Multifocal Spectrometer Objective Lens Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multifocal spectrometric measurement devices face a trade-off between measurement sensitivity and observable area size, limiting their ability to perform high-sensitivity simultaneous multi-sample measurements due to the constraints of numerical aperture and magnification in objective lenses.
Innovation Solution
The device employs multiple objective light-condensing sections and spectrograph-side light-condensing sections, allowing independent optimization of numerical aperture and magnification, enabling high-sensitivity measurements across a larger area without restrictions on magnification or numerical aperture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a single objective lens is used to increase the observable area, then the observable area increases, but the measurement sensitivity decreases due to reduced numerical aperture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single objective lens into multiple objective lenses (first objective lens and second objective lens), where each lens is dedicated to a specific observation area. This segmentation allows each lens to maintain a high numerical aperture for sensitive measurements while collectively covering a larger observable area through multiple observation points.
2Measurement precision
If the numerical aperture of the objective lens is increased to improve signal light collection, then the measurement sensitivity improves, but the magnification increases which reduces the observable area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the observation function into multiple objective lenses, each optimized with high numerical aperture for maximum signal light collection. By distributing the observation across multiple lenses rather than using one lens with compromised parameters, the system achieves both high sensitivity and extended observable area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the observation in a dimensional sense by using multiple objective lenses positioned at different locations, effectively transforming a single-point observation system into a multi-point parallel observation system, thereby increasing the total observable area without sacrificing the numerical aperture of individual lenses.
3Productivity
If multiple observation areas are measured simultaneously, then the productivity increases, but the device complexity increases due to multiple optical paths
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the optical paths of multiple observation areas into a single spectrograph through a beam combining mechanism. The first and second observation areas are optically combined so that their respective light fluxes are superimposed and directed to a common spectrograph, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining simultaneous multi-point measurement capability.
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 enhances signal light collection efficiency, allows for efficient signal light introduction to spectrographs, and increases the number of measurement points, overcoming the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
a first objective lens facing a first observation area in the sample, and a second objective lens facing a second observation area in the sample... Each of the plurality of objective lenses is arranged so as to face one observation area
Implementation Method 2
a spectrograph for dispersing a light flux incident from each of the plurality of spectrograph input sections into a spectrum
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~4B
Figure 5~6
AI summary
Provided is a multifocal spectrometric device capable of simultaneously performing a measurement of a plurality of sample with high sensitivity, with no restriction on the magnification. A multifocal spectrometric device 10 is a device in which beams of signal light emitted from a plurality of predetermined observation areas on samples S placed in a sample placement section (sample holder 13) are introduced into a spectrograph and thereby dispersed into spectra, the device including: a plurality of objective lenses (objective light-condensing sections) 111 individually located at positions which respectively and optically face the plurality of observation areas; and spectrograph input sections 151 provided in such a manner that each of the plurality of objective lenses 111 has one corresponding spectrograph input section 151, for introducing signal light passing through the corresponding objective lenses 111 into the spectrograph 17. Since each objective lens 111 only needs to observe one observation area, both the magnification and the numerical aperture NA can be simultaneously increased. Consequently, the proportion of the amount of light collected with the objective lens 111 to the entire amount of signal light emitted from the sample S within each observation area becomes high, and the measurement accuracy also becomes high.