Overestimation of the Numerical Aperture: Avoid Optical Pitfalls Part 7
Overestimation of the Numerical Aperture
The numerical aperture (NA) is an important parameter for microscopy and other optical applications. Many people assume that increasing numerical aperture will increase the quality of their imaging, but it turns out that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a higher NA may lead to reduced depth of focus and a lack of uniform illumination.
Just how does numerical aperture relate to performance, and is there a way to determine the ideal aperture for a given application? What exactly is the numerical aperture? We’ll look at the answers to these questions here, and give you the information you need to avoid this optical pitfall.
This article is part of a multi-part series on optical pitfalls in the optics industry Each article will look at a topic that is often confused, and provide a brief, easy-to-understand explanation of the key foundational concepts involved.