Confocal Microscope Disk Unit Alignment for Image Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disk-scanning-type confocal microscopes face challenges in acquiring high-definition images while maintaining sufficient illumination intensity and minimizing image shift.
Innovation Solution
A microscope apparatus with a disk unit comprising a first disk with minute openings and a second disk with microlenses, a rotary drive, a beam splitter, an objective lens, and adjustable illumination and installation angles, allowing for precise alignment and adjustment of the optical axis to suppress image shift and ensure adequate illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the incident angle of illumination light is adjusted to improve image definition, then image shift is suppressed, but illumination intensity on the specimen surface is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between multiple disk units with different incident angles based on the observation requirements. The incident angle is made variable by providing multiple disk units that can be switched, allowing optimization between image definition and illumination intensity for different observation conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The incident angle parameter is changed by switching between different disk units. Each disk unit has a specific incident angle designed for optimal performance, and the system selects the appropriate disk unit by changing this parameter to balance image definition and illumination intensity
2Device complexity
If a fixed incident angle is used to simplify the system, then device complexity is reduced, but image shift occurs and image definition deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into multiple independent disk units, each optimized for a specific incident angle. This segmentation allows the complex function of handling multiple angles to be distributed across simpler, identical modular units, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high image definition
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple disk units serve the universal function of beam scanning but with different specialized incident angles. This multi-functionality allows a single standardized disk unit design to handle various observation conditions, simplifying the overall system architecture while achieving high image definition
3Reliability
If the incident angle is increased to improve light passing through pinholes, then signal-to-noise ratio is improved, but image shift increases
Solution Approach 1:
The incident angle is made dynamic through switching between multiple disk units. This allows the system to adapt the incident angle to specific observation needs, improving signal-to-noise ratio when necessary while minimizing image shift for high-precision imaging applications
Data Source
AI summary
A microscope apparatus provided with: a disk unit obtained by integrally forming a pinhole array disk in which pinholes are arranged and a microlens array disk in which microlenses are arranged; a dichroic mirror focusing illumination light that has been transmitted through the microlenses of the disk unit, on the corresponding pinholes and splitting off fluorescence from a specimen that has passed through the pinholes in the reverse direction from the illumination light; an objective lens radiating the illumination light that has passed through the pinholes onto the specimen and focusing the fluorescence from the specimen on the pinholes; an illumination-light-axis adjustment mechanism adjusting the position and the angle of the optical axis of the illumination light; an installation-angle adjustment mechanism adjusting the installation angle of the disk unit; and a unit insertion/removal mechanism removably supporting the disk unit onto the optical axis of the illumination light.