Optical arrangement for the production of a light-sheet

Abstract

The invention is directed to an optical arrangement with a light source for emitting a light bundle and with optical elements for transforming this light bundle into the shape of a light sheet, particularly suitable for illuminating individual planes of a three-dimensional specimen in selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM). According to the invention, means are provided for varying the cross section of the light sheet, for varying the length of the light sheet and / or for influencing the direction in which individual beam components extending within the light sheet are directed to the specimen substance. This makes it possible to adapt the geometry of the light sheet to the illumination requirements for observing one and the same specimen plane with a plurality of different objectives and, if required, to reduce shadows occurring within the observed specimen plane as a result of the illumination.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissue of U.S. Pat. No. 7,787,179. The reissue applications are U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 600,663 (now abandoned), filed on Aug. 31, 2012, which is a reissue patent application of U.S. Pat. No. 7,787,179, filed as U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 946,232 on Nov. 28, 2007; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 932,475 (the present application), filed on Jul. 1, 2013, which is a divisional reissue patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 600,663.[0002]This application claims priority of German Application No. 10 2007 015 08.8, filed Mar. 29, 2007, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]a) Field of the Invention[0004]The invention is directed to an optical arrangement with a light source for emitting a light bundle and with optical elements for transforming this light bundle into the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides an optical arrangement for generating a light sheet that allows for better observation of specimens with a plurality of objectives. The arrangement prevents shadows and reduces the impact of illumination on the specimen. The light source comprises an array of laser light sources and a cylindrical lens or GRIN lens extending over the entire array, which collimates optics. The width and thickness of the light sheet are determined by the emitted aperture of the light sources and the focal lengths of the collimating and cylindrical optics. The spatial arrangement of the laser light sources ensures that every light source illuminates the specimen at a different angle, which prevents shadows and reduces the impact of illumination on the specimen.

Problems solved by technology

This circumstance is particularly disadvantageous when one and the same plane of a specimen is to be imaged successively in time with different objectives whose optical imaging characteristics differ from one another.

Another disadvantage in the arrangements mentioned above is that the light sheet that is generated with them has a Gaussian intensity profile in cross section so that a uniform illumination of the specimen plane being examined is impossible.

This has the disadvantage that shadows result within the plane of the specimen being examined because of portions of the specimen substance which are not transparent for the illumination light and which lie in the illumination direction.

However, again, the geometry of the light sheet cannot be varied.

However, again the geometry of this light sheet can not be varied, specifically with respect to its thickness and length, so that an optimal illumination through the specimen plane to be examined is also impossible in this case when using different objectives whose optical characteristics differ from one another.

All of the arrangements mentioned above have the disadvantage of unwanted shadows within the plane of the specimen being examined which are caused by portions of the specimen substance in the illumination direction which are not transparent for the illumination light.

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