ibidi Material Specifications:
Choosing the Right Coverslip and Surface

Polymer or glass coverslip bottom—all ibidi labware is designed and optimized for both cell culture and high-quality microscopy.

Whether you select a polymer coverslip or a glass coverslip, you can rely on excellent optical performance and compatibility with a wide range of microscopy techniques. The main differences lie in the coatings and surface treatments, which are tailored to optimize cell adhesion, growth, and imaging.

On this page, you’ll find a clear comparison of the specifications and unique advantages of each option—helping you choose the best material for your specific research needs.

Quick Comparison of ibidi Bottoms

Choosing between polymer and glass coverslip bottoms depends on the requirements of your experiment:



#1.5 ibidi
Polymer Coverslip


#1.5H ibidi
Glass Coverslip


#1.5 glass
coverslip*


Standard
glass slide**

Standard polystyrene plates
& dishes

Bottom thickness180 µm
(+10/–5 µm)
170 µm
(+/–5 µm)
170 µm
(+20/–10 µm)
1000 µm
(+/–50 µm)
500–1000 µm
Bottom materialPolymerD 263 M Schott high precision glassD 263 M Schott high precision glassSoda-lime glassPolymer
ApplicationsInverted high-resolution brightfield and fluorescence microscopy, live cell imagingInverted high-resolution, TIRF, super-resolution, live cell imagingInverted high-resolution brightfield and fluorescence microscopy, live cell imagingUpright
microscopy
Low-resolution routine microscopy


The ibidi µ-Slides, µ-Dishes, and µ-Plates are available with either a #1.5 ibidi Polymer Coverslip or a #1.5H Glass Coverslip bottom—both offering excellent optical clarity for standard microscopy techniques such as brightfield, phase contrast, and confocal microscopy. The tissue culture-treated ibiTreat Polymer Coverslip supports the growth of most cell types without any need for additional coatings and eases the use in cell microscopy.

While differences between the ibidi Polymer and Glass Coverslips are minimal in standard microscopy workflows, the choice of material can significantly affect advanced techniques such as TIRF and super-resolution microscopy.
For detailed optical specs, refer to our surface material guide below or evaluate the different coverslip materials through our Free Sample Program.


ibidi Surfaces and Coatings

The ibidi Polymer Coverslip provides optimal growth conditions for various cell-based assays and cell types and is available with different treatments or coatings (ibiTreat, Bioinert, Collagen IV, Poly-L-Lysine). You can find more information about the coatings in our Coating Guide. The glass coverslip is available as an untreated/uncoated version.


surfaces_polymer_72.jpg

ibidi Polymer Coverslip

Available with different surfaces and coatings.

ibiTreat (Tissue Culture-Treated)

ibiTreat (Tissue Culture-Treated) Surface
Excellent adhesion of adherent cells, ideal for culture of adherent cells

Hydrophobic, Uncoated

Hydrophobic, Untreated
Surface

Weak adhesion of adherent cells, ideal for application of specific coatings

Bioinert

Bioinert Surface
No adhesion of adherent cells, ideal for culture of spheroids and suspension cells


µ-Pattern

µ-Patterned Surface
Spatially defined adhesion of adherent cells on spots, different spot geometries available


Coated Surface

Coated Surface
For culture of adherent cells on a Collagen I, IV or Poly-L-Lysine surface


surfaces_glass_72.jpg

Glass Coverslip

Untreated and uncoated.

Glass Surface

Glass Surface
Adhesion of adherent cells (coating might be required), special microscopy applications

Microscopy Compatibility of Different Bottoms

Choosing the right coverslip bottom ensures optimal imaging quality for your experiment:



#1.5 ibidi
Polymer Coverslip



#1.5H ibidi
Glass Coverslip



#1.5 glass*
coverslip



Standard
glass slide**

Standard polystyrene plates & dishes

Brightfield Microscopy++++++++++
Phase Contrast++++++++++
Differential Interference Contrast (DIC)++++++++-
Widefield Fluorescence++++++++-
Confocal Fluorescence++++++++-
Two-Photon and Mulitphoton Microscopy++++++++-
Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP)++++++++-
Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)++++++++-
Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM)++++++++-
Lightsheet Fluorescence Microscopy (LSFM, SPIM)++++++++-
Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF)+++++-
Super-Resolution Microscopy+++++-


++ = excellent / fully compatible, + = usable with limitations, − = not recommended

Optical Properties and Further Specifications of Different Bottoms

Optical specifications of the chosen material are crucial for the outcome of your experiment, especially for advanced microscopy applications:



#1.5 ibidi
Polymer Coverslip



#1.5H ibidi
Glass Coverslip



#1.5 glass
coverslip*



Standard
glass slide**

Standard polystyrene plates & dishes

Bottom thickness180 µm (+10/–5 µm)170 µm (+/–5 µm)170 µm (+20/–10 µm)1000 µm (+/–50 µm)500–1000 µm
Bottom materialPolymerD 263 M Schott high precision glassD 263 M Schott high precision glassSoda-lime glassPolymer
Refractive index
(nD 589 nm)
1.521.521.521.521.58
Abbe number5655556431
AutofluorescenceNoNoNoNoVery high
TransmissionVery high
(even ultraviolet)
High
(ultraviolet restrictions)
High
(ultraviolet restrictions)
High
(ultraviolet restrictions)
High
(ultraviolet restrictions)
Gas permeabilityYesNoNoNoYes
Material flexibilityHighLowLowVery lowHigh
BreakableNoYesYesYesNo
Compatibility with protein coatingsYesYesYesYesYes
Birefringence (DIC)Low
(DIC-compatible)
Low
(DIC-compatible)
Low
(DIC-compatible)
Low
(DIC-compatible)
Very high
Immersion oil compatibilityYes (compatibility list)YesYesYesNo
Correct thickness for high-resolution microscopy objective lensesYesYesYesNo
(Yes, if mounted with a standard glass coverslip)
No


* The Glass Bottom Dish 35 mm is produced by using a standard #1.5 glass coverslip with a thickness of 170 µm (+20 µm/–10 µm). This glass bottom material fulfills the needs of all standard applications where a cost-effective coverslip is required.

** With the 3 Well | 8 Well | 12 Well Chamber Slide, removable, ibidi provides self-adhesive, removable silicone chambers that are mounted on a standard glass slide. They are suitable for upright and inverted microscopy (after mounting with a coverslip) and enable long-term storage of samples after immunofluorescence staining.