Analyzer

Description

An optical device that contains a polarizing element. In a microscope, an analyzer is used as the second polarizing element. When the two polarizers are at right angles, or crossed, the background is black and only the anisotropic portions of the specimen are visible.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Analysator (Deut.); analyseur (Fr.);

Resources and Citations

• ASTM, Standard Terminology of Microscopy, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Section 14, General Methods and Instrumentation, ASTM, E175, 75-78, May 1982

• Walter C. McCrone, John Gustave Delly, The Particle Atlas, W. McCrone Associates, Chicago, IV, 1972