Dates Offered:
February 8-12, 2010

COURSE OUTLINE & SYLLABUS

This is a course for those who have some training and experience to applying polarized light microscopy (PLM) to trace evidence, especially white powders of unknown identity. Students will learn and practice the skills necessary to rapidly identify substances by recognizing their optical and morphological qualities. Instruction will include a review of microscope set-up, Kohler illumination, and PLM techniques:

• Single polar: shape, size, surface, homogeneity, association, transparency, color, pleochroism, image contrast, refractive indices, dispersion staining

• Crossed polars: retardation, birefringence, extinction characteristics, sign of elongation, interference figures, correlation of optics and morphology, etc.

Observations will be applied to a wide variety of common, and not-so-common, substances.

Prerequisite: 1201 or equivalent.

Day 1
• Review of polarized light microscope, Koehler illumination, calibration of the ocular micrometer

Day 2
• Review of particle description, characterization and crystal optics using one polar
• Crystal morphology, microcrystal tests, chemical reactions

Day 3
• Review of particle description, characterization, and crystal optics using two polars
• Isotropy/Anisotropy, extinction, retardation, birefringence, interference figures

Day 4
• Interference figures contd, fusion methods, phase transitions, identification methods, one and two-component methods

Day 5
• Study and characterization of known and unknown substances

Note: This course runs Monday-Friday with class ending at noon on Friday.