Image Processing Laboratory
The Image Processing Laboratory serves our teaching and research programs as a
digital dark-room, an optical microscopy facility and our presentation media laboratory.
Other uses are as a site for specialized materials science software which can be used in
research and teaching and, when this laboratory is not being used for one of these
purposes, it can used as a general purpose computer laboratory.
This laboratory is equipped with workstations and microcomputers which are configured for demanding image analysis/editing applications, a color and a gray scale scanner, removable media drives, a laser printer and a high-quality photo-realistic color dye-sublimation printer. A more detailed description of this equipment follows.
Computers
The computers in the image processing laboratory are intended to be used
primarily for image analysis and manipulation. All of the Macintosh computers are also
capable of capturing images from CCD cameras, VCRs and scanners and all of the computers
include 4MB VRAM video boards, quality 17-inch monitors, 96+ MB of RAM and hard drives
with 1 or more GB capacity. All of these computers are connected to the network and
provide access to campus and departmental e-mail, telnet and ftp servers, the Internet and
the World Wide Web. A brief description of each computer is given below.
Silicon Graphics Indigo˛ XZ
Hardware: MIPS 50/75 MHz R4400SC 64-bit RISC processor, 128 MB RAM, two 2 GB
SCSI-2 hard drives, a 20 MB floptical drive, an external CD-ROM, 24-bit color with
1280x1024 resolution, 20-inch color monitor
Software: Irix (UNIX) operating system including X Windows/Motif and the complete SGI software library (C, Pascal, FORTRAN, etc.). Other utilities and applications are Impresario, Transfer Pro (read/write UNIX, DOS and Mac formatted diskettes), BioSym molecular modeling software and Adobe PhotoShop.
The performance of this computer is rated at 120 MIPS and 22 MFLOPS. It is used primarily for molecular modeling using the BioSym software and modeling of materials processes and phenomenon using user written C and FORTRAN programs.
Accounts: To use this computer you will need to have an account set up for you. Contact the laboratory's manager to request an account.
Windows NT-based PC
Hardware: 233 MHz Pentium processor, 512 kB level-2 cache, 64 MB SDRAM, 4 GB
Ultra-Wide SCSI hard drive, 1.44 MB floppy drive, internal Iomega Zip drive (100 MB
removable media), 4X CD-ROM drive, Matrox Millenium PCI-bus video controller with 4 MB
VRAM, 17-inch Sony monitor.
Software: Windows NT Workstation 4.0, Microsoft Office 95 Professional, Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, MARC Mentat (FEM), Netscape and other essential utilities.
This is our token PC in a mostly Macintosh-based laboratory and is used by people who prefer PCs and as a our site for PC-based Materials Science software, including access to the JCPDS database, HSC thermochemical analysis, TAPP's database, Ca.R.Ine Crystallography, and others.
Accounts: To use this computer you will need to have an account set up for you. Contact the laboratory's manager to request an account.
Power Mac 7500/100 AV
Hardware: 100 MHz PowerPC 601 RISC processor, 96 MB RAM, 1 GB SCSI-II hard drive, 2X
speed CD-ROM, internal Iomega Zip drives (100 MB removable media), 17-inch Apple monitor,
audio/visual capabilities.
Software: System 7.5, Microsoft Office, Adobe PhotoShop, Adobe Illustrator, Ca.R.I.ne Crystallography, Shape, Desktop Microscopist, Netscape and other essential utilities.
There are four of these computers in this laboratory. Each of them can capture images via a CCD camera mounted on a Nikon Labophot 2A (reflected and transmitted light) microscope. These computers are used in several laboratory classes and by researchers for optical microscopy and other imaging applications, word processing, network access, etc. They are also used to rum materials science applications such as Desktop Microscopist, Ca.R.Ine Crystallography, Shape, the TAPP database, and others.
Apple Centris 650
Hardware: 68040 processor, 24 MB RAM, 1 GB SCSI hard drive, Rasterops 24STV video
capture board (640x480x24-bit at 30 fps)
Software: System 7.5, Microsoft Office 4.21, Adobe PhotoShop 3.0, various Materials Science programs, Netscape, OCR software, utilities.
This computer can capture images via a CCD camera mounted on a Wild-Zeiss stereo zoom microscope. It is also connected to an Agfa Arcus color scanner.
Printers
This laboratory has two printers, one for standard word processing applications
and printing draft versions of graphic images and the other for photo-realistic
black-and-white or color images. Both printers are accessible via the network.
HP 4M+
This printer is a Hewlett-Packard 4M+: 600 dpi laser printer, 12 ppm, 48 MB RAM, PCL 5
(Intellitype and TrueType font scaling, HP-GL/2 support and advanced printing features),
Postscript language support and the capability to print double-sided documents. It
is accessed via the network (Ethernet) in the CHMS zone where it is known as Ansel (Ansel
Adams, black and white prints). The Macs, the PC and the SGI workstation can all
print to it.
Supplies: When the department provided the printer paper the rate of consumption was quite high, something like one case in less that 4 days back in the days when this lab was not even used as heavily. Therefore, we have to ask that you bring your own paper. We'll take care of the toner and other details.
Tektronix Phaser 450
This printer is a 300 dpi photo-realistic dye-sublimation color printer. Using
special glossy paper or transparencies and 1, 3 or 4-color transfer rolls this printer can
produce publication quality continuous-tone and full color images. Paper sizes are 8˝x11
and 8˝x14 and it prints almost to the edges of the paper. This printer is connected to
the network where it is know as Kandinsky (in the CHMS zone).
Supplies: The cost of printing is rather high, about $3.00 for a 4-color print on paper. A 4-color transfer roll currently costs $240 and it can print 100 pages. Paper costs about $0.50 per sheet and transparencies cost a bit more. We provide the transfer rolls but you will have to supply your own paper. Check the Tektronix Color Printers web page for details regarding part numbers and pricing.
Scanner
Agfa Arcus This is a high-resolution color flat-bed scanner which is used to
scan in images from photos, journals and even negatives. It has even been used to scan
tensile specimens, gels, and silicon wafers but its most often used to scan film negatives
from our TEMs. This scanner features 600 dpi optical resolution, 30-bit color and
10-bit (256-level) gray scale scanning on images as large as 8 x 11.8 inches. A
transparency module is available for back-lighting negatives and transparencies which are
to be scanned. It is attached to the Centris 650 and scanning is done using Adobe
PhotoShop.
Optical Microscopes
This laboratory offers several types of optical microscopes.
There are four Nikon metallographs which are capable of both transmitted and
reflected light microscopy. These are equipped with a CCD cameras which are
connected to the four AV PowerMacs. There is also a stereo zoom microscope, also
equipped with a CCD camera and connected to the Centris 650. Finally there is an
older but very capable Zeiss Panphot metallograph which is not connected to a computer (it
could easily be done) but it does offer unique features that the others do not. More
detail on the microscopes is given below.
Nikon Labophot
The Nikon Labophot-2A is a sturdy, versatile microscope which should meet all of our
basic optical metallography needs. It features illumination for both transmitted light
microscopy and epi-illumination for reflected light microscopy, a trinocular head and a
C-mount each with a CCD camera mounted on it. The output of each CCD camera is connected
to a Macintosh computer which can capture the image for subsequent digital image
processing and analysis. Three of the Labophots are equipped with epi-polarizers and
analyzers while the fourth is equipped with differential interference contrast (DIC). DIC
yields high-resolution and high-contrast images with a 3D character which brings out many
details which otherwise would have not been visible. All four microscopes are
capable of dark-field illumination.
The following objectives are installed on the three polarizing microscopes:
CF BD, achromat, 5x Plan, NA=0.10 NA, working distance=9.0 mm
CF BD, achromat, 10x Plan, NA=0.25 NA, working distance=3.0 mm
CF BD, achromat, 20x Plan, NA=0.40 NA, working distance=2.5 mm
CF BD, achromat, 40x Plan, NA=0.65 NA, working distance=1.0 mm
while the following objectives on the one DIC microscope are:
CF BD, achromat, 5x Plan, NA=0.10 NA, working distance=9.0 mm
CF BD/DIC, achromat, 10x Plan, NA=0.25 NA, working distance=3.0 mm
CF BD/DIC, achromat, 20x Plan, NA=0.40 NA, working distance=2.5 mm
CF BD/DIC, achromat, 40x Plan, NA=0.65 NA, working distance=1.0 mm
CF BD/DIC, achromat, 100x Plan, NA=0.90 NA, working distance=0.39 mm
Note: All of the objectives above were designed for operation in air. Using any immersion medium (water, oil, glycerol, etc.) can seriously and even permanently damage these lenses.
The focusing mechanism features a maximum vertical clearance of 60 mm with a vertical movement of 29.7 mm, plenty of room for viewing tall specimens. The fine focus knob is graduated in 1µm increments (nominal) making it excellent for measuring the height of features. There is also an adjustable refocusing stopper which is used to prevent collision of the specimen and objective lens.
Wild-Zeiss
This microscope is used for imaging larger objects such as fracture surfaces,
IC’s, and other small components, any time that low-magnification and/or depth of
field are important. The magnification can be zoomed from 5X to 50X. One also can divert
the image to the camera tube where a CCD camera is mounted. The illumination for
this microscope is provided by a dual port fiber-optic light source which provides bright
light for illuminating dull specimens such as fracture and corroded surfaces.
Leitz Panphot
The Leitz Panphot is a vintage (1961) metallograph which is excellent working
condition and is occasionally used in applications where the other microscopes can not do
the job. Its most common use is Polaroid photomicrocopy but a CCD camera can be installed
in place of the Polaroid camera. It can also be used for fluorescence microscopy and
for high-temperature optical microscopy. The Panphot features a bright 150 watt
xenon (380-680 nm, middle and long-wavelength UV, color temperature 6000K) lamp plus a 50W
tungsten lamp, either of which can be used for reflected or transmitted light microscopy.
The filters in the path of the xenon light source are:
Panchromatic green, used to enhance contrast in B&W photography
Dispersion filter, obliterates the structure of the light source
Neutral density, 0.2% visual work using the xenon lamp
Neutral density, 5% visual work using the xenon lamp
Corrugated dispersion filter, obliterates the structure of the light source
In addition there is heat filter mounted close to the xenon lamp. The objectives available include from 5X to 100X achromats, several Plano objectives and a couple of quartz long working distance objectives.
One of the unique features of this microscope is its the hot stage. It is capable of reaching temperatures as high as 1100C and achieving cooling rates high enough to be able to observe and record the formation of martensite in low-carbon alloy steels. It can be used with vacuum or inert atmospheres but requires special quartz long working distance objectives of which we have a very limited selection. Contact the laboratory manager if you'd like to try your hand at high-temperature microscopy, but be prepared to put a little work into the project since this is not a turn-key system and because you will find the requirements in terms of specimen shape and size to be very limited.
The Polaroid film back is a type 454 which accepts standard 4"x5" format Polaroid film. The types of film normally used on this microscope are types 52 (B&W, high-speed, print only) and 56 (B&W, high-resolution, 100 ASA, print and negative). You will have to bring your own film.
Training: These microscopes are easy to use and most people will have little trouble getting results, but with a little training one will be able to get much better results. Contact the laboratory's manager if you'd like a to have proper introduction to these microscopes or if you'd like to arrangements for an afternoon session which covers optical microscopy and digital imaging in more detail.
CCD Cameras
We are using two models of CCD camera in this laboratory. One is the Cohu 8215 and
the other is the Pulnix TMC-7. Both are video cameras which features an 0.5 inch,
768 (H) x 494 (V) resolution, single chip RGB sensor and composite video output. A
couple of them have controls which let you adjust the white point, gain, shutter speed and
other parameters, but in general we operate then under automatic gain control and with
automatic white balance which is done when the power is turned on.
Still Image Capture through the Microscope
Image capture is normally done using an acquire plug-in within Adobe PhotoShop. Images are
usually captured at a resolution of 640x480 pixels and a 24-bit color depth, producing 900
kB files. These files are then either saved to the hard disk, to a floppy disk, or
to a Zip disk. Macs do a good job with DOS formatted diskettes and Zip disks so PC
users can easily take their files with them to work on them using a PC.
Warning: Do not leave your files on these Macs. There are many people using these computers and consequently the hard drive tends to fill up quickly. Also, your files are not safe on these computers. The Mac OS is not secure like Unix or Windows NT. Anyone can look at, change, copy or delete your files. If someone makes an innocent or not-so-innocent mistake you can lose your work. (It happened once. 875 MB of user files disappeared one night.) The best thing to do is to save your work in progress to the desktop but when finished move (move, don't copy) it to a Zip disk or ftp it to a safer computer.
Motion Video Capture Through the Microscope
It is possible to capture motion video using these microscopes and PowerMacs.
Depending on your requirements they might be up to the job. But first the system has
to be optimized for video capture and room will have to be found on the hard drive.
If you are interested in capturing motion video through the microscope you should consult
the laboratory's manager who can help you set things up.
Division of Materials Science
If you have any questions or comments regarding this web site please contact the webmaster.
Updated on June 25, 2001
Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
University of California, Davis
Davis, CA 95616
USA
Phone: 530/752-0400
Web: www.chms.ucdavis.edu