Adaptive Phase-Modulated Microscopy for Specimen Aberration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical microscopes face challenges in maintaining high image quality due to aberrations caused by specimen surface distortion and 3-dimensional non-uniformity of refractive index, leading to decreased imaging performance.
Innovation Solution
A microscope system equipped with a phase modulation element that measures and corrects specimen-induced aberrations by calculating and applying a phase distribution model to illumination and signal light, allowing for high-resolution imaging with reduced aberration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a phase modulation element is used to correct aberration, then imaging quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically measures the phase distribution of the specimen and calculates the correction amount without requiring manual intervention or pre-programming. The phase modulation element self-adjusts based on real-time measurement data, enabling the system to correct aberrations autonomously and reducing the need for complex manual calibration procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The invention dynamically changes the phase distribution parameters of the illumination light by adjusting the phase modulation element according to measured specimen characteristics. This allows the system to adapt to different specimen types and aberration conditions, improving imaging quality across diverse applications without requiring multiple fixed-configured devices
2Measurement precision
If multiple sampling points are measured to accurately capture phase distribution, then aberration correction accuracy is improved, but observation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the specimen into multiple sampling points to measure phase distribution at different locations. By segmenting the measurement process into discrete points that can be processed independently, the system achieves comprehensive aberration correction while managing measurement time through efficient point selection and parallel processing capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The system measures phase distribution at a predetermined number of sampling points, which may be more than strictly necessary for basic correction. This partial sampling approach provides sufficient accuracy for most applications while avoiding the time cost of measuring every possible point, achieving a practical balance between correction accuracy and observation time
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enables high-resolution imaging with reduced aberration and decreased phototoxicity to the specimen, while minimizing observation time and specimen damage.
Implementation Method 1
a phase modulation element that is provided in at least one of the light transmitting optical system and the light receiving optical system and that is configured to add a predetermined phase distribution to the illumination light or the signal light
Implementation Method 2
a light transmitting optical system configured to irradiate a specimen with illumination light from a light source
Implementation Method 3
an objective lens having a high numerical aperture and that has a focal length of 5 mm or more
Data Source
AI summary
A microscope includes light-transmitting-optical-system that irradiates specimen with illumination-light, light-receiving-optical-system that receives signal-light emitted from the specimen, phase-modulation-element that adds predetermined phase distribution to the illumination-light or the signal-light, phase-distribution-measuring-unit that measures first phase distribution, which corresponds to specimen-induced aberration at sampling point of the specimen, at each of a plurality of the sampling points, phase-distribution-calculation-unit that creates phase-data-model showing an amount of phase change which the illumination-light or the signal-light receives when the illumination-light or the signal-light passes through predetermined position in the specimen based on the plurality of first phase distributions, and calculates a second phase distribution which is added to the illumination-light or the signal-light in order to detect detection point of the specimen in a state in which specimen-induced aberration is reduced based on the phase-data-model, and phase-distribution-setting-unit that sets the second phase distribution to the phase-modulation-element.