Non-concentric Reflective Microscope Objective Lens Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microscope objective lenses, particularly the Schwarzschild-Cassegrain design, face limitations such as center obscuration, poor off-axis contrast, limited field-of-view, interference from support structures, and quasi-Bessel beam shapes, which restrict their utility in high-resolution microscopic imaging across the UV-IR range.
Innovation Solution
A non-concentric reflective microscope objective lens design featuring a concave mirror system with a convex mirror and a primary concave mirror arranged to direct light along a non-concentric path, enhancing transmission efficiency, damage threshold, and eliminating group delay dispersion, thereby enabling high-resolution imaging from UV to IR without chromatic aberrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a Schwarzschild-Cassegrain reflective objective is used, then chromatic aberrations are eliminated and UV-IR range is covered, but center obscuration reduces transmission and creates poor off-axis contrast
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a non-concentric optical design where the first and second mirrors are positioned asymmetrically relative to each other, breaking the rotational symmetry of traditional Schwarzschild-Cassegrain objectives. This asymmetric arrangement eliminates the center obscuration problem while maintaining the reflective architecture's advantage of broadband UV-IR coverage without chromatic aberrations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from the conventional coaxial optical path to a non-concentric three-dimensional arrangement of mirrors. By positioning the mirrors in a non-concentric configuration, the optical path is redirected to eliminate central obscuration while preserving the focusing capability and spectral range advantages of reflective design.
2Reliability
If a Schwarzschild-Cassegrain design is used, then reflective focusing is achieved, but support spider arms create interference patterns and limit field-of-view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional support spider arms from the optical path by adopting a non-concentric mirror arrangement. The asymmetric positioning of mirrors allows the support structures to be placed outside the optical path, eliminating the interference patterns they would otherwise create while maintaining structural support for the mirrors.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional reflective objective is used, then broadband imaging is enabled, but the focal volume is elongated and resolution is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The non-concentric asymmetric arrangement of mirrors in the patent creates a more compact and symmetric focal volume compared to traditional reflective objectives. This asymmetric design corrects the elongated focal volume issue while maintaining the broadband UV-IR imaging capability, thereby improving spatial resolution across the entire spectral range.
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 new design significantly improves transmission efficiency, withstands higher laser powers, and allows for the use of ultrashort pulses without temporal broadening, providing near-diffraction limited performance across the UV-IR range, addressing the limitations of traditional refractive and reflective objectives.
Implementation Method 1
The reflective objective lens includes a concave mirror system that reflects incoming radiation, a convex mirror in optical communication with the concave mirror system, and a primary concave mirror in optical communication with the convex mirror
Data Source
AI summary
A reflective microscope objective lens includes a concave mirror system that reflects incoming radiation, a convex mirror in optical communication with the concave mirror system, and a primary concave mirror in optical communication with the convex mirror. The concave mirror system includes a first concave mirror. The primary concave mirror focuses outgoing radiation onto a focal plane wherein the concave mirror system. Characteristically, the convex mirror and the primary concave mirror are arranged to direct light along a non-concentric path.