Distance determination of a sample plane in a microscope system

Abstract

A distance determination system for a microscope system for coarse focus setting is introduced and includes a sample stage with a placement surface for holding a sample carrier which is displaceable along at least one direction of extent of a sample plane; an overview camera with a non-telecentric objective for producing digital images, directed at the sample stage; and an evaluation unit, which includes a storage system storing at least two recorded digital images of the sample stage at different viewing angles; a trained machine-learning-based system for identifying corresponding structuresof a sample carrier that has been placed into the sample stage in the two recorded digital images; and a distance determination unit, which is adapted for determining the distance of a reference pointof the sample carrier from a reference point of the overview camera based on the different viewing angles onto the sample stage, a pixel distance of the two recorded digital images with respect to one another using the associated corresponding structures contained in the recorded images.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to microscope systems and in particular to a distance determination system for a microscope system with a coarse focus setting, a corresponding method and a computer program product. Background technique [0002] Modern high-performance microscopes are used in more and more sectors of industry to analyze small structures. The inspection process in question is usually carried out manually, but in some cases is fully automated. Ergonomic requirements for microscope systems are constantly increasing. In many cases, a combination of optics and electronics is used today to observe small structures, not only by optical means, but often image sensors (e.g. in the form of image area sensors) are used to directly further process the observed electronically structures (such as samples more likely in the medical or biological domain) and store or display them on large monitors. In the case of conventional structures such...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This could be due to an unknown base thickness of the sample carrier, the use of different stage inserts with different heights, or an imprecise alignment in the z-direction (direction of the optical axis from the microscope objective to the sample)

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