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Press Release Detail: Thorlabs Expands Microscope Line-Up with Modular, DIY Cerna Platform Newton, NJ – August 17, 2016 – Thorlabs has announced the release of its new do-it-yourself modular microscopy platform, Cerna. With over 100 products in the line, Cerna users can easily combine Thorlabs’ optomechanical platform with their choice of optical, electronic, motion control, and vision parts to construct an imaging system that is tailored to their specific applications. With an industry-leading throat depth of 7.74”, Cerna systems provide an exceptionally large working volume for sample apparatuses and working space around the optical path. Each side of the rail incorporates a 95 mm wide dovetail that mates directly with your choice of microscope modules, and a system of circular dovetails provides compatibility with industry-standard optical components. Our stock modules are designed for widefield observation, differential interference contrast, and epi-illumination, among other imaging modalities. Additionally, interfaces to Thorlabs’ standard optomechanical components, such as cage systems, lens tubes, and special breadboards, are provided, allowing the user complete freedom to design a unique optical train. “There are considerable time savings when utilizing the Cerna modular system to build a custom microscope,” noted Pauline Non, Product Manager for the Cerna Microscopes. “We provide pre-aligned, well-defined optical paths that can be built upon, minimizing the time it takes to develop a system, thereby allowing customers to devote more time to core research work.” In addition to the DIY options available, Thorlabs also has preconfigured optical paths for more routine functions such as epi-fluorescence and DIC imaging of tissues. For more information, please visit www.thorlabs.com/cerna , or contact Thorlabs directly at techsupport@thorlabs.com. or 973-300-3000. About Thorlabs: Thorlabs, a vertically integrated photonics products manufacturer, was founded in 1989 to serve the laser and electro-optics research market. As that market has spawned a multitude of technical innovations, Thorlabs has extended its core competencies in an effort to play an ever increasing role serving the Photonics Industry at the research end, as well as the industrial, life science, medical, and defense segments. The organization’s highly integrated and diverse manufacturing assets include semiconductor fabrication of laser diodes, optical amplifiers, lithium niobate modulators, quantum cacscade/interband cascade lasers, and VCSEL lasers; fiber towers for drawing both silica and fluoride glass optical fibers; MBE/MOCVD epitaxial wafer growth reactors; extensive glass and metal fabrication facilities; advanced thin film deposition capabilities; and optomechanical and optoelectronic shops.