Colorimetric Microscopy (C-Microscopy) for Microscale Materials Characterization

Color is a critical parameter in materials research, with wide-ranging applications in science, industry, and technology. Traditional color measurement techniques operate at the macro scale, yet local color variations in materials, biological systems, and 2D materials require microscopic analysis, often demanding complex instrumentation. The Colorimetric Microscopy (C-Microscopy) approach [1] addresses this gap by integrating digital optical microscopy with precise color calibration and open-source software to enable color quantification at the micrometer scale. This method provides physically meaningful data, including dominant wavelength and excitation purity maps and distributions, while systematically quantifying uncertainties through Monte Carlo simulations. By recovering hyperspectral reflectance data cubes, C-Microscopy enables comprehensive characterization of optical properties at the microscale. Applications span photonic structures, metallic surfaces, various minerals, and biological systems such as 3D cell aggregates (spheroids) in the context of proton therapy [2]. This approach bridges macroscopic color analysis with microscopic detail, offering a versatile tool for advanced materials and biological studies at microscale. 

[1] B.R. Jany, Micron 176, 103557 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micron.2023.103557

[2] Martyna Durak-Kozica et al., Pol. J Med Phys Eng 30(4):263-268 (2024) https://doi.org/10.2478/pjmpe-2024-0031