Immersion Microscope Objective Lens Long Working Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microscope objective lenses have insufficient working distance for observing thick samples, particularly with 2-photon excitation, and struggle to correct various aberrations across a wide wavelength area.
Innovation Solution
An immersion microscope objective lens design comprising a first lens group with a plano convex lens and a meniscus lens, a second lens group with multiple cemented lenses using fluorite and anomalous dispersion glass, and a third lens group with cemented meniscus lenses, optimized to satisfy specific conditional expressions for refractive power and partial dispersion ratios to achieve a long working distance and effective aberration correction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional objective lens design is used, then chromatic aberration is corrected well throughout a very wide wavelength area, but the working distance is insufficient to observe thick samples
Solution Approach 1:
The objective lens is divided into three lens groups with different refractive power characteristics. The first lens group (positive refractive power) handles short wavelength correction, the second lens group (positive refractive power) handles mid wavelength correction, and the third lens group (negative refractive power) handles long wavelength correction. This segmentation allows each group to specialize in correcting specific wavelength ranges while maintaining overall long working distance capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different lens groups are assigned different refractive power characteristics tailored to specific wavelength ranges. The first lens group has higher positive refractive power for short wavelength correction, the second lens group has moderate positive refractive power for mid wavelength correction, and the third lens group has negative refractive power for long wavelength correction. This local optimization of quality characteristics enables simultaneous correction across the entire wavelength spectrum from h-line to t-line while maintaining extended working distance.
2Ease of operation
If the working distance is extended to observe thick samples, then operability is improved, but aberration correction across wide wavelength area becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is segmented into three groups, each optimized for specific wavelength ranges. This segmentation allows the system to maintain aberration correction capability across the entire wavelength spectrum while achieving extended working distance, as each group contributes to correcting specific portions of the aberration profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The conditional expressions define specific parameter ranges for the lens groups: the first lens group has refractive power 0.05-0.20, the second lens group has refractive power 0.03-0.10, and the third lens group has refractive power -0.05 to -0.15. By optimizing these parameters, the system achieves both long working distance and excellent aberration correction across h-line to t-line wavelength range.
3Measurement precision
If multiple cemented lenses are used to correct aberrations, then chromatic aberration correction is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system uses three segmented lens groups with distinct refractive power characteristics. Each group contains cemented lenses configured to correct specific wavelength ranges. This segmentation achieves comprehensive chromatic aberration correction from h-line to t-line while keeping the overall structure organized and manageable through functional division.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lens group serves multiple functions: the first lens group corrects short wavelength aberrations and contributes to overall focusing, the second lens group corrects mid wavelength aberrations and maintains beam quality, and the third lens group corrects long wavelength aberrations and controls field curvature. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated correction elements.
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 design achieves a long working distance and well-corrected aberrations across a wide wavelength area, ensuring excellent image formation performance for thick samples.
Implementation Method 1
a first lens group with positive refractive power, having a cemented lens of a plano convex lens having a plane facing the object and a meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the object
Implementation Method 2
a positive lens and a negative lens which constitute at least one set of cemented lens in the second lens groups satisfy the following conditional expressions: 0.04(p)−θCt(n)hg(p)−θhg(n)
Data Source
AI summary
An immersion microscope objective lens of the present invention has: in order from an object, a first lens group G1 having positive refractive power and having a cemented lens of a plano convex lens having a plane facing the object and a meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the object, and a single meniscus lens having a convex surface facing the object; a second lens group having positive refractive power and having a plurality of cemented lenses; and a third lens group having negative refractive power and having a cemented meniscus lens having a concave surface facing an image, and a cemented meniscus lens having a concave surface facing the object. And the following conditional expressions 0.12<d0/f<0.25, 0.04<θCt(p)−θCt(n)<0.09 and −0.03<θhg(p)−θhg(n)<0.00 are satisfied.