Dünnschliffe

Dünnschliffe are very thin sections prepared from solid materials for microscopic examination. The term is used in medicine (histology and pathology) and geology (petrography) to describe slices thin enough to transmit light.

In histology and pathology, a tissue sample is fixed, processed through dehydration, cleared, and embedded in paraffin (or plastic). A microtome then cuts very thin sections, typically 3 to 5 micrometers thick, which are placed on glass slides and stained (commonly hematoxylin and eosin) to reveal cellular and tissue structure. These slides are used for routine diagnosis, research, and education. Frozen-section Dünnschliffe may be prepared rapidly during surgery for intraoperative diagnosis using a cryostat, yielding thicker sections but faster results.

In geology and materials science, Dünnschliffe refer to rock or mineral samples that are cut, ground, and polished to a thickness around 30 micrometers. These thin sections are placed on glass slides and observed under a petrographic microscope with transmitted polarized light to identify minerals, textures, grain relationships, and metamorphic or igneous history. The technique enables non-destructive analysis of composition and structure at the microscopic scale.

Quality control, documentation, and standardized thickness are important, since the optical properties depend on thickness and mounting. Limitations include potential artifacts from fixation, embedding, or cutting, which pathologists and geologists must interpret critically.