Differential Phase Contrast Microscope for Fast 3D Surface Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fluorescence microscopy requires a staining process that can distort biological tissues and reduce time efficiency, while current differential phase contrast imaging is time-consuming for 3D volume imaging.
Innovation Solution
A microscope with oblique plane microscopy (OPM) technology that tilts the focal plane for differential phase contrast imaging, using multiple light sources and cameras to capture images without staining, and includes tilt correction units to correct focal plane tilts, allowing for high-contrast imaging of large areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If fluorescence microscopy with staining process is used, then cell structures can be visualized with high contrast, but the staining process distorts biological tissues and reduces time efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the staining process from the imaging workflow by using differential phase contrast imaging technology. This allows direct visualization of cell structures through optical phase differences without introducing any staining agents that would distort the biological tissues, thereby resolving the contradiction between visualization accuracy and tissue integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical staining mechanism with an optical detection mechanism. Instead of using chemical dyes to create contrast, the system uses differential phase contrast imaging to detect optical phase differences caused by variations in cell structure density and composition, substituting chemical interaction with optical measurement to avoid tissue distortion.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If differential phase contrast imaging is used to avoid staining, then tissue integrity is maintained, but time is spent photographing multiple images in horizontal direction for 3D volume imaging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces oblique plane microscopy technology that tilts the focal plane at a predetermined angle, adding a dimensional transformation to the imaging process. This allows the system to capture 3D volume information by photographing along an oblique direction rather than requiring multiple horizontal scans, significantly reducing imaging time while maintaining tissue integrity through non-staining differential phase contrast.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic scanning in the horizontal direction to photograph the tilted focal plane, enabling rapid acquisition of 3D volume data. The dynamic scanning approach allows the system to efficiently capture multiple planes along the oblique direction, reducing the total imaging time compared to traditional methods while maintaining the benefits of stain-free imaging.
3Productivity
If focal plane is tilted for large area imaging, then imaging efficiency is improved, but focal plane tilt causes image distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a tilt correction unit that pre-compensates for the focal plane tilt before image capture. The tilt correction unit adjusts the optical path to counteract the intended tilt, ensuring that the captured images remain geometrically accurate while still benefiting from the improved imaging efficiency of oblique plane microscopy for large area samples.
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 high-contrast imaging of large 3D surfaces without staining, increasing time efficiency and accuracy by correcting focal plane tilts, and allowing for universal imaging of various cells.
Implementation Method 1
a light source unit for radiating light to the sample, an objective lens for obtaining transmitted light from the sample
Implementation Method 2
a tilt correction unit for correcting a tilt of the focal plane, wherein the tilt correction unit includes a correction mirror and a signal transmission objective lens
Data Source
AI summary
Proposed is a microscope enabling differential phase contrast imaging of oblique focal plane and a method for operating the same, which can image a large area 3D surface by scanning and photographing in a horizontal direction a focal plane tilted by applying an oblique plane microscopy (OPM) technology that tilts a focal plane of a photographing area of a microscope. The microscope includes a sample photographing module for photographing a sample and an imaging generator for generating a sample imaging on the basis of an image of the sample photographed in the sample photographing module, wherein the sample photographing module includes a light source unit for radiating light to the sample, an objective lens for obtaining transmitted light from the sample, and an imaging information acquisition unit for obtaining imaging information of the sample through the transmitted light.