Skip to main content
Log in

The Development of a Heated-Stage Optical Microscope for ZBLAN Microgravity Crystallization Studies

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
Microgravity Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A heated-stage optical microscope has been developed for in-situ crystallization observation of ZBLAN glass. Traditional crystallization studies on most materials, including ZBLAN, are completed following high temperature heat treatment. The modern heated-stage microscope developed in this study permits high temperature sample microscopy data to be collected in real time. The heated stage has a high-end temperature limit of 520 C with a heating ramp rate of 2.2 C/second. The stage was also fitted with liquid nitrogen for rapid cooling and sample annealing up to −190 C. The stage was customized to fit a Keyence VHX-2000 digital microscope with a magnification range of 100X–1000X. The microscope also has the ability to image samples using Differential Interference Contrasts (DIC) microscopy, which is used to elucidate key crystalline features not apparent with traditional optical microscopy. Additionally, the experiment was constructed to be operated on a microgravity parabolic aircraft to study the effects of microgravity on the crystallization of ZBLAN.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Burgess, G.K.: Bull. Bur. Stand. 3, 345 (1907)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cech, R.E.: A high-low temperature microscope stage. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 21(8), 747–749 (1959)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charsley, E.L.: Complementary Thermal Analysis Methods in Thermal Analysis Techniques and Applications, pp 68–74. The Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  • Dixon, G.D.: A novel microscope hot stage. J. Phys. E: Sci. Instrum. 4(4), 320 (1970)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunkley, R.: The study of devitrification processes in heavy-metal fluoride glasses. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1027, 150–157 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harrington, J.A.: Infrared fiber optics. In: Bass, M., Enoch, J.M., Van Stryland, E.W., Wolfe, W.L. (eds.) Handbook of Optics: Fiber and Integrated Optics, vol. III, pp 12.1–12.14. Mc-Graw Hill, New York (2007)

  • McCrone, W.C., McCrone, L.B., Delly, J.G.: Polarized light microscopy, p 198. McCrone Research Institute (1984)

  • Sarnes, B., Schrufer, E.: Determination of the time behavior of thermocouples for sensor speedup and medium supervision. Proceedings of the Estonian Academy of Science and Engineering 13(4), 295–309 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  • Stadnichlenko, R.: J. Opt. Soc. Am. 10, 605 (1925)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torres, A., Maji, A., Ganley, J.: Understanding the role of gravity in the crystallization suppression of ZBLAN glass. J. Mater. Sci. 49(22), 7770–7781 (2014a)

  • Torres, A., Maji, A., Ganley, J., Tucker, D., Starodubov, D.: Increasing the working temperature range of ZBLAN glass through microgravity processing. Opt. Eng. 53(3), 036103 (2014b)

  • Tucker, D.: Effects of gravity on processing heavy metal fluoride fibers. J. Mater. Res. 12(9), 2223–2225 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, D., Ethridge, E.: Explanation of the effects of gravity on Crystallization of ZrF 2-BaF 2-LaF 3-AlF 3-NaF glass. J. Mater. Res. 16(11), 3027–3029 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker, D.: Effects of gravity on ZBLAN glass crystallization. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1027, 129–137 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varma, S.: Effect of gravity on crystallization in heavy metal fluoride glasses processed on the T-33 parabolic flight aircraft. J. Mater. Sci. 36, 4551–4559 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, A. L.: G. E. Research Laboratory Report, RL-230 (1949)

  • Workman, G., Smith, G., O’Brien, S., Adcock, L.: ZBLAN Microgravity Study. In: Final Report submitted to National Aeronautics and Space Administration George C. Marshall Space Flight Center (1995)

  • Wright, R. E.: J. Wash. Acad. Sci. 3, 232–236 (1913)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Shane Arabie and Mr. Ted Cera for their invaluable support in both fabrication and testing. This work wouldn’t be possible without the support of both Utah State University’s Research Fund—Space Dynamics Laboratory and the DoD’s Space Test Program.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony Torres.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Torres, A., Barr, R. The Development of a Heated-Stage Optical Microscope for ZBLAN Microgravity Crystallization Studies. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 28, 367–380 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-016-9488-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-016-9488-7

Keywords

Navigation