701 results about "Confocal microscopy" patented technology

An apparatus generates femtosecond pulses from laser amplifiers by nonlinear frequency conversion. The implementation of nonlinear frequency-conversion allows the design of highly nonlinear amplifiers at a signal wavelength (SW), while still preserving a high-quality pulse at an approximately frequency-doubled wavelength (FDW). Nonlinear frequency-conversion also allows for limited wavelength tuning of the FDW. As an example, the output from a nonlinear fiber amplifier is frequency-converted. By controlling the polarization state in the nonlinear fiber amplifier and by operating in the soliton-supporting dispersion regime of the host glass, an efficient nonlinear pulse compression for the SW is obtained. The generated pulse width is optimized by utilizing soliton compression in the presence of the Raman-self-frequency shift in the nonlinear fiber amplifier at the SW. High-power pulses are obtained by employing fiber amplifiers with large core-diameters. The efficiency of the nonlinear fiber amplifier is optimized by using a double clad fiber (i.e., a fiber with a double-step refractive index profile) and by pumping light directly into the inner core of this fiber. Periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN) is used for efficient conversion of the SW to a FDW. The quality of the pulses at the FDW can further be improved by nonlinear frequency conversion of the compressed and Raman-shifted signal pulses at the SW. The use of Raman-shifting further increases the tuning range at the FDW. For applications in confocal microscopy, a special linear fiber amplifier is used.

The present invention relates to confocal self-interference microscopy. The confocal self-interference microscopy further includes a first polarizer for polarizing reflected or fluorescent light from a specimen, a first birefringence wave plate for separating the light from the first polarizer into two beams along a polarizing direction, a second polarizer for polarizing the two beams from the first birefringence wave plate, a second birefringence wave plate for separating the two beams from the second polarizer into four beams along the polarizing direction, and a third polarizer for polarizing the four beams from the second birefringence wave plate, in the existing confocal microscopy. Optic-axes of the first and second birefringence wave plates exist on the same plane, optic-axes of the first and second birefringence wave plates are inclined from an optical axis of the entire optical system at a predetermined angle, and self-interference spatial periods of the first and second birefringence wave plates are different from each other.

A calibration device which has at least two targets. Each target has at least one surface exhibiting areas of optical contrast, and each surface has a general plane of orientation. The targets are oriented such that a general plane of orientation of one target is inclined at an angle relative to the general plane of orientation of a surface of the second target which has areas of optical contrast.

A scanning optical microscope including: a light source; a lens for altering the cross-sectional shape aspect ratio of a beam of light emitted from the light source; at least one lens for converging beams of light of different cross-sectional shape aspect ratio to create a linear light; a first light modulation member able to impart shade to the converged linear light; a lens that can form the light to which the shade has been imparted as a parallel light; a scanning member that can alter the angle of illumination; a lens for focusing the light to which the shade has been imparted; an objective lens for projecting the light to which the shading has been imparted to a sample body; and a lens for imaging the reflected light from the sample body or the light generated by the sample body on to a sensor.

A new and improved confocal fluorescence microscope is presented. The new microscope has significant advantages relative to existing implementations of microscope confocal imagers. In common with previous confocal imagers the instant invention has the advantages relative to conventional wide-field and confocal fluorescence imagers, however it addresses the drawbacks of confocal technology in terms of cost and complexity, and provides significant savings in both due to the simplicity of the components and the elimination of the need of, in particular, spatial filters such as pinholes or slits.

When the studied motion is periodic, such as for a beating heart, it is possible to acquire successive sets of two dimensional plus time data slice-sequences at increasing depths over at least one time period which are later rearranged to recover a three dimensional time sequence. Since gating signals are either unavailable or cumbersome to acquire in microscopic organisms, the invention is a method for reconstructing volumes based solely on the information contained in the image sequences. The central part of the algorithm is a least-squares minimization of an objective criterion that depends on the similarity between the data from neighboring depths. Owing to a wavelet-based multiresolution approach, the method is robust to common confocal microscopy artifacts. The method is validated on both simulated data and in-vivo measurements

An improved confocal microscope system is provided which images sections of tissue utilizing heterodyne detection. The system has a synthesized light source for producing a single beam of light of multiple, different wavelengths using multiple laser sources. The beam from the synthesized light source is split into an imaging beam and a reference beam. The phase of the reference beam is then modulated, while confocal optics scan and focus the imaging beam below the surface of the tissue and collect from the tissue returned light of the imaging beam. The returned light of the imaging beam and the modulated reference beam are combined into a return beam, such that they spatially overlap and interact to produce heterodyne components. The return beam is detected by a photodetector which converts the amplitude of the return beam into electrical signals in accordance with the heterodyne components. The signals are demodulated and processed to produce an image of the tissue section on a display. The system enables the numerical aperture of the confocal optics to be reduced without degrading the performance of the system.

A varifocal optical system includes a substantially circular membrane deposited on a substrate, and a ring-shaped PZT thin film deposited on the outer portion of the circular membrane. The membrane may be a MEMS-micromachined membrane, made of thermal oxide, polysilicon, Z_rO₂ and S_iO₂. The membrane is initially in a buckled state, and may function as a mirror or a lens. Application of an electric voltage between an inner and outer electrode on the piezoelectric thin film induces a lateral strain on the PZT thin film, thereby altering the curvature of the membrane, and thus its focal length. Focal length tuning speeds as high as 1 MHz have been demonstrated. Tuning ranges of several hundred microns have been attained. The varifocal optical system can be used in many applications that require rapid focal length tuning, such as optical switching, scanning confocal microscopy, and vibration compensation in optical storage disks.

The invention provides a laser spectrum analyzer combining a confocal micro-Raman spectrometer with a laser-induced breakdown spectrometer (LIBS). The analyzer comprises a micro-Raman system, a micro LIBS system, a high resolution micro-imaging system, a confocal micro-light path, and a spectrum receiving system with a time resolution function, and automatically switches into a white light micro-imaging observation mode, an automatic focusing mode, a LIBS spectrum working mode, and a Raman spectrum working mode. The significant characteristics of the invention are that compact combination of Raman with LIBS is realized by a micro confocal system; qualitative and quantitative analysis of substance elements at the same minimal position and molecular structure is realized; with the high-resolution imaging function, element spatial discrimination and substance structure chemical analysis can be carried out in micrometers so as to obtain complete information of spatial distribution images of chemical elements, substance structure and physical conditions of a sample.

The present invention provides methods and devices for the knowledge-based discovery and optimization of differences between cell types. In particular, the present invention provides visual servoing optical microscopy, as well as analysis methods. The present invention provides means for the close monitoring of hundreds of individual, living cells over time; quantification of dynamic physiological responses in multiple channels; real-time digital image segmentation and analysis; intelligent, repetitive computer-applied cell stress and cell stimulation; and the ability to return to the same field of cells for long-term studies and observation. The present invention further provides means to optimize culture conditions for specific subpopulations of cells.

A method and system for three-dimensional polarization-based confocal microscopy are provided in the present disclosure for analyzing the surface profile of an object. In the present disclosure, a linear-polarizing structured light formed by an optical grating is projected on the object underlying profile measurement. By means of a set of polarizers and steps of shifting the structured light, a series of images with respect to the different image-acquired location associated with the object are obtained using confocal principle. Following this, a plurality of focus indexes respectively corresponding to a plurality of inspected pixels of each image are obtained for forming a focus curve with respect to the measuring depth and obtaining a peak value associated with each depth response curve. Finally, a depth location with respect to the peak value for each depth response curve is obtained for reconstructing the surface profile of the object.

A novel optical ruler based on ultrahigh-resolution colocalization of single fluorescent probes is described. Two unique families of fluorophores are used, namely energy-transfer fluorescent beads and semiconductor nanocrystal (NC) quantum dots, that can be excited by a single laser wavelength but emit at different wavelengths. A novel multicolor sample-scanning confocal microscope was constructed which allows one to image each fluorescent light emitter, free of chromatic aberrations, by scanning the sample with nanometer scale steps using a piezo-scanner. The resulting spots are accurately localized by fitting them to the known shape of the excitation point-spread-function of the microscope.

One embodiment of techniques for confocal microscopy includes illuminating a spot on a surface of a biological sample. A first emission intensity from the spot is detected in a first range of optical properties; and a second emission intensity in a second range. A pixel that corresponds to the spot is colored using a linear combination of the first and second emission intensities. Sometimes, the pixel is colored to approximate a color produced by histology. In some embodiments, a surface of a sample is contacted with a solution of acridine orange. Then, a spot is illuminated with a laser beam of wavelength about 488 nanometers (nm). Fluorescence emission intensity is detected above about 500 nm. Sometimes, a certain illumination correction is applied. In some embodiments, a sample holder that compresses a sample is removable from a stage that is fixed with respect to a focal plane of the microscope.

The invention belongs to the optical precise measurement technical field and relates to an ultra-long focal distance measuring method and a corresponding apparatus used for a differential confocal combined lens. The method firstly adopts the differential confocal focusing theory to respectively define the focus position of a reference lens and the focus position of the combination of measured lens and reference lens; then the distance delta between two focuses and the distance d<0> between two lenses are measured and then the formula is adopted to figure out the focal distance of the measured lens and the sensitivity for focal distance measurement can be simultaneously enhanced with the pupil filtering technique during the measuring process. The invention firstly puts forward the adoption of the features of the corresponding micro-lens focus while the differential confocal response curve passes the zero point so as to extend the differential confocal microscopy theory to the ultra-long focal distance measurement field and form the differential confocal focusing theory. The invention integrates the differential confocal focusing theory and the lens combination so as to get the advantages that the measurement precision is high and the anti-interference capability is strong. The invention can be applied to the detection for the lens with ultra-long focal distance and the high-precise focal distance measurement in the optical system assembling process.

A scanning confocal microscope can provide an image while preventing a decrease in brightness and blurring due to strain caused in optical and mechanical systems by thermal effects in a high-temperature, high-humidity incubation container. This scanning confocal microscope includes an incubation container that has a space in which a specimen is disposed and that can maintain an internal environment thereof at a predetermined temperature and high humidity and an optical system space adjacent to the incubation container and separated therefrom based on humidity. The optical system space accommodates a light-scanning unit and a scanner optical system, an objective lens, a confocal pinhole, and a focus adjustment mechanism. The optical system space further accommodates a temperature-maintaining unit for the optical system space to maintain the optical system space at a temperature substantially equal to the temperature in the incubation container.

Methods and systems for realizing high resolution three-dimensional (3-D) optical imaging using diffraction limited low resolution optical signals. Using axial shift-based signal processing via computer based computation algorithm, three sets of high resolution optical data are determined along the axial (or light beam propagation) direction using low resolution axial data. The three sets of low resolution data are generated by illuminating the 3-D object under observation along its three independent and orthogonal look directions (i.e., x, y, and z) or by physically rotating the object by 90 degrees and also flipping the object by 90 degrees. The three sets of high resolution axial data is combined using a unique mathematical function to interpolate a 3-D image of the test object that is of much higher resolution than the diffraction limited direct measurement 3-D resolution. Confocal microscopy or optical coherence tomography (OCT) are example methods to obtain the axial scan data sets.

The invented confocal microscope includes the light source part, the beam splitter mirror, the object lens, the worktable used for placing the sample, the conjugate diaphragm and the first detector. The beam splitter mirror splits the incident light into the transmission light and the reflected light. The conjugate diaphragm is conjugated with the focus point of the object lens. The light source part generates the coherent light. The microscope also includes the reflector. One of the transmitted light or reflected light through the object lens irradiates the sample. The other light irradiates the reflector. The light reflected from the sample passes the object lens, going to the beam splitter mirror where it meets the light reflected from the reflector so as to form the interference figure output from the conjugate diaphragm.

A confocal microscope comprises a microlens array having a plurality of microlenses for splitting a ray bundle of illumination light into a plurality of convergent partial ray bundles which illuminate a sample simultaneously at several measuring points; a beam splitter for separating a beam path of the illuminating light and a beam path of sample light originating from the illumination of the sample and captured in an inverse direction with regard to the illumination light; a pinhole diaphragm array having a plurality of pinhole diaphragms arranged in the beam path of the sample light and corresponding to said microlenses of said microlens array splitting the illumination light; and a further microlens array having a plurality of microlenses corresponding to said microlenses of said microlens array splitting the illumination light. Said microlenses of said microlens array splitting the illumination light and said microlenses of said further microlens array are arranged in the beam path of the sample light. Said beam splitter is arranged in an area between said microlens array splitting the illumination light and said further microlens array; and said pinhole diaphragms of said pinhole diaphragm array are not arranged in the area between said microlens array splitting the illumination light and said further microlens array.

A method for the acquisition of images by means of confocal microscopy in which a new image is calculated which is constituted by the "maxima" among the corresponding elements of each captured image. The new image contains mainly the signal coming from the most luminous and in focus areas and even the signal coming from the less luminous areas, as being out of focus or laterally displaced with respect to the grid positions. A further image is then calculated which is constituted by the "minima" among the corresponding elements of each captured image and the requested confocal image is then obtained by calculating the difference between the "maxima" image and the "minima" image.

The invention belongs to the technical field of optical precision measurement and relates to a differential confocal lens curvature radius measurement method and a device. The method firstly utilizes the differential confocal focusing principle to respectively determine the positions of a top point and a spherical center of a measured lens and then measures the distance between the two focuses; meanwhile, the curvature radius measurement sensitivity can be improved by the pupil filtering technology during the measurement process. The invention firstly proposes to utilize the characteristic that a differential confocal response curve is corresponding to the top point and the spherical center of the measured lens when passing a zero point to realize the precise focusing, expands the application of differential confocal microscopy principle to the field of curvature radius measurement and forms the differential confocal focusing principle. The invention applies the differential confocal focusing principle and has the advantages of high measurement precision and strong anti-environmental interference ability, thereby being capable of being used in the detection of the lens curvature radius and the high-precision curvature radius measurement during the optical system assembly process.

This invention realizes a three-dimensional confocal microscope in which mechanical vibrations do not occur in the scanning unit for scanning in the direction of optical axis, and in which scanning in the direction of optical axis can be carried out at a high speed. This invention has the following features. In the confocal microscope having a confocal scanner attached to an optical microscope and constructed to enable acquisition of an image of a sample as a confocal image by the confocal scanner, a variable-focus lens of surface tension control type having no moving part is uses as the field lens.

In a scanned-spot-array lithography system, a modulated array of radiant-energy source spots is imaged by a projection lens onto a printing surface, which is scanned in synchronization with the spot modulation to print a synthesized, high-resolution raster image. Similarly, in a scanned-spot-array microscopy system, an array of radiant-energy source spots is imaged by a projection lens onto an inspection surface, and radiation reflected from or transmitted through the image spots is collected and detected to acquire a synthesized, high-resolution raster image of the surface. In either case, the spot-generation optics can be configured to counterbalance and neutralize imperfect imaging characteristics of the projection lens, enabling perfectly flat-field, distortion-free, and aberration-free point imaging of the entire spot array. The spot-generation optics can also be further configured to achieve narrow-band achromatization of the optical system, and to optimally control the intensity and polarization characteristics of the image-plane radiation.