SZH High-End Stereo Microscope
In the 1960s, some 70-80% of the microscope market was for biological applications (biological research, medical universities, general high schools, physicians, pharmaceutical companies), with industrial applications accounting for less than 30%. In the 1970s, however, the rise of the semiconductor industry triggered significant change in the microscope market. Stereo microscopes began to be used in the manufacturing industry. For instance, the use of stereo microscopes in wafer and semiconductor inspection as well as semiconductor assembly is now commonplace. The SZH was the first real high-end stereo microscope from Olympus, launched in 1984. It featured a parallel light path and single objective lens design.