What are Consumer Products?
At Omega Optical, we produce two categories of products which are used by OEM manufacturers, laboratory researchers, and Consumers: Metal-coated microscopy slides and Riofoto Dental Mirrors.
Riofoto dental mirrors are coated with Rhodium (Rh, 45), a precious metal. Not only is Rhodium high in reflectivity, but it is also very durable. Riofoto dental mirrors offer almost 20% better reflectivity than chromium-coated or stainless steel mirrors. This means clearer, brighter pictures with fewer retakes translating into significant cost savings. And, they don’t scratch easily, therefore, lasting much longer than chromium-coated or stainless steel dental mirrors.
Omega Optical manufactures a full line of Gold (Au), Copper (Cu), Silver (Ag) and Aluminum (Al) microscope metal coated test slides. Our high-performance microscope slides are used in biological and clinical research, chemical analysis, analytical chemistry, electronics fabrication, healthcare and medicine, industrial testing, and academic research in schools and universities.
Types of Consumer Products
Riofoto Dental Mirrors
Riofoto dental mirrors are able to withstand repeated autoclaving. They are coated on both sides for an extended life as well as ease of positioning the mirror in your patient’s mouth. With a twist of the wrist, you can go from taking a palatal (roof of the mouth) shot to a buccal (cheek) shot.
Aluminum Test Slides
Aluminum metal coated microscope test slides are made with glass and coated with bare aluminum. They are used for analytical applications and provide negligible signal background. Aluminum coated microscope test slides are often selected as a means of providing excellent support, as they’re proven to be sturdy when heated.
Copper Test Slides
Copper microscope test slides (glass slides coated with copper) are used for ASTM and IPC corrosion and flux testing. These copper test slides are referenced in ASTM D2671 and IPC-TM-650 for corrosion testing.
Gold Test Slides
99.9% pure gold metal coated test slides are suited for analytical, academic research, industrial testing & biological applications. Omega’s gold-coated microscope slides are coated with a binder layer of Chrome or Titanium followed by a deposition of bare Gold (Au) with no protective overcoat.
Silver Test Slides
Silver microscope test slides feature bare silver at 1000Å. They offer increased sensitivity in DNA microarrays. Silver test slides come packaged in nitrogen purged tubes. Due to oxidation, all silver test slides are custom made to order.
Resources
Other Resources
More about microscope slides & riofoto
What are common applications for Coated Microscope Slides?
- Corrosion Testing
- Scanning Probe and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
- Raman spectroscopy
- Microarrays
- Cell culture
Cleaning Riofoto Mirrors
Riofoto mirrors are coated with Rhodium with a durable metallic finish. Although Rhodium offers high performance and durability the mirrors can and will wear over time if proper cleaning and care is not administered. The recommended method for cleaning Riofoto dental mirrors is steam autoclaving using the following procedure:
- Hand wash the mirrors with clean gauze and germicidal soap containing 2% chlorhexide.
- Dry mirrors using gauze sponges or a lint-free surgical towel. Wrap the mirrors in the surgical towel taking care to separate them with layers of towel.
- Place in a steam autoclave unit and process. Mirrors are autoclavable to 370°F.
Cold Chemical Sterilization
If using cold chemical sterilization, Riofoto dental mirrors should be hand washed with germicidal soap containing 2% chlorhexidine then rinsed and dried immediately with a soft tissue or cloth, prior to being submerged in cold sterilization solution.
NOTE: Some solutions may permanently damage the mirror surface. We recommend using “Medica 28 Plus” or equivalent, a 3% Glutaraldehyde reusable solution that has been fully tested and deemed safe for cleaning Riofoto dental mirrors.
Autoclaving & Chemical Sterilants
Autoclaving
We don’t specify times for autoclaving, but rather direct you to follow the protocol and times recommended by your autoclave manufacturer. The time and temperature cycles of an autoclave will not impact the mirrors or their finish. These mirrors have been performance tested up to 370oF (180oC). Wrapping the mirrors in tissue is recommended, to prevent water droplets from leaving spots on the mirror during the drying cycle. Gauze and towels can be used but may leave faint fabric weave impressions for the same reason. These marks should wash off.
The area of concern is if you do any type of pre-sterilization cleaning with an ultrasonic cleaner, or an instrument washer. In these cases, it is important that there are no other instruments in the ultrasonic chamber, or near the mirrors in the case of the washer. If there are, they run the risk of vibrating against and scratching the metal surface. While rhodium is scratch resistant, stainless steel instruments will cause damage.
Chemical Sterilants
We do not recommend the use of chemical or cold sterilants. These chemicals may leave permanent streaks on the surface of the mirrors.