Light Sheet Microscope Adjustable Divergence Angle Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In light sheet microscopes, areas where light is obstructed or difficult to transmit result in shadow bands, making even illumination challenging, and existing technologies struggle to minimize these shadows while maintaining adequate illumination energy.
Innovation Solution
A light sheet microscope with an illumination optical system that adjusts the divergence or convergence angle of the light sheet, using a setting changer mechanism to ensure the light sheet is irradiated from a direction perpendicular to the detection optical system, allowing the light to bypass shading portions and maintain even illumination across the sample.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a light sheet is irradiated onto a sample from a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the detection optical system, then high longitudinal resolution and suppressed sample damage are achieved, but shadow bands are formed in areas where light is obstructed or difficult to transmit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the light sheet angle adjustable rather than fixed. The illumination optical system is designed to change the angle of the light sheet relative to the detection optical axis, allowing the system to adapt between perpendicular irradiation (for high resolution) and angled irradiation (for reduced shadow bands) depending on the specific imaging requirements and sample characteristics.
2Measurement precision
If the light sheet angle is fixed perpendicular to the detection optical axis, then high longitudinal resolution is achieved, but shadow bands are formed and illumination evenness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic adjustability of the light sheet angle through the illumination optical system, enabling operators to optimize between longitudinal resolution and illumination evenness based on the specific sample and imaging conditions, rather than being constrained to a fixed perpendicular angle.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a wobble plate or swing mirror is used to irradiate light at different angles, then shadow bands are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the universality principle by designing an illumination optical system that can perform multiple functions: it can illuminate samples at various angles and also adjust the light sheet properties. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate wobble plates or swing mirrors, reducing device complexity while achieving the same effect of reducing shadow bands through angle variation.
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 reduces shadow bands and ensures even illumination of the sample, while minimizing the reduction in illumination energy, allowing for high-quality imaging of uniformly illuminated samples.
Implementation Method 1
an illumination optical system that irradiates a light sheet onto a sample from a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of a detection optical system
Data Source
AI summary
A light sheet microscope includes an illumination optical system that irradiates a light sheet onto a sample and a setting changer that changes a setting of a divergence angle or convergence angle relating to a width direction of the light sheet emitted from the illumination optical system.