Scanner module for use with a microscope, as well as microscope with a scanner module

Abstract

The present invention relates to a scanner module (1) for use with a microscope. The scanner module (1) is formed in at least two parts and has two or more movable mirrors. The scanner module (1) has a first assembly (20) with at least one receptacle for an optical element (5) and a second assembly (21) detachably fastened to the first assembly (20) with at least the two or more movable mirrors. The invention also relates to a microscope that uses such a scanner module (1).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a scanner module for use with a microscope. The present invention also relates to a microscope that uses a scanner module according to the invention.

[0002] Fluorescence microscopy is an established tool in numerous fields of research, including biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and medicine. Scanning fluorescence microscopy applications often use scanner modules with movable mirrors to scan a sample using illuminating light from a light source.

[0003] For example, the article by BINGEN, Pit [et al.]: "Parallelized STED fluorescence nanoscopy." In: Optics Express, Vol. 19, 2011, No. 24, pp. 23716-23726. ISSN 1094-4087 (E). DOI: 10.1364 / OE.19.023716 , describes a parallelized STED microscope in which a sample is scanned with four pairs of excitation and STED light beams. A quad scanner with four movable mirrors is used for scanning.

[0004] DE 20 2023 105 334 U1 describes a module with variable optical path length for defining an optical path from an input to an output.

[0005] DE 10 2010 027 720 A1 describes devices for detecting a force acting on an object caught in optical tweezers or for detecting a change in position of an object illuminated by a light beam.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide a scanner module with improved maintainability.

[0007] This object is achieved by a scanner module having the features of claim 1 and by a microscope having the features of claim 10. Preferred embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a scanner module for use with a microscope is formed in at least two parts and has two or more movable mirrors. The scanner module comprises a first assembly with at least one receptacle for an optical element and a second assembly, detachably attached to the first assembly, with at least the two or more movable mirrors. The second assembly has two legs, to each of which at least one mirror is attached. The legs either form a single component or are separate components that can be individually detached from the first assembly.

[0009] In the solution according to the invention, the movable mirrors are mounted in such a way that an assembly can be dismantled together with the mirrors without having to dismantle other elements that define an optical path. After dismantling this assembly, all movable mirrors can be inspected or cleaned. After maintenance, the assembly can be reinstalled as a unit without having to readjust optical elements. Only the mirrors or mirror modules themselves may need to be adjusted in one degree of rotational freedom after assembly, for example if the mirrors have been completely removed, so that they are aligned in their zero position such that they guide a light beam along a defined optical axis of the system. In the case of simple inspection and cleaning, even this is generally not necessary.

[0010] According to the invention, the second assembly has two legs, each of which has at least one mirror attached. The legs can be separate components that can be individually detached from the first assembly. Alternatively, the legs can also form a single, fixed component. The mirrors attached to one leg preferably have parallel axes of rotation or tilt. The axes of rotation or tilt for mirrors with different deflection directions are preferably perpendicular to each other.

[0011] According to one aspect of the invention, the connection between the first assembly and the second assembly is positively connected. The shape of the assemblies ensures that movement of the second assembly in at least one direction, preferably in two directions, is blocked. The positive connection has the particular advantage of ensuring reliable alignment of the assemblies with respect to one another and thus of the mirrors in the optical beam path.

[0012] According to one aspect of the invention, the connection between the first assembly and the second assembly is tight, which reduces the risk of contamination of the mirrors during operation.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, the scanner module has three or four movable mirrors. In this way, a deflection of a light beam in two directions can be realized. Preferably, four mirrors are used, two for each deflection direction. The use of two mirrors for one deflection direction has the particular advantage that deflection can be achieved in such a way that the deflected light beam is guided centrally through the pupils of the microscope's beam path for all deflection angles, even if no movable mirror is placed in a pupil of the microscope's beam path for the respective deflection direction. The mirrors for one deflection direction preferably have parallel axes of rotation or tilt axes.

[0014] According to one aspect of the invention, the two or more movable mirrors are motor-adjustable mirrors or resonant mirrors. Combinations are of course also possible. For example, two mirrors for deflection in one direction, i.e., a first direction, can be attached to one leg, and a single mirror for deflection in another direction, i.e., a second direction, can be attached to the other leg. In particular, when the scanner module is used in a microscope, the mirror that serves as a single movable mirror for deflection in the second direction can then be placed in a pupil of the microscope's beam path. In particular, when a single movable mirror serves for deflection in one direction, this one mirror can be resonant, whereas the other two mirrors can be motor-adjustable.Two mirrors can also be attached to each leg, preferably all of which are motor-adjustable. A combination of two motor-adjustable mirrors and two resonant mirrors is also possible.

[0015] According to one aspect of the invention, drives or shafts of the mirrors are mounted in openings in the second assembly. The design of the openings ensures that the rotational or tilting axes of the mirrors are correctly aligned. The terms "rotational axis" and "tilting axis" are to be understood as synonymous in the context of this application.

[0016] According to one aspect of the invention, the openings are closed by covers, which can advantageously be dustproof. Alternatively or additionally, the covers can also be light-tight to prevent light from entering or escaping. A light-tight cover can advantageously also be laser-safe.

[0017] According to one aspect of the invention, the second assembly comprises alignment elements or adjustment elements for drives or shafts of the mirrors. For example, the mirrors, including their drive, can be pushed into the second assembly from the outside up to a stop. Aligning the mirrors is then limited to rotation about the axis so that the mirrors have a zero position that is as correctly aligned as possible. Instead of a fixed stop, an adjustment element can be provided with which the position of the mirror can be adjusted in the direction of the rotation axis or tilt axis. With an appropriate design of the mirror units, it is also possible, especially in conjunction with two individual legs, for the mirrors to be pushed in from the inside.

[0018] According to one aspect of the invention, the scanner module is designed such that the two or more movable mirrors are located in a completely enclosed space before or after the scanner module is installed in the microscope. This has the advantage that the mirrors are protected from dust or other contaminants. Further preferably, the components enclosing the space are laser-safe, so that the scanner module is laser-safe in the sense that, when the scanner module is used in a microscope, laser light can only exit through the provided light path openings, even in the event of a malfunction.

[0019] According to one aspect of the invention, the first assembly has at least one receptacle for an adjustment device. The adjustment device can be used, for example, to check confocality. For example, light from a light source of the adjustment device can be coupled into a desired beam path. Light from a beam path can also be coupled into the adjustment device.

[0020] According to one aspect of the invention, cable holders for connecting cables of the motor-adjustable and / or resonant mirrors are attached to the second assembly. These cable holders provide strain relief, ensuring secure contact of the connecting cables with the drives or circuit boards of the adjustable mirrors.

[0021] According to one aspect of the invention, the scanner module has a cover that protects, for example, the drives or circuit boards of the adjustable mirrors from contact or damage. Alternatively or additionally, the cover can provide or enhance laser safety.

[0022] According to the invention, a microscope uses a scanner module according to the invention. The microscope can be, in particular, a laser scanning microscope, e.g., a confocal microscope, a STED microscope, or a MINFLUX microscope. The scanner module according to the invention achieves improved ease of maintenance.

[0023] According to one aspect of the invention, the microscope has an adjustment device arranged in a receptacle of the first assembly. Using the mirrors of the scanner module, light from a light source of the adjustment device can be coupled into a detection beam path of a laser scanning microscope, for example. Furthermore, light from an illumination beam path can be coupled into the adjustment device. Regarding the basic functionality of a corresponding adjustment device, reference is made to US Pat. No. 11,493,744 B2.

[0024] Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the figures. Fig. 1 shows a first assembly of a scanner module according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a second assembly of a scanner module according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a fully assembled scanner module according to the invention; and Fig. 4 shows a microscope with a scanner module according to the invention.

[0025] To better understand the principles of the present invention, embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. It is understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments and that the described features may also be combined or modified without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows an exploded view of a first assembly 20 of a scanner module according to the invention. The first assembly 20 has a receptacle 200 for an optical element 5. The optical element 5 is a lens. The first assembly 20 also has a receptacle 201 for an adjustment device 6, which is connected to a light guide via a coupler. For easy assembly, the adjustment device 6 comprises a base block 60, which can be inserted into the receptacle 201 and screwed to the first assembly 20. The adjustment device 6 can be used, for example, to check confocality. For example, light from a light source of the adjustment device 6 can be coupled into a desired beam path. Likewise, light from a beam path can be coupled into the adjustment device 6.In the example shown, the first assembly 20 is designed such that a space 22 is formed that accommodates the movable mirrors of the scanner module (not shown here). The deflected light can exit the scanner module through an exit opening 202 of the first assembly 20 and a corresponding opening 111 of an adapter 110 (also shown). The adapter 110 makes it possible to connect, specifically screw, the first assembly 20 to an assembly of a microscope, in particular, for example, to a microscope stand. The use of an adapter 110 makes it possible to connect identical scanner modules 1 to different microscope stands by using an adapter matched to the respective microscope stand.

[0027] Fig. Figure 2 shows an exploded view of a second assembly 21 of a scanner module according to the invention. The second assembly 21 has two legs 210, 211, to each of which two movable mirrors 3 are attached. Fig. 2, the legs 210, 211 form a single, fixed component that can be detached from the first assembly as a whole. Alternatively, the legs 210, 211 can be separate components that can be detached individually from the first assembly.

[0028] The movable mirrors 3 can be, for example, motor-adjustable mirrors or resonant mirrors. Combinations are of course also possible. In the example shown, the mirrors 3 attached to a leg 210, 211 have parallel axes of rotation or tilt axes, whereby the axes of rotation or tilt axes for mirrors 3 for different deflection directions are perpendicular to one another. The drives 30 or shafts of the mirrors 3 are attached in openings 212 in the second assembly 21. The openings 212 can be closed by covers 4, which can be, in particular, dust-tight, light-tight, or laser-safe. Cable holders 7 attached to the second assembly 21 for connecting cables of the motor-adjustable mirrors 3 provide strain relief, thus ensuring a secure connection of the connecting cables to terminals 31 of the drives 30 or circuit boards of the adjustable mirrors 3.

[0029] For the assembly of the mirrors 3, the second assembly 21 can have alignment elements or adjustment elements for the drives 30 or shafts of the mirrors 3. In the example shown, the mirrors 3, including their drive 30, can be pushed from the outside into the openings 212 of the second assembly 21 up to a stop. The design of the openings 212 ensures that the axes of rotation or tilt of the mirrors 3 are correctly aligned. Aligning the mirrors 3 is then limited to a rotation about the axis so that the mirrors 3 have a zero position that is as correctly aligned as possible. Instead of a fixed stop, an adjustment element can be provided with which the position of the mirror 3 can be adjusted in the direction of the axis of rotation or tilt axis. With an appropriate design of the mirror units, it is also possible, especially in conjunction with two individual legs 210, 211, for the mirrors 3 to be pushed into the openings 212 from the inside.In the illustrated embodiment, insertion from the inside is not easily possible due to the circuit boards present on the mirror units, which have a larger cross-section than the drives 30.

[0030] Also shown in Fig. 2 is a cover 8 that protects the drives and circuit boards of the adjustable mirrors 3 from contact or damage. Such a cover 3 protects the drives 30 or circuit boards of the adjustable mirrors 3 from contact or damage during operation, can increase or establish laser safety, and can ensure an attractive appearance of the scanner module 1.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows a fully assembled scanner module 1 according to the invention with the cover 8 and the adjustment device 6 installed. The scanner module 1 can be installed as a whole into a microscope. The first assembly 20 and the second assembly 21 are positively connected to one another. The shape of the assemblies 20, 21 ensures that movement of the second assembly 21 in two directions is blocked. The positive connection has the particular advantage of ensuring reliable alignment of the assemblies 20, 21 with respect to one another and thus of the mirrors in the optical beam path. Furthermore, the positive connection is tight, preventing stray light from escaping or entering or dust from entering the space in which the mirrors are located. The receptacles 200, 201 present in the first assembly 20 are closed by the optical element 5 and the adjustment device 6, respectively.

[0032] In the embodiment shown, the first assembly 20 and the second assembly 21 enclose the mirrors essentially on all sides. Once the adjustment device 6 is mounted, the enclosed space, apart from the exit opening 202, is not opened until installation in the microscope, for example, when connecting it to the Fig. 1 with the adapter 110 shown. Of course, the scanner module 1 can also be designed such that the enclosed space, apart from the aforementioned exit opening, actually only arises when installed. For example, the base 203 of the first assembly 20 can be perforated at the bottom. In this case, the enclosed space is only formed when this base 203 is fastened to the microscope stage. On the other hand, the scanner module 1 can be designed such that the first assembly 20 and the second assembly 21 and the mounted adjustment device 6 enclose the mirrors on all sides, by closing the exit opening with an exit window. Furthermore, the scanner module 1 can also be designed without a receptacle for an adjustment device 6 such that a closed space is formed in which the movable mirrors 3 are located.Another possibility is to use the opening 111 of the adapter 110 (see . Fig. 1) with a transparent window so that an enclosed space is created independent of the internal structure of the assembly of a microscope to which the scanner module 1 is connected during installation in the microscope.

[0033] Fig. 4 shows a microscope 10 with a scanner module 1 according to the invention. In this example, the microscope 10 consists of a first microscope assembly 100, a second microscope assembly 150 and the scanner module 1 attached to the second microscope assembly 150 by means of the adapter 110. The microscope 10 shown as an exemplary embodiment is a confocal laser scanning microscope.

[0034] In the example shown, the first microscope assembly 100 of the microscope 10 comprises a detector 101 with a pinhole 102 having an opening 103 arranged in front of it. An optics 104 is configured to focus the light to be detected by the detector 101 onto the opening 103 of the pinhole 102. A light source 107, a laser in the example shown, is configured to provide illumination light 108. The illumination light 108 is directed toward the scanner module 1 via a beam splitter 105. The illumination light 108 is collimated and impinges on the optical element 5, which is mounted on the scanner module 1.

[0035] The second microscope assembly 150 of the microscope 10 comprises a tube lens 151, an objective lens 152, and a sample 153 arranged in front of the objective lens 152. The tube lens 151 collimates the illumination light 108 emerging divergently from the scanner module 1. The objective lens 152 focuses the illumination light 108 into the sample 153. Conversely, the objective lens 152 collimates the detection light 155 emerging from the sample 153, which is caused by the illumination light 108 focused into the sample 153 in the focal region of the illumination light 108 in the sample 153. The detection light 155 is focused by the tube lens 151 into an intermediate image plane within the scanner module 1.

[0036] The detection light 155 enters the first microscope assembly 100 of the microscope in a collimated state, passes through the beam splitter 105, is focused by the optics 104 onto the opening 103 of the pinhole 102, and is detected by the detector 101.

[0037] The scanner module 1 is used to scan the sample 153 arranged in front of the objective lens 152 with the illumination light 108, as well as to descant the light generated by the illumination light 108 in the sample 153, so that the detection light 155 emitted from the focus area of ​​the illumination light 108 is selectively captured by the detector 101, i.e., so that the detection occurs confocally. The illumination light 108 is focused by the optical element 5 of the scanner module 1 into an intermediate image plane within the scanner module 1 and exits the scanner module 1 divergently. When scanning the sample with confocal detection, an exact confocality of the components of the microscope 10 is important, ie an exact coincidence of the focus area of ​​the illumination light 108 focused into the sample 153 and an image of the opening 103 of the pinhole 102 into the sample 153. This confocality can be checked by means of the adjustment device 6.For this purpose, the adjustment device 6 has an integrated photoelectric component that is used as an auxiliary light source and auxiliary detector. By means of the movable mirrors of the scanner module 1, the illumination light 108 is deflected to the auxiliary detector, and its detection aperture is scanned, or the auxiliary light 106 is deflected from the auxiliary light source to the detector 101 by means of the movable mirrors 3 of the scanner module 1, and the opening 103 of the pinhole 102 is scanned. During scanning, an intensity distribution of the auxiliary light 106 registered by the detector 101 is recorded across the various positions of the scanner module 1, i.e., assigned to these various positions of the scanner module 1. With the aid of the auxiliary light source, a scan image of the pinhole 102 is thus recorded. Analogously, the light source 107 can be activated to provide illumination light 108.The photoelectric component of the adjustment device 6 is used as an auxiliary detector. The detection aperture of the auxiliary detector is then scanned with the illumination light 108, whereby a further intensity distribution of the illumination light 108 registered by the auxiliary detector is recorded across the various positions of the scanner module 1. In this step, a scan image of the detection aperture is acquired. Using the two scan images, the confocality of the components of the microscope 10 can be assessed. Further details regarding the functioning of the adjustment device 6 and the microscope 10 can be found, for example, in patent US 11,493,744 B2. List of reference symbols 1 scanner module 3 mirrors 30 drive 31 connection 4 Cover 5 Optical element 6 Adjustment device 60 base block 7 cable holders 8 Cover 10 Microscope 100 First microscope assembly 101 Detector 102 aperture 103 Opening 104 Optics 105 beam splitters 106 Auxiliary light 107 Light source 108 Illumination light 110 adapters 111 Opening 150 Second microscope assembly 151 Tube lens 152 lens 153 Sample 154 Main beam path 155 Detection light 20 First assembly 200 recordings 201 recording 202 Exit opening 203 Base 21 Second assembly 22 Room 210 legs 211 legs 212 Opening

Claims

[1] Scanner module (1) for use with a microscope (10), wherein the scanner module (1) is at least two-part and has two or more movable mirrors (3), comprising: - a first assembly (20) with at least one receptacle (200) for an optical element (5); and - a second assembly (21) detachably attached to the first assembly (20) with at least two or more movable mirrors (3), wherein the second assembly (21) has two legs (210, 211) to which at least one mirror (3) is attached, and wherein the legs (210, 211) form a single component or are separate components that can be detached individually from the first assembly (20). [2] Scanner module (1) according to claim 1, wherein a connection between the first assembly (20) and the second assembly (21) is positively locking. [3] Scanner module (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the scanner module (1) has three or four movable mirrors (3). [4] Scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more of the movable mirrors (3) are motor-adjustable mirrors or resonant mirrors. [5] Scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein drives (30) or shafts of the mirrors (3) are attached in openings (212) of the second assembly (21). [6] Scanner module (1) according to claim 5, wherein the openings (212) are closed by covers (4). [7] Scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second assembly (21) comprises alignment elements or adjustment elements for drives (30) or shafts of the mirrors (3). [8] Scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the scanner module (1) is configured such that the two or more movable mirrors (3) are located in a space (22) before or after the installation of the scanner module (1) in the microscope (10), wherein the space (22) is enclosed on all sides. [9] Scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first assembly (20) has at least one receptacle (201) for an adjustment device (6). [10] Microscope (10) with a scanner module (1) according to one of the preceding claims. [11] Microscope (10) according to claim 10, comprising an adjustment device (6) arranged in a receptacle (201) of a first assembly (20).

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