Annular Reflective Focusing Optics Without Dichroic Filters

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing optical systems for confocal microscopy and spectroscopy face challenges in achieving compact size, high numerical aperture, and adaptable working distance while maintaining efficient light collection and detection, often requiring dichroic filters that degrade performance.

Innovation Solution

An optical focusing and collecting system using catoptric and axiconic optics with multiple reflective surfaces along a common axis, shaping, focusing, and returning light beams without the need for dichroic filters, allowing for a compact design with high numerical aperture and adjustable working distance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple lenses are used to approach achromaticity, then chromatic and spherical aberrations are corrected, but the bulk of the optical system increases and transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaberration correctionVSAvoidoptical system bulk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the traditional dioptric system (multiple lenses) with a catoptric system using reflective optical elements. This substitution eliminates chromatic aberration inherently since reflection does not disperse light by wavelength, while also reducing the number of elements needed and minimizing absorption losses associated with multiple lens interfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the optical path configuration by using reflective surfaces with specific geometries (conical, axiconic) to achieve focusing and beam shaping. This parameter change in the optical design approach allows achieving aberration correction without the bulk associated with multiple refractive lenses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple lenses are used to approach achromaticity, then chromatic and spherical aberrations are corrected, but transmission efficiency is reduced due to absorption and reflection at each lens interface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaberration correctionVSAvoidlight transmission efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces refractive lenses with reflective optical elements. Since reflection does not absorb light energy like refraction through multiple lens interfaces, transmission efficiency is significantly improved. The reflective system achieves the same aberration correction function without the energy losses inherent in multi-lens dioptric systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If catoptric optical elements are used to achieve intrinsic achromatism, then chromatic aberration is eliminated, but a dark area appears along the optical axis degrading collection performance

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveachromatismVSAvoidlight collection rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the optical system into multiple reflective portions with different functions: a first portion for beam shaping, a second portion for focusing and collection, and a third portion for returning collected light. This segmentation allows the primary beam to be shaped annularly to avoid the dark area problem while maintaining high collection efficiency across the full angular range.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs asymmetric reflective surfaces including conical and axiconic geometries. These asymmetric shapes enable the primary light beam to be transformed into an annular beam profile, which strategically avoids the optical axis dark area while maximizing the collection solid angle and maintaining isotropic detection performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

4Ease of operation

If a semi-reflective dichroic filter is used to separate optical paths, then primary and secondary light beams are differentiated, but detection performance is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical path separationVSAvoiddetection performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the need for dichroic filters with a purely reflective optical system. By using reflective surfaces with specific geometries, the system inherently separates and manages primary and secondary light paths without requiring semi-reflective filters that would absorb or reflect away valuable photons, thus maintaining high detection performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using a filter to separate beams by wavelength (the conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using geometric optics and beam shaping to separate paths spatially from the beginning. The primary beam is shaped annularly and directed through specific reflective paths, while the secondary beam is collected from all angles including the center, eliminating the need for wavelength-selective filtering.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

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 achieves improved performance by optimizing compactness, light collection efficiency, and detection rates without using dichroic filters, enhancing signal-to-noise ratio and reducing chromatic aberrations.

Implementation Method 1

a first optical shaping portion, adapted to receive the primary light beam on an input surface, and to supply the primary light beam made annular around the main optical axis by an output surface

Methodology Applied