Digital micro-mirror array-based parallel confocal microscopy imaging device and method

Abstract

The invention discloses a digital micro-mirror array-based parallel confocal microscopy imaging device and method. A digital micro-mirror device is ingeniously utilized as a beam splitter, and serves as a lighting pinhole and a detection pinhole at the same time, so that a multi-point parallel confocal imaging mode is achieved through combination of a light source, a camera and related optical assemblies. A system can adapt to the imaging requirements of different samples to achieve flexible measurement while a high scanning rate and a high light energy utilization rate are met; and the influence of mechanical vibration is avoided and the stability of the system is improved.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of microscopic imaging, more specifically, to a parallel confocal microscopic imaging device and method based on a digital micromirror array. Background technique [0002] With the development of technology in the past ten years, confocal imaging can balance the advantages and disadvantages of traditional optical microscopy and electron microscopy. It not only has the ability to observe the surface and interior of living cells in real time, but also has a high three-dimensional It is widely used in biomedicine, materials science and other fields. [0003] Traditional confocal imaging is generally carried out by single-point scanning, the scanning speed is slow, the mechanical control for manipulating the movement of the scanning head is complex, and the vibration caused by its own rotation will lead to certain measurement errors. [0004] With the development of confocal technology, single-point confocal sc...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Although the Nipkow disk method can greatly increase the scanning speed, its light energy utilization rate is low, and the rotation of the Nipkow disk will affect the stability and accuracy of the system.

The microlens array method is currently the most widely used method, and its light energy utilization rate has been greatly improved compared with the Nipkow disk, but the manufacturing process of the microlens itself is relatively complicated, and the consistency of the focal length of the lens is difficult to strictly control

Regardless of the Nipkow disk or the microlens array, after they are fabricated, their optical parameters are difficult to change, which means that it is difficult to change the measurement parameters of the confocal detection system based on these two scanning methods

In summary, the above method improves the speed of confocal imaging, but due to the difficulty of manufacturing, the consistency and uniformity of its optical performance cannot be guaranteed, so a large error is introduced in the measurement; and once it is manufactured, the optical parameters cannot be changed , so it is difficult to adapt to different measurement requirements

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