kg/mm2, R is retardance in nm, t is thickness in cm. This conversion to mechanical stress is valid if we can assume uniform stress along the light path.

  • Can I image large samples?

    CRi has developed a macro setup for imaging larger samples, with an image field size of 40x30mm. Contact CRi for additional details.