Optical Resolution Improvement Apparatus for Live Cell Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical microscopes and electron microscopes face limitations in achieving high resolution for measuring distances and observing live cells due to diffraction limits and the need for conductive coatings, which can damage cells, and existing methods like probe microscopes have slow processing speeds and usability issues.
Innovation Solution
An optical resolution improvement apparatus using DSB modulated light beams with slight frequency differences, scanned by a two-dimensional scanning optical element, and detected by photo detectors to achieve high resolution through phase difference measurement, combining techniques like DPC and heterodyne methods to overcome diffraction limits and improve spatial frequency reproduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional optical microscopes are used, then observation is possible, but resolution is limited by diffraction and cannot achieve measurements at or below the diffraction limit
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the light beam into multiple beams with different spatial frequencies by using a spatial light modulator to modulate the phase of the light. This allows the system to capture and process multiple spatial frequency components separately, enabling super-resolution measurement below the diffraction limit by reconstructing the object information from these segmented frequency components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional two-dimensional image detection to three-dimensional spatial frequency space analysis. By using a spatial light modulator and detecting phase differences in the modulated light beams, the system accesses additional dimensional information in spatial frequency space, enabling resolution beyond the conventional diffraction limit.
2Measurement precision
If probe microscopes are used to achieve high resolution, then measurement precision improves, but processing speed decreases and handling becomes difficult due to the need to move the probe at high speed
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the mechanical probe scanning system with an optical field-based measurement system. Instead of physically moving a probe to scan the sample, the system uses spatially modulated light beams to simultaneously probe multiple points, eliminating mechanical movement constraints and enabling high-speed processing while maintaining high resolution.
Solution Approach 2:
The spatial light modulator pre-modulates the light beam phases according to the desired spatial frequency distribution before the light interacts with the sample. This preliminary action allows the system to capture multiple spatial frequency components in a single measurement, eliminating the need for sequential scanning and significantly improving processing speed.
3Measurement precision
If electromagnetic wave radiation systems are used for distance measurement, then measurement capability is achieved, but the system becomes complicated due to required signal processing algorithms and the detectable object size is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The spatial light modulator acts as an intermediary that performs spatial frequency modulation of the light beam before it interacts with the sample. This intermediary device converts complex distance measurement information into phase differences of modulated light beams, which can be directly detected by simple photodetectors, thereby simplifying the overall measurement system while maintaining high precision.
4Measurement precision
If conventional microscopes are used to observe live cells, then observation is possible, but electric conductivity requirements for electron microscopes necessitate coating that damages cells
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses optical field-based measurement instead of electron beam-based measurement. This substitution eliminates the requirement for electrically conductive coatings, as optical light does not require sample conductivity. The system achieves high resolution through spatial frequency modulation and phase difference detection, allowing observation of live cells without any damaging coating procedures.
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
Enables high-resolution measurements and observations of live cells and micro-machines in real-time with improved lateral and vertical resolution, surpassing traditional microscope limitations and allowing for three-dimensional imaging of live organisms without damaging them.
Implementation Method 1
a first means for modulating a light beam with different frequencies and directions, which comprises an acoustic optical device
Implementation Method 2
a fourth means for detecting the two lights reflected by or transmitted through the object under measurement, which comprises two photo detectors
Implementation Method 3
an optical heterodyne method using lights will be described, but it is also performed with the similar idea for other electromagnetic waves. This optical heterodyne method makes two laser lights with different frequencies interfere with each other to create a beat signal of the frequency difference
Data Source
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AI summary
A distance measurement system for modulating a light emitted from a light source (21), which emits a coherent light, into frequencies different from each other to measure an object under measurement, characterized in that it includes: a first means (23) for modulating the light emitted from the light source (21) into two lights which have frequencies different from each other and are irradiated separately adjacent to each other; a second means (26) for one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally scanning the two lights; a third means (31) for irradiating an object under measurement with the two lights which are two-dimensionally scanned; a fourth means (29) for receiving at least two or more divided reflected lights or transmitted lights from the object under measurement with a boundary line being interposed therebetween in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the two lights are separated; a fifth means (33) for generating a difference signal or a summation signal of respective outputs of the lights received by the fourth means (29) in areas with the boundary line being interposed therebetween; and a sixth means (34) for obtaining a phase difference or an intensity difference of the difference signal or the summation signal to obtain a measurement value.