Compare the Difference Between Similar Terms

Difference Between

Home / Science & Nature / Science / Chemistry / Analytical Chemistry / Difference Between Excitation and Emission Filter

Difference Between Excitation and Emission Filter

June 8, 2021 Posted by Madhu

The key difference between excitation and emission filter is that excitation filter is important in lightening up the object under the examination of microscope whereas emission filter is important in keeping the surrounding of the object as dark as possible.

The terms excitation and emission filters are mainly used regarding the fluorescence microscopy that operates based on optical filters. There are three components in a typical fluorescence microscopic instrument: excitation filter, dichroic beamsplitter, and emission filter.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is an Excitation Filter 
3. What is an Emission Filter 
4. Excitation vs Emission Filter in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Excitation vs Emission Filter

What is an Excitation Filter?

An excitation filter is a type of optical glass filter that is useful in the selection of the excitation wavelength of light. Usually, it is a high-quality optical glass widely used in fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopic applications where we need to select a wavelength from a light beam that comes from a light source.

Mostly, excitation filters tend to select light having a short wavelength that comes from an excitation light source. This is because this type of light can carry energy that is sufficient only for the fluoresce of an object that is examined under the microscope.

Excitation and Emission Filter

Figure 01: Examination under a Microscope in the Presence of Fluorescence

There are two major types of excitation filter glasses as short pass filter glasses and bandpass filter glasses. These two types of filter glasses are different from each other according to the form of notch filters or deep blocking filters that are used as emission filter glasses. However, there can be some other types of excitation filter glasses as well, such as monochromators, wedge prisms that are coupled with a narrow slit, and holographic diffraction gratings.

Commonly, an excitation filter glass comes in a package with an emission filter and a dichroic beam splitter in a cube. Therefore, we can insert these two glasses together as a combination into the microscope. The dichroic beam tends to control the wavelength of the light that enters each filter glass.

What is an Emission Filter?

An emission filter is a type of optical glass that allows the wavelengths emitted by the fluorophore to pass through it. This optical glass is named an emitter or barrier filter as well. It is named a barrier filter because it can block all the undesired light outside the band of excitation energy that comes from the excitation light. This barrier filter allows the background of the object that is under examination from a microscope to be the darkest as possible.

Usually, an emission filter glass comes in a package with an excitation filter and a dichroic beam splitter in a cube. Therefore, we can insert these two glasses together as a combination into the microscope. There, the dichroic beam tends to control the wavelength of the light that enters each filter glass.

What is the Difference Between Excitation and Emission Filter?

There are three components in a typical fluorescence microscopic instrument that includes an excitation filter, dichroic beamsplitter, and an emission filter. The key difference between excitation and emission filter is that excitation filter is important in lightening up the object under the examination of microscope whereas emission filter is important in keeping the surrounding of the object as dark as possible.

The below infographic summarizes the differences between excitation and emission filter in tabular form.

Summary –  Excitation vs Emission Filter

The key difference between excitation and emission filter is that excitation filter is important in lightening up the object under the examination of microscope whereas emission filter is important in keeping the surrounding of the object as dark as possible.

Reference:

1. “Excitation Filter.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Jan. 2021, Available here.
2. “Fluorophores and Optical Filters for Fluorescence Microscopy.” Edmund Optics Worldwide, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “FluorescenceMicroscopeSample HerringSpermSYBRGreen” By Zephyris – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

Related posts:

Difference Between Dilution and Dilution FactorDifference Between Dilution and Dilution Factor Difference Between Critical Point and Triple PointDifference Between Critical Point and Triple Point Difference Between Single Beam and Double Beam SpectrophotometerDifference Between Single Beam and Double Beam Spectrophotometer Difference Between Micro Analysis and Semi Micro AnalysisDifference Between Micro Analysis and Semi Micro Analysis Difference Between Proximate and Ultimate Analysis of CoalDifference Between Proximate and Ultimate Analysis of Coal

Filed Under: Analytical Chemistry

About the Author: Madhu

Madhu is a graduate in Biological Sciences with BSc (Honours) Degree and currently persuing a Masters Degree in Industrial and Environmental Chemistry. With a mind rooted firmly to basic principals of chemistry and passion for ever evolving field of industrial chemistry, she is keenly interested to be a true companion for those who seek knowledge in the subject of chemistry.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Request Article

Featured Posts

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and Cold Symptoms

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and SARS

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Influenza

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

Difference Between Coronavirus and Covid 19

You May Like

Difference Between Will and Can

Difference Between Assam Tea and Darjeeling Tea

Difference Between Wave Velocity and Wave Frequency

Difference Between Lipids and Fats

Difference Between Bull Terrier and Pit Bull

Latest Posts

  • What is the Difference Between Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma
  • What is the Difference Between Medulla Oblongata and Spinal Cord
  • What is the Difference Between CHF and Pulmonary Edema
  • What is the Difference Between Bisphosphonates and Denosumab
  • What is the Difference Between Colles Fracture and Smith Fracture
  • What is the Difference Between Cutaneous and Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis
  • Home
  • Vacancies
  • About
  • Request Article
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2010-2018 Difference Between. All rights reserved. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy: Legal.