Microscope Attachment Element for Large Sample Scanning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Prior art optical devices, such as light-sheet microscopes, are not suitable for scanning large samples due to the perpendicular orientation of illumination and detection assemblies, which limits mechanical positioning and sample examination.
Innovation Solution
An optical device with an attachment element that allows portions of the illumination and detection paths to extend, enabling flexible orientation and spacing of optics, and includes a deflecting element to reduce the angle between illumination and detection assemblies, allowing for scanning of large samples without disturbing the immersion medium.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the illumination assembly and detection assembly are oriented perpendicularly to each other, then the optical device can be compact, but the mechanical positioning movement of the sample is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The optical device is divided into separate functional modules: illumination assembly, detection assembly, and attachment element. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and facilitates flexible positioning and mechanical movement of the sample relative to these modules.
Solution Approach 2:
An attachment element is introduced as an intermediary component between the illumination and detection assemblies. This attachment element provides a mounting interface that enables flexible positioning and movement capabilities while maintaining the perpendicular optical configuration.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the illumination assembly limits mechanical positioning movement, then the optical configuration is stable, but large samples cannot be scanned
Solution Approach 1:
The solution extends the scanning capability to multiple dimensions by enabling movement in directions not constrained by the perpendicular optical configuration. The attachment element facilitates positioning along multiple axes, allowing large samples to be scanned while maintaining the stable perpendicular illumination-detection geometry.
3Ease of operation
If expensive optical assemblies are immersed in the sample medium, then illumination and detection can be performed, but the optical assemblies are vulnerable to damage and contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The expensive optical assemblies (illumination and detection components) are extracted from the sample medium environment. Instead of immersing these sensitive components in the sample, the patent positions them outside the medium and uses optical paths that extend into the sample through the attachment element, thereby protecting the optics from damage and contamination while maintaining full illumination and detection functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical device for illuminating a sample located in a sample volume with illumination light and for detecting scattered and/or fluorescent light from the sample includes an optical illumination assembly, an optical detection assembly and at least one attachment element. The optical illumination assembly is configured to transmit the illumination light along an illumination path into the sample volume. The optical detection assembly is configured to collect and relay the scattered and/or fluorescent light from the sample volume along a detection path. At least portions of the illumination path and/or of the detection path extend in the at least one attachment element.