Axially Movable Concave-Convex Lens for Rapid Microscope Focus Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscope objective focus change methods are limited by vibration transmission, slow speed, complex optical arrangements, and aberration issues, especially at high numerical apertures, making it difficult to quickly change focus over a large range while maintaining image quality.
Innovation Solution
An axially movable concave-convex lens or lens group with a specific form factor is positioned behind a frontal optical component, allowing for quick focus changes within the microscope objective without vibrations, while minimizing aberrations through careful selection of focal lengths and air spaces, ensuring preserved image quality and color correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the entire microscope objective is moved to change focus, then focus can be changed, but vibrations are transmitted to the sample and the speed is limited by the high mass of the objective
Solution Approach 1:
The microscope objective is divided into a stationary housing and a movable internal lens group. Only the necessary optical components (concave-convex lens or lens group) are made movable to change focus, while the heavy objective housing remains stationary. This segmentation allows fast focus adjustment without moving the entire objective, eliminating vibrations transmitted to the sample.
2Reliability
If multiple lenses are moved in correction objectives to correct aberrations, then image quality is maintained, but the coupled movements cannot be carried out very quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using a specifically designed concave-convex lens or lens group with optimized curvature radii and positioning. This single movable element is designed to simultaneously achieve focus adjustment and aberration correction, eliminating the need for multiple coupled lens movements. The local optimization of this specific lens group allows both fast response and high image quality.
3Speed
If lenses are moved axially in the inside of the objective to change focus, then focus can be adjusted, but strong aberrations are produced at high numerical aperture that require additional corrective lens movements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by carefully optimizing the curvature radii (r1, r2), thickness (d), and refractive index of the concave-convex lens. These parameter optimizations ensure that the lens produces minimal aberrations when moved axially. The specific mathematical relationships between curvature radii and other optical parameters are designed to compensate for spherical and chromatic aberrations, allowing fast focus adjustment without significant image quality degradation.
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
Enables rapid focus changes over a large focal range (>100 focal depths) with minimal aberrations, maintaining image quality and allowing integration into existing microscope objectives with minimal modifications, while avoiding the need for complex optical adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
at least one optical component or one component group can also move axially in the interior of the microscope objective
Implementation Method 2
the axially movable component or the component group consists of a concave-convex (crescent-shaped) lens or lens group oriented toward the object plane, with a form factor of: X = c1/c2
Data Source
AI summary
A plan apochromat corrected microscope objective including multiple subsystems with optical components and/or component groups, wherein an optical component or a component group can move axially in the interior of the microscope objective. The axially movable component or the component group includes a concave-convex lens or lens group oriented toward the object plane, with a form factor of:X=c1+c2c1-c2wherein X is the form factor, c1 is the curvature of the surface oriented in the direction of the object plane, and c2 is the curvature of the surface oriented in the direction of the image plane, of the axially movable lens or lens group, X lying within a range from −8<X<−1.