A new automatic microscope for nuclear emulsion analysis

The OPERA neutrino experiment, based on the use of a massive nuclear emulsion detector, requires the development of a new generation of fast automatic microscopes for emulsion scanning and image analysis to reconstruct tracks of elementary particles. The ongoing progress in the technology of image acquisition and analysis (CCD and CMOS cameras, frame grabbers, very fast processors), as well as in mechanics and optics, allow the realization of systems with high performance. R&D programs are going on in Japan and in Europe. The prototype of automatic microscope realized in the framework of the European R&D program is presently under test. Together with the presentʹs achievements, we report about the perspectives for a further increase in scanning speed.