Liquid Crystal Phase Modulation for Laser Microscope Aberration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical microscopy systems face challenges in automatically correcting aberrations caused by variations in cover glass thickness and specimen depth, leading to reduced resolution and cumbersome manual adjustment processes, particularly in confocal laser microscopes.
Innovation Solution
A phase modulation device using a liquid crystal element with a control circuit to adjust phase modulation profiles, allowing for electrical compensation of aberrations without manual intervention, by applying voltages to annular electrodes based on calculated phase distributions that minimize aberration correction amounts and optimize objective lens positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a correction ring is used to compensate for aberrations, then aberration correction is achieved, but manual adjustment is required which is cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical correction ring with a liquid crystal element that can be controlled electrically. The liquid crystal element modulates the phase of light to compensate for aberrations without requiring mechanical rotation or manual adjustment, thus eliminating the cumbersome operation while maintaining correction precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control parameter from mechanical rotation angle to electrical voltage. By applying different voltage levels to the liquid crystal element, the phase modulation can be adjusted continuously to compensate for various aberration conditions, providing both precision and ease of operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If manual adjustment of correction ring is performed, then aberration compensation is achieved, but time is consumed and fluorescent pigment may fade
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated electrical control. The liquid crystal element can be programmed or automatically adjusted to compensate for aberrations, eliminating the need for manual intervention and the associated time loss and fluorescent pigment fading.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent can pre-program the liquid crystal element with aberration correction data or automatically determine the required phase modulation before imaging begins. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming manual adjustment during the imaging process.
3Manufacturing precision
If wave front conversion element is used to compensate for aberrations, then imaging performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the aberration correction function into the existing optical path using a liquid crystal element that can serve multiple purposes. The same element used for phase modulation also performs aberration correction, reducing the need for separate dedicated components and thus lowering overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the electro-optic properties of liquid crystals to achieve aberration correction through parameter changes in the light wave phase, rather than adding complex mechanical or optical components. This approach improves imaging performance while keeping the device relatively simple.
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 solution enables automatic optimization of objective lens positioning, enhances imaging resolution, and reduces the complexity of aberration correction, allowing for high-performance imaging without the need for manual adjustment of correction rings or wave front conversion elements.
Implementation Method 1
a phase modulation device 3 configured such that a liquid crystal element 11 is disposed at a pupil position of the objective lens 4, and voltages to be applied to annular electrodes 33, 33a, and 33b are controlled by a control circuit 12, thereby a phase modulation profile for compensating aberrations of the objective lens 4 is displayed on the liquid crystal element 11
Implementation Method 2
Liquid crystal molecules 34 are homogeneously aligned. When a voltage is applied between the electrodes provided in the two substrates for sandwiching the liquid crystal molecules therebetween, the major axis direction of the liquid crystal molecules is inclined from a state in parallel to the substrates toward a direction orthogonal to the surfaces of the substrates
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A phase modulation device (3) corrects wave front aberrations generated by an optical system including an objective lens (4) disposed on an optical path of a light flux of coherent light to be emitted from a coherent light source (1). The phase modulation device (3) includes a phase modulation element (11) which includes a plurality of electrodes, and modulates the phase of the light flux in accordance with a voltage applied to each of the electrodes, and a control circuit (12) which controls the voltage to be applied to each of the electrodes. The control circuit controls the voltage to be applied to each of the electrodes in such a manner that the light flux is imparted with a phase modulation amount in accordance with a phase modulation profile having a polarity opposite to the polarity of a phase distribution to be determined according to a relational equation representing a relationship between a numerical aperture of the objective lens (4) and a ratio between third-order spherical aberration and fifth-order spherical aberration when the phase distribution of the wave front aberrations generated by the optical system is resolved using Zernike polynomials.