Apertureless Confocal Microscopy via Linear Variable Filter
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional confocal microscopes are costly, complex, and bulky due to the need for moving parts and detection apertures, limiting their accessibility and utility in medical and other applications.
Innovation Solution
The development of apertureless confocal microscopy systems that utilize a linear variable filter to allow specific spectral components of light to pass through, eliminating the need for detection apertures and reducing the system's size and cost, while using optical elements like gratings and lenses to achieve confocal optical sectioning without beam scanning devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional confocal microscopes use detection apertures and beam scanning devices, then imaging precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the detection aperture (pinhole) from the conventional confocal microscope system, replacing it with a camera-based detection system. This extraction of the aperture component simplifies the device structure while maintaining confocal imaging capabilities through computational methods and optical sectioning techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical beam scanning devices with a stationary optical system that uses a light source, optical elements, and a camera to achieve scanning and imaging functions. This substitution eliminates moving parts, reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining imaging precision.
2Measurement precision
If conventional confocal microscopes include moving parts and detection apertures, then confocal optical sectioning is achieved, but system size and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the detection aperture component from the system, replacing it with a camera-based detection approach. This reduction in components directly decreases system size while maintaining the confocal optical sectioning capability through alternative optical and computational methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical scanning systems with a stationary optical configuration that achieves scanning functionality through optical elements and camera detection. This substitution eliminates the need for moving parts and large mechanical structures, significantly reducing system volume.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional confocal microscopes use detection apertures, then optical sectioning precision is improved, but manufacturing cost and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the detection aperture component, which is a precision-critical element that increases manufacturing cost and assembly complexity. By extracting this component and replacing it with a camera-based system, the patent reduces manufacturing costs while maintaining optical sectioning precision through alternative optical designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces precision mechanical aperture systems with an optical-camera system that achieves similar precision through optical sectioning and computational methods. This substitution reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while maintaining the required optical sectioning precision.
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
This approach results in a low-cost, compact, and portable confocal microscope that can be used for various applications, including medical imaging and fingerprint recognition, with improved clinical utility and reduced assembly complexity.
Implementation Method 1
a linear variable filter configured to allow a second set of spectral components of the reflected light to pass through
Implementation Method 2
a diffraction grating configured to disperse a light beam into a set of spectral components
Implementation Method 3
an objective lens configured to focus light beams to a specific depth in a sample
Implementation Method 4
a laser light source
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, devices and systems for confocal microscopy of human tissues or other samples are described that can be manufactured at a low cost, and are small and portable. One apertureless confocal microscope includes a dispersion element that produces output beams having different spectral components for illumination of a target, such as a tissue. The confocal microscope also includes one or more lenses that receive reflected beams from the target and focus the reflected beams onto a linear variable filter. The linear variable filter is positioned to receive the focused light to allow a particular range of spectral components of light to pass through the linear variable filter that is a function of a spatial location of the focused light incident on the linear variable filter. The described confocal microscopes, among other features and benefits, can greatly facilitate disease diagnosis in medical applications.