Microscope Beam Deflector Coupling for Optical Tweezers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing scanning microscopy devices require complex and costly synchronization of two beam deflectors to maintain a constant beam angle between manipulation and illumination light beams, limiting flexibility and increasing operational effort.
Innovation Solution
A device that couples the manipulation light beam into the illumination beam path using a beam deflector and primary beam splitter, allowing for spatial and functional separation, enabling flexible object manipulation by adjusting the beam angle and spectral characteristics independently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If two beam deflectors are used to control manipulation and illumination light beams separately, then object manipulation and illumination can be performed simultaneously, but the device complexity increases and synchronization becomes time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control of manipulation light beam and illumination light beam into a single beam deflector. The beam deflector is configured to deflect both light beams simultaneously, eliminating the need for two separate beam deflectors and their complex synchronization mechanisms, while still enabling independent control of both beams for simultaneous manipulation and illumination functions
Solution Approach 2:
The single beam deflector is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls both the manipulation light beam and the illumination light beam. This multi-functional design allows one component to replace what would traditionally require two separate components, reducing device complexity while maintaining full operational capability
2Device complexity
If the primary beam splitter is used to merge manipulation and illumination light beams, then the construction is simpler, but the spectral selection is limited to a narrowly delimited range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beam merging function from the primary beam splitter and assigns it to a separate coupling device positioned in the illumination beam path. This separation allows the primary beam splitter to maintain its original spectral filtering function while the coupling device handles beam merging with greater spectral flexibility, removing the constraint of narrowly delimited spectral ranges
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling device acts as an intermediary component between the manipulation light beam and the illumination beam path. It mediates the merging of these beams without being constrained by the spectral characteristics of the primary beam splitter, thereby enabling wide-range spectral selection while maintaining simple construction
3Manufacturing precision
If two beam deflectors are synchronized to maintain constant beam angle, then beam alignment precision is improved, but the operational effort and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the control function into a single beam deflector, the patent eliminates the synchronization requirement between two deflectors. The single deflector inherently maintains constant beam angle relationships without requiring complex synchronization mechanisms, thereby improving ease of operation while preserving alignment precision
Solution Approach 2:
The single beam deflector system is self-regulating in terms of beam angle maintenance. It automatically maintains the correct geometric relationships between manipulation and illumination beams through its inherent design, without requiring external synchronization control or additional operational effort to coordinate multiple deflectors
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 simplifies construction and reduces adjustment effort, providing flexible and reliable object manipulation by decoupling the manipulation light beam from the beam deflector and primary beam splitter, allowing for wide-range spectral selection and adjustable beam angles.
Implementation Method 1
The focus of the illumination light beam is moved in an object plane with the help of a controllable beam deflector, generally by tipping two mirrors
Implementation Method 2
the primary beam splitter is implemented such that the illumination light is largely reflected, whereas the reflection light and/or fluorescent light largely passes the primary beam splitter
Implementation Method 3
objects or object regions are illuminated with focused infrared light, as a result of which individual particles of the objects or object region, respectively, are captured in the proximity of the manipulation focus, and can then be moved in unison with the focus
Implementation Method 4
If an object region is impinged upon by a pulsed focused UV light, biological material can be cut or perforated as a result of the high energy density of UV light
Data Source
AI summary
A device for examining and manipulating microscopic objects with a microscope having a light source that serves to illuminate the object, and which generates an illumination light beam that runs along and illumination beam path, that can be guided over or through the object by means of a beam deflector, with a detector to detect light emitted from the object that runs along the detection beam path, with a primary beam splitter, and with a light source, which generates a manipulation light beam that runs along an illumination beam path, that serves to manipulate the object.