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The optical microscope, often referred to as the "light microscope", is a type of microscope which uses visible light and a system of lenses to magnify images of small samples. Optical microscopes are the oldest and simplest of the microscopes. There are non-optical microscopes, which require chemical or ion staining of non-living samples, and can magnify exponentially greater than the optical microscope. See scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope. There are two basic configurations of optical microscope in use, the simple (one lens) and compound (many lenses). A simple microscope is a microscope that uses only one lens for magnification, and is the original light microscope. Van Leeuwenhoek's microscopes consisted of a small, single convex lens mounted on a brass plate, with a screw mechanism to hold the sample or specimen to be examined. Demonstrations by British microscopist have produced surprisingly detailed images from such basic instruments. Though now considered primitive, the use of a single, convex lens for viewing is still found in simple magnification devices, such as the magnifying glass, and the loupe. Light microscope are able to view specimens in colour, an important advantage when compared with electron microscopes, especially for forensic analysis.
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