Dynamic Detector Tilt for Large Microscope Specimen Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microscopic imaging technologies face challenges in maintaining focus across the width of large specimens, especially when using strip scanning methods, due to non-flat specimen surfaces and varying focus positions between adjacent strips, leading to tiling artifacts and difficulties in stitching images together.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a scanning instrument that dynamically tilts the linear or 2D detector array about the scan direction during scanning, combined with computer-controlled focus adjustments using a piezo positioner, allows for maintaining focus across the width of the scan strip by creating a focus and tilt map before scanning, ensuring accurate alignment of adjacent strips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If strip scanning is used to image large specimens, then the field of view is increased, but focus mismatch and tiling artifacts occur between adjacent strips
Solution Approach 1:
The detector array is made dynamically tiltable about the scan direction during scanning. The tilt angle is adjusted dynamically to match the specimen's tilt angle, allowing the detector plane to remain perpendicular to the optical axis while the specimen plane is tilted. This dynamic adjustment maintains focus consistency across adjacent strips while preserving the large field of view enabled by strip scanning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detector array's orientation parameter (tilt angle) to adapt to the specimen's tilt. By measuring the specimen's tilt angle and adjusting the detector array's tilt accordingly, the system maintains optimal focus across the entire scanned area, eliminating focus mismatch artifacts between adjacent strips while keeping the large field of view.
2Area of stationary object
If the specimen is tilted or non-flat, then imaging of large specimens is enabled, but focus positions vary across the specimen surface
Solution Approach 1:
The detector array's tilt angle is dynamically adjusted during scanning to compensate for specimen tilt or non-flatness. By making the detector plane adaptable through dynamic tilting, the system maintains perpendicularity between the detector and optical axis, ensuring consistent focus positions across the entire specimen area regardless of specimen orientation or surface variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of the specimen's tilt angle or surface topography before scanning. Based on this pre-measured information, the detector array's tilt angle is pre-adjusted to match the specimen's orientation. This preliminary action ensures that focus positions remain accurate across the entire specimen area during the subsequent scanning process.
3Measurement precision
If focus adjustments are made for each tile, then imaging resolution is improved, but the number of focus changes increases tiling artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of making discrete focus adjustments for each tile, the system dynamically tilts the detector array to maintain consistent focus across the entire scanned area. This continuous dynamic adjustment eliminates the need for multiple discrete focus changes, thereby reducing tiling artifacts while preserving high imaging resolution across all tiles.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the focus adjustment function into the detector array's tilt mechanism. By combining the tilt adjustment with the scanning process, the system maintains focus consistency across all tiles simultaneously rather than requiring separate focus adjustments for each tile, thereby reducing tiling artifacts while maintaining high resolution.
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 effectively prevents focus mismatch between adjacent strips, reducing image artifacts and enabling high-quality imaging of large specimens by maintaining consistent focus and tilt throughout the scanning process, even when specimens are not flat or tilted.
Implementation Method 1
a piezo positioner to move the microscope objective along the optical axis
Implementation Method 2
The microscope objective and tube lens form a real image of the specimen on the detector array
Data Source
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AI summary
An instrument and method for scanning a large microscope specimen uses a light source and at least one lens to focus light from the specimen onto a detector array. The specimen holder is located on a scanning stage and the detector array is dynamically tilted about a scan direction during the scan to maintain focus across the width of the scan strip as the scan proceeds. A degree of tilt varies during the scan as is required to maintain lateral focus relative to the detector array.