Leica TCS SP8 Quick Start Manual

Leica TCS SP8

Quick Start Guide

Leica TCS SP8 System Overview

Start-Up Procedure

1. Turn on the CTR Control Box, EL6000 fluorescent light source for the

microscope stand.

2. Turn on the Scanner Power (1) on the front of the Compact Supply Unit (CSU)

3. Turn on the Laser Power (2)

4. Enable the lasers by turning the key

from the Off position to the On
position (3).

5. Turn on Workstation and Monitor

6. Log into user profile

7. Double click on the LAS X icon to start the software.

8. Select Machine for the Configuration and DMi8 for the Microscope. (the

simulator is used to view and analyze images and not acquistition)

10. Click OK to start the initialization of

the LAS AF (Leica Application Suite
for Advanced Fluorescence)

11. A message will appear asking whether you want to initialize the stage. Initializing
the stage is required to activate the Tiling and Mark & Find features in the software.

If you select yes, the stage is going to
move to all 4 corners to calibrate the
position of the stage.

Make sure there is nothing on the
stage that will hit the condenser
before you select yes!

Shut-Down Procedure

1. Turn off the lasers in the software

2. Lower the objective to the lowest position, remove specimen and clean all of the
objectives

3. Save all unsaved data and exit LAS X.

NOTE: Do not turn off scanner and/or CTR control box for the microscope before the
software is closed

4. Turn off the switches on the front of the laser supply unit in the reverse order (#3-#1)
of start-up (ie. turn key off, then turn off Laser Power and then turn off Scanner
Power)

5. Turn off microscope control box

The LAS X software will open in the Acquiretab. There are 3 portions to this window:

Scan Parameters Light Path Image

Turning on the Lasers:

1. Click on the “+” in the Laser Lines Box in the Beam Path Settings Window to directly
open the main Laser Control Window

2. Activate the lasers you require

NOTE: Only turn on the laser(s) with the appropriate laser line(s) that will excite

the fluorophores you are using

3. Alternatively, click on the Configuration tab and the Laser icon to open the main
Laser Control Window

Additional Tools in the Configuration Tab…

1. Customize the USB Control Panel - assign various parameter and sensitivities to

the various knobs of the control panel

Save and Load the customized settings

Alternatively , click on the Control
Panel Icon in the Beam Path Settings
Window as a short cut to the USB
Control Panel Window

2. Specifications of the Objectives equipped on the microscope

Additional Tools in the Configuration Tab Continued…

3. Dye Database with the excitation and emission spectra of common fluorochromes

Emission spectrum from a lambda scan can be added to the dye database.

Many manufacturer’s will also provide the data for fluorophores that can added to
the database (see LAS AF Help)

Another great resource is the Leica FluoScout
interactive tool

http://www.leica-microsystems.com/fluoscout/