Argo-HM

Fluorescent Quality Assessment slide for High Magnification systems 
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Usage

Argolight slide are designed to routinely check the stability of the characteristics of your systems.

Description

Argo-HM  slides are re-usable stable fluorescence slides for assessing and monitoring fluorescence-based imaging systems. HM slides are specifically designed for high-magnification systems, typically for magnifications from 20 up to 100x.

Each Argo-HM slide contains several fluorescent microscopic  patterns designed to help the user detect aberration in imaging systems.

Their intensity and spectrum are stable for over 3 years.  The analysis of pattern images can be simplified using Argolight software solutions. More about slides stability

The slides are compatible with excitation from 350 nm to 650 nm (Fluorescence excitation over 550 nm requires sensitive sensors).

We use the Argolight slide for our regular quality control and appreciate very much the possibility to perform different tests with one slide. It would be great if the software could also be used on Mac computers and if the documentation of the results could be made a bit easier.

Joachim Hehl

Staff Scientist Light Microscopy Centre, ETH Zurich

Argolight slides
come with:

Ideal to:

  • Ensure reliability and stability of an imaging system – obtain coherent measurements comparable over several years (including fluorescence quantities).
  • Set-up and maintain quality management at a low cost for fluorescence measurements.

Argo-HM strengths:

  • Simplicity: No need for refrigerated storage, no consumable to add.
  • Ruggedness: Withstands fall from 2m height thanks to its metallic enclosure.
  • Compatibility: Works with oil immersion, dry objectives and water immersion objectives (more about water immersion).
  • Cost: Replaces consumable tools and increases monitoring frequency.

Content of the slide

Each Argo-HM slide contains 10 fluorescent patterns.

Pattern A – Target. This pattern consists in concentric circles with increasing radii from 25 μm to 300 μm with a step of 25 μm, plus an extra circle with a radius of 12.5 μm, featuring a target.
Pattern B – Field of rings. This pattern consists in a matrix of 39× 39 rings, separated by 15 μm, on a total field of 600 × 600 μm². The field of rings is surrounded by eight landmarks, and exhibits a 7.5 μm long cross in its center.
Pattern C – 4×4 Intensity. This pattern consists in sixteen 8.5 μm-wide squares having different fluorescence intensity levels following a linear evolution, organized in a 4×4 matrix.
Pattern D – 2×16 Intensity. This pattern consists in twice sixteen 22.5 μm × 1.5 μm rectangles having different fluorescence intensity levels following a linear evolution, organized in a 2×16 matrix.
Pattern E – Gradually spaced lines. This pattern consists in pairs of 50 μm-long lines which spacing gradually increases, from 100 to 700 nm, with a step of 50 nm. Four sets of lines are present: one vertical, one horizontal, and two oriented at + and – 45°.
Pattern F – Matrix of crosses.This pattern consists in a matrix of 6 × 6 crosses, having a length of 5 μm.

The crosses are composed of vertical lines that are in the same plane, and by horizontal lines, going gradually deeper within the glass. The spacing between the vertical and horizontal lines gradually increases, from 0 to 3.5 μm, with a step of 100 nm.

Pattern G – Meridians of a sphere. This pattern consists in three circles of diameter 50 μm in different orthogonal planes, featuring the meridians of a sphere.
Pattern H – Repositioning crosses. The repositioning crosses are 20 μm long and are positioned 500 μm from one to another in the X direction, the Y direction, or both.
Pattern I – 3D Crossing stairs. This pattern consists in empty cylinders embedded at different depths, like two crossing stairs, surrounded by four pillars. There are four stairs in the slide, with varying steps: 1, 0.75, 0.5 and 0.25 μm.
Pattern J – Logo. This pattern consists in letters forming the company name “Argolight”, and surrounded by a 220 μm × 50 μm frame.
Pattern Overview. This represents the overall repartition of patterns in the HM slide with scale.

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