60 mm Cage Plates for Microscopy
![](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/Images/GuideImages/10904_60mm_Microscope_Adapters_2.jpg)
Application Idea
DIY Cerna System Using CSA1003 for Home-Built Sample Viewing and Epi-Illumination
- Compatible with 60 mm Cage Systems
- Dovetails Connect to Certain Cerna®, Nikon, Olympus, and Zeiss Microscopes
- SM30 or SM2 Threading
LCPN1
Nikon Condenser Port Adapter
LCPN3
Nikon Trinocular Port Adapter
CSA1003
Cerna Epi-Illuminator Module
Adapter
![](../../images/loading-red.gif)
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Features
- Connect Custom Assemblies to a Cerna®, Upright Nikon Eclipse, Inverted Nikon Eclipse Ti, Olympus BX or IX, or Zeiss Axioskop Microscope
- Compatible with Components or Adapters that have D1N, Female D3N, Female D5Y, Female D1Z, or Female D2Z Dovetails
These 60 mm cage plates allow the user to assemble and connect a custom optical system to certain components of a Cerna microscope, upright Nikon Eclipse microscope, inverted Nikon Eclipse Ti microscope, Olympus BX or IX microscope, or Zeiss Axioskop microscope. See our complete line of microscope port adapters for additional compatibility options. Each adapter utilizes a dovetail to connect to different parts of a microscope; see the Microscope Dovetails tab for additional information about dovetails and the DIY Cerna Interfaces tab for a list of compatible Cerna components.
Cage System Overview
The Cage Assembly System provides a convenient way to construct large optomechanical systems with an established line of precision-machined building blocks designed for high flexibility and accurate alignment.
16 mm, 30 mm, and 60 mm Cage System Standards
Thorlabs offers three standards defined by the center-to-center spacing of the cage assembly rods (see image below). The 16 mm cage, 30 mm cage, and 60 mm cage standards are designed to accomodate Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2" optics, respectively. Specialized cage plates that allow smaller optics to be directly inserted into our larger cage systems are also available.
Standard Threads
The flexibility of our Cage Assembly System stems from well-defined mounting and thread standards designed to directly interface with a wide range of specialized products. The three most prevalent thread standards are our SM05 Series (0.535"-40 thread), SM1 Series (1.035"-40 thread), and SM2 Series (2.035"-40 thread), all of which were defined to house the industry's most common optic sizes. Essential building blocks, such as our popular lens tubes, directly interface to these standards.
![](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Cage_Plate_Overview_D1-650.gif)
An example of the standard cage plate measurements determining cage system compatibility.
Standard Cage System Measurements | |||
---|---|---|---|
Cage System | 16 mm | 30 mm | 60 mm |
Thread Series | SM05 | SM1 | SM2 |
Rod to Rod Spacing | 16 mm (0.63") | 30 mm (1.18") | 60 mm (2.36") |
Total Length | 25 mm (0.98") | 41 mm (1.60") | 71.1 mm (2.8") |
Cage Components | ||
---|---|---|
Cage Rods | 16 mm | These rods are used to connect cage plates, optic mounts, and other components in the cage system. The SR Series Cage Rods are compatible with our 16 mm cage systems, while the 30 mm and 60 mm cage systems use ER Series Cage Rods. |
30 mm | ||
60 mm | ||
Cage Plates | 16 mm | These serve as the basic building blocks for a cage system. They may have SM-threaded central bores, smooth bores sized for industry standard optics or to accommodate the outer profile of our SM Series Lens Tubes, or specialized bores for other components such as our FiberPorts. |
30 mm | ||
60 mm | ||
Optic Mounts | 16 mm | Thorlabs offers fixed, kinematic, rotation, and translation mounts specifically designed for our Cage Systems. |
30 mm | ||
60 mm | ||
Cage Cubes | 16 mm | These cubes are useful for housing larger optical components, such as prisms or mirrors, or optics that need to sit at an angle to the beam path, such as beamsplitters. Our cage cubes are available empty or with pre-mounted optics. |
30 mm | ||
60 mm | ||
Post and Breadboard Mounts and Adapters | Mounting options for cage systems can be found on our Cage System Construction pages. Cage Systems can be mounted either parallel or perpendicular to the table surface. | |
Size Adapters | Cage System Size Adapters can be used to integrate components from different cage system and threading standards. | |
Specialized Components | Thorlabs also produces specialized cage components, such as Filter Wheels, a HeNe Laser Mount, and a FiberPort Cage Plate Adapter, allowing a wide range of our products to be integrated into cage-mounted optical systems. Explore our Cage Systems Visual Navigation Guide to see the full range of Thorlabs' cage components. |
Thorlabs Dovetail Referencea | |||
---|---|---|---|
Type | Shape | Outer Dimension | Angle |
95 mm | Linear | 95 mm | 45° |
D1N | Circular | Ø2.018" | 60° |
D2Nb | Circular | Ø1.50" | 90° |
D2NBb | Circular | Ø1.50" | 90° |
D3N | Circular | Ø45 mm | 70° |
D5N | Circular | Ø1.58" | 90° |
D6N | Circular | Ø1.90" | 90° |
D7N | Circular | Ø2.05" | 90° |
D1T | Circular | Ø1.50" | 60° |
D3T | Circular | Ø1.65" | 90° |
D1Y | Circular | Ø107 mm | 60° |
D2Y | Circular | Ø2.32" | 50° |
D3Y | Circular | Ø1.75" | 90° |
D4Y | Circular | Ø56 mm | 60° |
D5Y | Circular | Ø46 mm | 60° |
D6Y | Circular | Ø41.9 mm | 45° |
D1Z | Circular | Ø54 mm | 60° |
D2Z | Circular | Ø57 mm | 60° |
D3Z | Circular | Ø54 mm | 45° |
![Mating Circular Dovetails](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/TabImages/D1N_Body_Dovetail_A3-200.jpg)
Click to Enlarge
This photo shows the male D1N dovetail on the trinoculars next to the female D1N dovetail on the epi-illumination arm.
![Mating Linear Dovetails](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/TabImages/Linear_Microscope_Dovetail_A1-200.jpg)
Click to Enlarge
This photo shows the male 95 mm dovetail on the microscope body and the female 95 mm dovetail on the CSA1002 Fixed Arm.
Introduction to Microscope Dovetails
Dovetails are used for mechanical mating and optical port alignment of microscope components. Components are connected by inserting one dovetail into another, then tightening one or more locking setscrews on the female dovetail. Dovetails come in two shapes: linear and circular. Linear dovetails allow the mating components to slide before being locked down, providing flexible positioning options while limiting unneeded degrees of freedom. Circular dovetails align optical ports on different components, maintaining a single optical axis with minimal user intervention.
Thorlabs manufactures many components which use dovetails to mate with our own components or those of other manufacturers. To make it easier to identify dovetail compatibility, we have developed a set of dovetail designations. The naming convention of these designations is used only by Thorlabs and not other microscope manufacturers. The table to the right lists all the dovetails Thorlabs makes, along with their key dimensions.
In the case of Thorlabs’ Cerna® microscopes, different dovetail types are used on different sections of the microscope to ensure that only compatible components can be mated. For example, our WFA2002 Epi-Illuminator Module has a male D1N dovetail that mates with the female D1N dovetail on the microscope body's epi-illumination arm, while the CSS2001 XY Microscopy Stage has a female D1Y dovetail that mates with the male D1Y dovetail on the CSA1051 Mounting Arm.
To learn which dovetail type(s) are on a particular component, consult its mechanical drawing, available by clicking on the red Docs icon () below. For adapters with a female dovetail, the drawing also indicates the size of the hex key needed for the locking setscrew(s). It is important to note that mechanical compatibility does not ensure optical compatibility. Information on optical compatibility is available from Thorlabs' web presentations.
For customers interested in machining their own dovetails, the table to the right gives the outer diameter and angle (as defined by the drawings below) of each Thorlabs dovetail designation. However, the dovetail's height must be determined by the user, and for circular dovetails, the user must also determine the inner diameter and bore diameter. These quantities can vary for dovetails of the same type. One can use the intended mating part to verify compatibility.
In order to reduce wear and simplify connections, dovetails are often machined with chamfers, recesses, and other mechanical features. Some examples of these variations are shown by the drawings below.
![Male Microscope Dovetails](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/TabImages/Male_Dovetail_Examples_D1-400.gif)
Click to Enlarge
Two examples of how circular male dovetails can be manufactured.
![Female Microscope Dovetails](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/TabImages/Female_Dovetail_Examples_D1-400.gif)
Click to Enlarge
Two examples of how circular female dovetails can be manufactured.
Standard Mechanical Interfaces on DIY Cerna® Components
The table below gives the dovetail, optical component threads, and cage system interfaces that are present on each DIY Cerna component. If a DIY Cerna component does not have one of the standard interfaces in the table, it is not listed here. Please note that mechanical compatibility does not ensure optical compatibility. Information on optical compatibility is available from Thorlabs' web presentations.
Item # | Microscope Dovetails | Optical Component Threadsa | Cage Systemsb | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
95 mm | D1N | D2N | D2NB | D3N | D5N | D1T | D3T | D1Y | D5Y | C-Mountc (1.00"-32) |
SM1d (1.035"-40) |
SM30 (M30.5x0.5) |
SM2e (2.035"-40) |
30 mmd | 60 mme | |
2CM1 | Internal & External | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
2CM2 | Internal & External | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
BSA2000f | Female | |||||||||||||||
CEA1350 | Male | Female | Yes | |||||||||||||
CEA1400 | Male | Female | Yes | |||||||||||||
CEA1500 | Male | Female | Yes | |||||||||||||
CEA1600 | Male | Female | Yes | |||||||||||||
CFB1500 | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSA1000 | Female | |||||||||||||||
CSA1001 | Female | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
CSA1002 | Female | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
CSA1003 | Female | Yes | ||||||||||||||
CSA1051 | Female | Male | ||||||||||||||
CSA1200f,g | Yes | |||||||||||||||
CSA1400f | Female | Yes | ||||||||||||||
CSA1500f,h | ||||||||||||||||
CSA2000f | Female | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
CSA2001 | Female | External | ||||||||||||||
CSA2100f | Internal | Yes | ||||||||||||||
CSA3000(/M) | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSA3010(/M) | Male | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||
Item # | 95 mm | D1N | D2N | D2NB | D3N | D5N | D1T | D3T | D1Y | D5Y | C-Mount | SM1 | SM30 | SM2 | 30 mm | 60 mm |
CSC1001 | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSC1002 | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSC1003 | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSC2001 | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSD1001 | Male & Female | Female | ||||||||||||||
CSD1002 | Male & Female | External | ||||||||||||||
CSE2000 | Male & Female | Yes | ||||||||||||||
CSE2100 | Male & Female | Female | Internal | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
CSE2200 | Male & Female | Female | Internal | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||
CSN100f,i | Yes | |||||||||||||||
CSN200i | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSN210i | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSN500j | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSN510k | Male | |||||||||||||||
CSN1201g,i | ||||||||||||||||
CSN1202g,j | ||||||||||||||||
CSS2001 | Female | |||||||||||||||
LAURE1 | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||
LAURE2 | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||
LCPN1 | Male | Internal | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
LCPN2 | Male | Internal | Yes | Yes | ||||||||||||
LCPN3 | Male | Female | Internal | Yes | ||||||||||||
Item # | 95 mm | D1N | D2N | D2NB | D3N | D5N | D1T | D3T | D1Y | D5Y | C-Mount | SM1 | SM30 | SM2 | 30 mm | 60 mm |
OPX2400(/M) | Male & Female | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
SM1A58 | Male | Male | Internal | External | Yes | |||||||||||
SM2A56 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
TC1X | Male | |||||||||||||||
WFA0150 | Female | |||||||||||||||
WFA1000 | Yes | |||||||||||||||
WFA1010 | Internal | Yes | ||||||||||||||
WFA1020 | Internal | Yes | ||||||||||||||
WFA1051 | Internal | Yes | ||||||||||||||
WFA1100 | Yes | |||||||||||||||
WFA2001 | Male & Female | Internal & External | ||||||||||||||
WFA2002 | Male & Female | Internal | Yes | |||||||||||||
WFA4001 | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||
WFA4002 | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||
WFA4003 | Male | Female | ||||||||||||||
WFA4100 | Male | External | Internal | |||||||||||||
WFA4101 | Male | External | Internal | |||||||||||||
WFA4102 | Male | External | Internal | |||||||||||||
WFA4105 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4106 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4107 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4108 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4109 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4110 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4111 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
WFA4112 | Male | External | ||||||||||||||
Item # | 95 mm | D1N | D2N | D2NB | D3N | D5N | D1T | D3T | D1Y | D5Y | C-Mount | SM1 | SM30 | SM2 | 30 mm | 60 mm |
Female | ||||||||||||||||
Female | ||||||||||||||||
Female | ||||||||||||||||
Female | ||||||||||||||||
XT95P12(/M) | Female | |||||||||||||||
ZFM1020 | Female | |||||||||||||||
ZFM1030 | Female | |||||||||||||||
ZFM2020 | Female | |||||||||||||||
ZFM2030 | Female |
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![LCPN2 Adapter Attached to Trinocular Port](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Nikon_Trinoc_Adapter_A2-200.jpg)
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LCPN2 Adapter Attached to Epi-Illuminator Module of Upright Nikon Eclipse Microscope
![LCPN1 adapter attached to Nikon Condenser](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Nikon_Condenser_Adapter_A1-200.jpg)
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LCPN1 Attached to Condenser Holder of Nikon Eclipse Ti Microscope
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![LCPN2 Adapter Attached to Trinocular Port](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Olympus_Trinoc_Adapter_A1-175.jpg)
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LCPY2 Adapter Attached to Exposed Trinocular Port of Olympus IX71
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![SM2Z2 Adapter Attached to Zeiss Axio Observer Trinocular Port](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Zeiss_Trinoc_Adapter_A1-200.jpg)
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SM2Z1 Adapter Attached to Exposed Trinocular Port
![SM2Z1 Adapter attached to Zeiss Axio Condenser](https://punchout.webdev02.thorlabs.com/images/tabimages/Zeiss_Condenser_Adapter_A1-200.jpg)
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SM2Z1 Adapter Attached to Condenser Holder of Zeiss Axio Observer