Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM)

Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) is an imaging technique that uses polarized light to examine materials, especially those that are transparent or semi-transparent. In PLM, specialized filters polarize the light before it passes through the sample. This process enhances contrast and reveals details about the sample's structure, such as internal features, crystal formations, or fiber orientations. It's commonly used in geology to identify minerals, in materials science, and in pathology to analyze tissue samples. By revealing features invisible to standard microscopes, PLM provides valuable information about the sample's composition and properties.