Need light with less heat for microscope

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AmeliaSkates
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I'm using a confocal optical (reflection) microscope to look at cryo (cold) specimens (held at below -20C). The objective is 1.4 cm from my sample, and separated from it by a couple of layers of glass, BUT NONETHELESS the light is melting away the ice in my samples, damaging them within 5-10 minutes! Help! I'm wondering if getting a different fiber optic light source, or installing a filter, would help.
 
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Welcome to PF, Amelia.
This might seem like a dumb question, but are you sure that the light source is to blame? Fibre optics don't generally get very warm.
 
I agree- there are many potential sources of heat- the sample stage, for example. What is your light source?
 
If it's an incandescent source, going to an LED would help. Or, could you simply dim the source you have and still view the sample?