Scanning Microscope Lens System Aberration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing scanning microscopes face challenges in obtaining bright images due to difficulties in achieving high excitation efficiency for multiphoton excitation and correcting aberrations such as curvature of field and astigmatism.
Innovation Solution
The scanning microscope incorporates a scanning optical system with a plurality of lens components arranged along the optical axis, featuring a positive refractive power and specific lens configurations. The system satisfies conditional expressions that optimize the refractive indices, center thicknesses, and Abbe numbers of the lenses, reducing group delay dispersion and improving image quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional scanning optical system is used, then the structure is simple, but the excitation efficiency for multiphoton excitation is low and aberrations cannot be corrected
Solution Approach 1:
The scanning optical system is divided into multiple lens components (first lens component, second lens component, third lens component) with different refractive powers and dispersion characteristics. Each component is optimized for specific functions: the first component (positive refractive power) corrects curvature of field, the second component (negative refractive power) corrects astigmatism, and the third component (positive refractive power) provides overall focusing. This segmentation allows simultaneous correction of multiple aberrations and improvement of excitation efficiency without requiring a completely complex optical design.
Solution Approach 2:
Each lens component is assigned specific local optical properties: the first lens component has positive refractive power with specific dispersion characteristics for curvature correction, the second lens component has negative refractive power for astigmatism correction, and the third lens component has positive refractive power for focusing. The conditional expressions define local quality parameters (refractive indices, Abbe numbers, thickness ratios) for each component, enabling targeted correction of different aberration types while maintaining high excitation efficiency.
2Manufacturing precision
If the scanning optical system uses more lens components to correct aberrations, then image quality improves, but the group delay dispersion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes specific parameters of the lens components to balance aberration correction with group delay dispersion control. The conditional expressions define precise parameter ranges: the ratio of center thickness to focal length for each lens component, the Abbe numbers (νd1, νd2, νd3) controlling dispersion characteristics, and the refractive indices (nd1, nd2, nd3). By carefully selecting these parameters within specified ranges, the system achieves effective aberration correction while limiting the increase in group delay dispersion to acceptable levels.
Solution Approach 2:
The scanning optical system uses composite lens design combining materials with different dispersion characteristics. Each lens component is made from optical materials with specific Abbe numbers and refractive indices, creating a composite optical system where the dispersion properties of individual components complement each other. This composite approach enables simultaneous correction of chromatic aberrations and control of group delay dispersion through the synergistic interaction of different material properties.
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 allows for high excitation efficiency in multiphoton excitation and effectively corrects aberrations, resulting in the ability to obtain bright and high-quality images.
Implementation Method 1
a scanning optical system provided between the scanning mechanism and the objective optical system, and configured to guide the light from the scanning mechanism to the objective optical system
Implementation Method 2
an objective optical system configured to collect light from the scanning mechanism to the sample
Data Source
AI summary
A scanning optical system (SL) of this scanning microscope comprises a plurality of lens components and has positive refractive power as a whole, each lens component comprising one cemented lens composed of a plurality of lenses cemented to each other, or one lens. The scanning optical system satisfies the following conditional expression. 0.007<Σ(nd×tc/νd)/LA<0.021 where Σ(nd×tc/νd) is the sum total of nd×tc/νd of lenses of the plurality of lens components when a refractive index for the d line of a lens constituting the plurality of lens components is denoted by nd, the center thickness of the lens is denoted by tc, and the Abbe's number of the lens is denoted by νd, and LA is the distance on an optical axis from a lens surface on the scanning mechanism side of a lens component closest to a scanning mechanism to a lens surface on the objective optical system side of a lens component closest to an objective optical system.