Features

• Extends Versatility of Thorlabs' Construction Systems to Cerna^® Microscopes
• Provides Compatibility with SM1 (1.035"-40) Lens Tubes, SM30 (M30.5 x 0.5) Lens Tubes, SM2 (2.035"-40) Lens Tubes, and 30 mm and 60 mm Cage Systems
• Contact Tech Support About Custom Adapters, Including for Other Microscopes

Trinocular Port Adapters
These adapters integrate the Cerna platform with Thorlabs' 30 mm and 60 mm cage construction systems, making them ideal for creating custom widefield viewing and epi-illumination apparatuses.

Camera Port Adapter
The SM1A58 adapter is designed to allow components with SM1 threading, SM2 threading, or 30 mm cage system compatibility to be mounted to the camera port. This adapter is ideal for inserting custom optics, as well as our scientific cameras, into brightfield and fluorescence microscope systems.

Condenser Port Adapters
These condenser adapters connect to the condenser holder, allowing DIY light conditioning setups to be integrated into a Cerna microscope.

Epi-Illumination Module Adapter
The SM2A56 adapter allows a collimated illumination source to attach to the epi-illumination module of a Cerna microscope.

Eyepiece Adapter
The SM2N2 adapter replaces the lens element on an eyepiece of the Cerna microscope's trinoculars, allowing custom-built optical detection systems to attach to either eyepiece on the trinoculars.

Note: Thorlabs does not guarantee compatibility with other industry-standard microscopes not mentioned on this wepage.

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This photo shows the male D1N dovetail on the trinoculars next to the female D1N dovetail on the epi-illumination arm.

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This photo shows the male 95 mm dovetail on the microscope body and the female 95 mm dovetail on the CSA1002 Fixed Arm.

Introduction to Microscope Dovetails

Dovetails are used for mechanical mating and optical port alignment of microscope components. Components are connected by inserting one dovetail into another, then tightening one or more locking setscrews on the female dovetail. Dovetails come in two shapes: linear and circular. Linear dovetails allow the mating components to slide before being locked down, providing flexible positioning options while limiting unneeded degrees of freedom. Circular dovetails align optical ports on different components, maintaining a single optical axis with minimal user intervention.

Thorlabs manufactures many components which use dovetails to mate with our own components or those of other manufacturers. To make it easier to identify dovetail compatibility, we have developed a set of dovetail designations. The naming convention of these designations is used only by Thorlabs and not other microscope manufacturers. The table to the right lists all the dovetails Thorlabs makes, along with their key dimensions.

In the case of Thorlabs’ Cerna^® microscopes, different dovetail types are used on different sections of the microscope to ensure that only compatible components can be mated. For example, our WFA2002 Epi-Illuminator Module has a male D1N dovetail that mates with the female D1N dovetail on the microscope body's epi-illumination arm, while the CSS2001 XY Microscopy Stage has a female D1Y dovetail that mates with the male D1Y dovetail on the CSA1051 Mounting Arm.

To learn which dovetail type(s) are on a particular component, consult its mechanical drawing, available by clicking on the red Docs icon () below. For adapters with a female dovetail, the drawing also indicates the size of the hex key needed for the locking setscrew(s). It is important to note that mechanical compatibility does not ensure optical compatibility. Information on optical compatibility is available from Thorlabs' web presentations.

For customers interested in machining their own dovetails, the table to the right gives the outer diameter and angle (as defined by the drawings below) of each Thorlabs dovetail designation. However, the dovetail's height must be determined by the user, and for circular dovetails, the user must also determine the inner diameter and bore diameter. These quantities can vary for dovetails of the same type. One can use the intended mating part to verify compatibility.

In order to reduce wear and simplify connections, dovetails are often machined with chamfers, recesses, and other mechanical features. Some examples of these variations are shown by the drawings below.

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Two examples of how circular male dovetails can be manufactured.

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Two examples of how circular female dovetails can be manufactured.