Immersion Liquid Dispenser
An immersion liquid dispenser automatically applies immersion liquid — oil or water — to the objective so that immersion objectives can be used during automated microscope scanning. Clemex supplies the Märzhäuser Liquid Dispenser, which supplies and draws back liquid through a chemically resistant PTFE capillary and uses contamination-free objective adapters. It is available in upright and inverted versions and is a documented option for the SlideExpress automated slide-scanning system.
Why automated immersion matters
Immersion objectives (oil or water) provide higher numerical aperture and resolution, but they need immersion liquid present between lens and specimen at every field and every slide. In unattended whole-slide or multi-slide scanning, no operator is there to keep re-applying it. An automated dispenser applies — and recirculates — the immersion medium precisely and repeatably, with programmable, time-controlled dosing, so high-resolution immersion scanning can run hands-free across many slides.
Contamination-free adapter materials and a PTFE capillary avoid introducing particles or interfering fluorescence, and custom objective adapters are available for a wide range of lenses.
Upright and inverted versions
Upright
For upright microscopes, where the objective sits above the specimen, the dispenser applies immersion liquid from above onto the objective. The upright oil-immersion version is the one integrated with the SlideExpress automated slide loader, for hands-free immersion scanning of large slide batches.
Inverted
For inverted microscopes, where the objective sits below the specimen, the dispenser delivers immersion liquid from below to the objective. The inverted version supports oil and water immersion, an exchangeable liquid reservoir, liquid recirculation, programmable time-controlled dosage, and several control modes (manual, PC/USB, TANGO controller and TTL/remote).
Key features
- Precise, material-friendly application of immersion liquid to the objective
- Supply and suction through a chemically resistant PTFE capillary, with liquid recirculation
- Programmable, time-controlled dosage for repeatable, unattended scanning
- Works with both oil and water immersion
- Contamination-free objective adapters for many lenses, avoiding stray particles or fluorescence
- Available in upright and inverted versions; the upright version is an option for SlideExpress
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the liquid dispenser do?
It automatically applies — and can recirculate — immersion oil or water to the microscope objective, so immersion objectives can be used during automated scanning.
Oil or water?
Both. Oil and water immersion are supported, with adapters available for different immersion media.
What is the difference between the upright and inverted versions?
They match the microscope geometry. The upright version dispenses from above (objective over the sample); the inverted version dispenses from below (objective under the sample).
Why is it needed for automated slide scanning?
High-NA immersion objectives need liquid present at every position, so during unattended whole-slide or multi-slide scanning an automated dispenser keeps applying it precisely.
Does it work with SlideExpress?
Yes. The upright liquid dispenser is a documented option for the SlideExpress automated slide-handling and scanning system.
How is contamination avoided?
Contamination-free adapter materials and a PTFE capillary prevent introducing particles or interfering fluorescence into the imaging path.
Running immersion objectives on an automated scanner? Our specialists help you add the right liquid dispenser for your microscope.