Rotatable Sample Holder for Single-Volume Light Sheet Imaging

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Solution Overview

Problem

Light sheet microscopy often requires imaging multiple volumes due to misalignment of the sample structure with the scanning direction, leading to inefficiencies in imaging speed and increased phototoxicity, especially with living samples.

Innovation Solution

A rotatable sample holder in the light sheet microscope that allows for precise alignment of the sample with the scanning direction, minimizing the number of recorded volumes and reducing exposure time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If multiple volumes are acquired and stitched together to image a region of interest, then the complete region can be captured, but the imaging time increases and phototoxicity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of region of interest imagingVSAvoidimaging time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a rotatable sample holder that enables dynamic adjustment of sample orientation during imaging. By rotating the sample to align with the light sheet scanning direction, the system captures the complete region of interest within a single volume acquisition, eliminating the need for multiple stitched volumes and thereby reducing imaging time while maintaining completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the orientation parameter of the sample relative to the light sheet scanning direction. By adjusting the rotational angle of the sample holder, the sample structures are reoriented to match the scanning direction, allowing complete capture of the region of interest in one acquisition pass and avoiding the time penalty of multiple acquisitions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If multiple volumes are acquired and stitched together to image a region of interest, then the complete region can be captured, but phototoxicity increases due to extended exposure time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of region of interest imagingVSAvoidphototoxicity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable sample holder enables dynamic reorientation of the sample to align with the light sheet scanning direction. This alignment allows the complete region of interest to be captured within a single volume acquisition, minimizing the total exposure time and thereby reducing phototoxicity while ensuring complete imaging coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the rotational orientation parameter of the sample, the invention optimizes the alignment between sample structures and the light sheet scanning direction. This parameter adjustment enables complete region of interest capture in one acquisition, reducing cumulative light exposure and associated phototoxic effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the sample orientation is fixed by hardware, then the imaging setup is simple, but multiple volumes must be acquired and stitched, reducing imaging speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimaging setup simplicityVSAvoidimaging speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces a rotatable sample holder that adds minimal mechanical complexity but enables dynamic sample orientation adjustment. This simple rotational mechanism allows the sample to be aligned with the light sheet scanning direction, capturing the complete region of interest in a single volume acquisition and thereby significantly improving imaging speed without complicating the overall setup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention adds a single rotational degree of freedom to the fixed sample orientation. This parameter change enables alignment optimization between sample structures and scanning direction, allowing complete region of interest imaging in one pass and thereby increasing imaging speed with minimal added complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Manufacturing precision

If multiple volumes are acquired for living samples, then complete coverage is achieved, but sample changes occur between images causing artifacts at seams

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage completenessVSAvoidimage artifact-free quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The rotatable sample holder enables dynamic alignment of living samples with the light sheet scanning direction. By rotating the sample to optimal orientation, the complete region of interest is captured within a single volume acquisition, eliminating time delays that would allow sample changes and preventing seam artifacts in composite images while maintaining complete coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

By adjusting the rotational orientation parameter of living samples, the invention enables complete region of interest capture in one acquisition pass. This parameter optimization eliminates the temporal gaps between multiple acquisitions, preventing sample changes during imaging and ensuring artifact-free results with complete coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4614207A1Sample positioning device and light sheet microscope
Publication Date: 2025.09.10 LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
  • EP4614207A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4614207A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4614207A1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

A sample positioning device (100) for a light sheet microscope (200) comprises a stage insert (110) configured to be received by a stage (112) of the light sheet microscope (200). The stage insert (110) comprises a rotatable sample holder (102). The rotatable sample holder (102) comprises a sample position (106) configured to receive a sample carrier (104). The rotatable sample holder (102) is configured to be rotatable around an axis of rotation that is parallel to an optical axis (O2) of the light sheet microscope (200) thereby enabling a rotation of a sample (202) received by the sample carrier (104) in a field of view of the light sheet microscope (200) when the stage insert (110) is received by the stage (112) of the light sheet microscope (200).