2020-073 – Double-Sided Tape Used for Microscope Slides and Cover Slips

Background When using a microscope to conduct research, it is critical to ensure the coverslip is not incorrectly applied. Challenges associated with a misaligned coverslip may drastically impact the study of a sample. Samples are prone to being damaged when excessive force is used to apply a coverslip, thereby delaying the research prosses. To avoid potential damage, the user must gently apply a specific amount of pressure, to keep the distance between the coverslip and the microscope slide slightly larger than the thickness of the sample. Given the microscopic size of the sample it is a difficult task for inexperienced researchers, due to the small margin for error. Current coverslips do not offer a solution to this problem; thus, there is an unfilled gap in the market to simplify the sample preparation prosses, decrease the overall failure rate, and avoid time-consuming delays. Technology Description Researchers at The University of New Mexico have developed a specially formulated, waterproof and glycerin-resistant double-sided tape, displaying accurate thickness and numbers, for microscopic analysis. By creating an accurate, specifically selected gap between the coverslip and the sample, the tape design allows for a larger margin of error when placing the coverslip into position. Providing the relative thickness alleviates the need for unnecessary force required to achieve the correct gap distance. The tape may be applied to common microscope slides, giving the researchers more flexibility. In addition, the thickness of the tape is designed to be consistent across devices, allowing for reproducible results. Andrew Roerick aroerick@innovations.unm.edu 505-277-0608