Immersion Microscope Objective for Deep Tissue Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microscope objectives for multi-photon excitation, particularly in the infrared region, face challenges in achieving high numerical aperture, long working distance, and effective aberration correction, especially for deep tissue imaging in biological samples with significant scattering characteristics.
Innovation Solution
The immersion microscope objective is designed with a specific lens configuration comprising a first lens group with positive refractive power, a second lens group that changes divergent light to convergent, and a third lens group with negative refractive power, utilizing cemented lenses and meniscus lenses to optimize refractive indices and dispersions, satisfying conditional expressions to correct chromatic and high-order aberrations across a wide infrared range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the numerical aperture is increased to improve imaging performance and reduce light spot size, then the imaging performance is improved, but the working distance decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The objective lens is divided into multiple lens groups (first through fourth lens groups) with different functions. The first lens group handles initial convergence, the second group corrects aberrations, the third group provides additional correction, and the fourth group focuses the light. This segmentation allows each group to be optimized for its specific function, enabling high numerical aperture while maintaining working distance through coordinated design of all groups.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the wavelength is increased to reduce Rayleigh scattering and enable deeper tissue penetration, then the scattering is reduced, but the chromatic aberration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite lens structures including cemented lenses combining different glass materials (positive lenses with negative lenses). These composite structures are specifically designed to correct chromatic aberrations in the infrared wavelength range (700-1300 nm). The different glass materials have complementary dispersion properties that, when combined, reduce chromatic aberration while allowing operation at longer wavelengths for deeper tissue penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific optical parameters including the refractive indices and Abbe numbers of the lens materials, the curvatures of lens surfaces, and the spacing between lens groups. By carefully controlling these parameters, the objective achieves superior chromatic aberration correction across the infrared spectrum, enabling use of longer wavelengths for reduced scattering while maintaining imaging quality.
3Measurement precision
If the numerical aperture is increased to improve light spot density, then the multi-photon excitation efficiency is improved, but the depth of penetration into scattering samples decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The four-lens-group configuration allows progressive focusing and aberration correction throughout the optical path. This segmentation enables the system to maintain high light spot density at the focal point while extending the depth of penetration into scattering biological samples, as each lens group contributes to both focusing efficiency and aberration correction over the extended optical path.
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 configuration enables a microscope objective with a large numerical aperture, long working distance, and effective aberration correction, particularly in the infrared region, allowing for deeper tissue penetration and improved imaging performance.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a negative refractive power
Implementation Method 2
the cemented lens includes a positive lens and a meniscus lens
Implementation Method 3
the microscope objective is sought to have a large numerical aperture and a superior imaging performance. If the imaging performance is superior, a light spot in which, various aberrations have been corrected favorably, is formed at the focal position
Implementation Method 4
in the object-side lens group, a surface nearest to an image side is a concave surface which is directed toward the image side, and in the image-side lens group, a surface nearest to the object side is a concave surface which is directed toward the object side
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion microscope objective includes a first lens group having a positive refractive power, a second lens group having a positive refractive power, and a third lens group having a negative refractive power. The first lens group includes a cemented lens of a positive lens and a meniscus lens, and at least one positive single lens, the second lens group changes a divergent light beam to a convergent light beam, and the third lens group includes an object-side lens group and an image-side lens group disposed concave surfaces are face-to-face sandwiching one air space. There is a plurality of lenses having a positive refractive power, and at least one lens having a positive refractive power out of the plurality of lenses having a positive refractive power has a cemented surface which is cemented to a lens having a negative refractive power.