9011 - Compound optical microscopes, including those for photomicrography, cinemicrography or microprojection; parts and accessories thereof:

Heading 9011 encompasses compound optical microscopes, which are instruments utilizing lenses to magnify small objects or details for observation. This category specifically includes microscopes designed for photomicrography (capturing still images), cinemicrography (capturing moving images), or microprojection (projecting magnified images onto a screen). Crucially, it covers the complete microscope systems as well as their associated parts and accessories, provided they are intended for use with these types of microscopes.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings at the HTS Root level is straightforward. Unlike the primary agricultural products found in Chapters 1-20, Heading 9011 falls within Section XVIII, which is dedicated to precision instruments and apparatus. Therefore, there are no direct siblings within the same chapter or section that would be confused with compound optical microscopes. The scope is strictly limited to optical magnification devices for scientific and observational purposes.

Within Heading 9011, further subdivisions clarify the specific types of microscopes and their components. Subheadings distinguish between stereoscopic microscopes (9011.10), which provide a three-dimensional view, and other microscopes for specialized imaging purposes like photomicrography or microprojection (9011.20). A general subheading for "Other microscopes" (9011.80.00.00) captures any compound optical microscopes not otherwise specified, while 9011.90.00.00 is reserved for all parts and accessories exclusively designed for microscopes classified under this heading.