Dry Microscope Objective with Air-Contacting Concave Surfaces
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microscope objectives face challenges in correcting aberrations caused by varying thicknesses of sample holding members, such as cover glasses and petri dishes, particularly in fluorescence observation where high resolution and reduced cell toxicity are required, with existing objectives having insufficient numerical aperture and limited ability to correct spherical and chromatic aberrations.
Innovation Solution
A dry microscope objective with a three-group configuration, including a first lens group with positive power, a moving second lens group, and a third lens group with air-contacting concave surfaces, satisfying specific conditional expressions for numerical aperture, lens intervals, and Abbe number differences to enhance resolution, brightness, and aberration correction across varying sample holding member thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional microscope objective is used, then the structure is simple, but the ability to correct aberrations caused by varying sample holding member thickness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The objective lens is divided into three distinct lens groups (first, second, and third lens groups) with different functions. The first lens group has positive power, the second lens group can move along the optical axis to correct aberrations, and the third lens group includes two concave surfaces that are air-contacting surfaces. This segmentation allows each group to perform its specific function while maintaining overall system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The second lens group is designed to be movable along the optical axis. By moving this lens group, the objective can dynamically adjust to correct spherical aberrations caused by different thicknesses of sample holding members (cover glasses, petri dishes, etc.). This dynamic adjustment capability enables the objective to maintain high imaging performance across varying sample conditions.
2Measurement precision
If the numerical aperture is increased for high-resolution fluorescence observation, then the resolution and brightness improve, but the ability to correct chromatic aberration becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The first lens group is designed with positive power to provide high numerical aperture for resolution, while the third lens group includes two concave surfaces that are air-contacting surfaces specifically positioned to correct chromatic aberrations. Each lens group has localized optical properties optimized for its specific function, allowing the system to achieve both high resolution and effective chromatic aberration correction simultaneously.
3Reliability
If a mechanism for correcting aberrations is added, then the aberration correction capability improves, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The second lens group is designed to be movable along the optical axis, allowing dynamic adjustment to correct spherical aberrations caused by different thicknesses of sample holding members. This movement mechanism enables the objective to adapt to various sample conditions while maintaining ease of operation through automated or semi-automated focus adjustment.
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 objective effectively corrects aberrations, maintains high numerical aperture, and supports high-resolution fluorescence observation with reduced cell toxicity by optimizing lens configurations and movements to adapt to different sample holding member thicknesses, ensuring excellent off-axis performance and manipulability.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens surface that is a lens surface closest to an image in the first lens group, a second lens surface that is a lens surface closest to an object in the second lens group, a third lens surface that is a lens surface closest to an image in the second lens group and a fourth lens surface that is a lens surface closest to an object in the third lens group
Data Source
AI summary
A dry microscope objective includes in order starting from the object side a first lens group having a positive power, that includes single lenses, a second lens group that can move along an optical axis, and a third lens group including two concave surfaces that are air-contacting surfaces adjacent to and facing each other. Only one surface is a concave surface from among four surfaces consisting of a first lens surface, a second lens surface, a third lens surface and a fourth lens surface. The objective satisfies0.66≤NA≤1 (1)0.2<|Δd/r1|<1 (2)where NA is a numerical aperture of the objective, Δd is a sum of a lens interval between the first and second lens surfaces and a lens interval between the third and fourth lens surfaces, and r1 is a curvature radius of the concave surface from among the four surfaces.