Olympus IX2-DIC60 DIC Prism

The Olympus IX2-DIC60 is a Nomarski DIC condenser prism designed for transmitted light DIC microscopy on Olympus IX series inverted microscopes, matched to the 60x objective. In DIC microscopy on an inverted platform, the condenser prism is positioned above the specimen (in the condenser) and introduces a precise angular shear between two polarized light wavefronts before they pass down through the specimen — the objective-side prism below then recombines them, converting refractive index and thickness gradients into amplitude contrast to produce a high-contrast pseudo-three-dimensional relief image of transparent, unstained specimens. Because DIC prisms must be precisely matched to the numerical aperture and optical geometry of the objective they are paired with, the IX2-DIC60 is specifically engineered for the 60x objective, ensuring optimal shear distance and wavefront matching at this magnification. The IX2-DIC60 installs in the Olympus U-UCD8 condenser, which accepts upright microscope condensers on the IX2 series and features an 8-position turret for housing multiple objective-matched DIC prisms simultaneously. Built to Olympus factory specifications (catalog number U2-CD416), the IX2-DIC60 delivers consistent, high-contrast DIC performance at 60x on IX series inverted platforms.