Scanning Optical Microscope with Flexure-Scanned Aspheric Objective
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical scanning microscopes face issues of complexity, high cost, limited scan area, and poor performance due to the use of compound objectives and angular-scanned laser beams, which require complex optics and high-power lasers, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An optical scanning microscope utilizing a kinematic flexure mechanism as an objective scanner, combined with an aspheric objective and low-power lasers, allows for direct scanning of the objective in two dimensions, reducing complexity and cost while achieving a large scan area and high frame rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If compound objectives are used to maintain focus while projecting angle-scanned beams, then focus quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of scanning the beam angle through complex multi-lens objectives, the patent inverts the approach by physically scanning a single aspheric objective across the sample plane. This eliminates the need for complex beam projection optics while maintaining focus quality, directly resolving the contradiction between focus quality and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the unnecessary multi-lens compound objective system, retaining only the essential aspheric objective element. By taking out the redundant optical components required for angle scanning, the system achieves simpler optics while preserving the ability to maintain focus during scanning
2Illumination intensity
If high-power lasers are used to achieve non-linear emission, then emission intensity is improved, but cost and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing laser power to achieve non-linear emission, the patent inverts the approach by using a single aspheric objective with high numerical aperture to concentrate the available laser energy more efficiently at the focal point. This allows non-linear emission to be achieved with lower laser power by improving the concentration and utilization of excitation light
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical parameters by using an aspheric objective with optimized numerical aperture and focal properties. This parameter optimization enables more efficient energy concentration at the focus, allowing non-linear emission to occur at lower laser power levels while maintaining high emission intensity
3Speed
If galvo mirrors are used for beam scanning, then scan speed is improved, but noise and potential hearing damage occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the acoustic-based galvo mirror scanning system with a mechanical objective scanning system driven by a kinematic flexure mechanism. This substitution eliminates the high-frequency acoustic noise generated by galvo mirrors while maintaining scan speed through the precision flexure mechanism's ability to rapidly reposition the objective
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a kinematic flexure mechanism as an intermediary between the control system and the objective. This flexure mechanism provides smooth, quiet motion control without the noise-generating oscillations of galvo mirrors, acting as a mediator that achieves scan speed without harmful noise
4Area of stationary object
If objective scanning is used to achieve large scan area, then scan area is improved, but frame rate decreases due to high mass
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scanning function from the objective by using a kinematic flexure mechanism that allows the objective to be scanned independently in a controlled manner. This segmentation enables the use of a lighter objective design optimized for speed rather than mass, improving frame rate while maintaining large scan area capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the mass parameter of the objective by using a single aspheric element rather than a heavy compound objective. This parameter change reduces the inertia of the scanning mass, enabling faster scanning speeds and higher frame rates while covering large scan areas through the flexure mechanism's range of motion
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 solution provides a less complex, lower-cost microscope with a wide scan area and improved performance by using a kinematic flexure mechanism to scan the objective, enabling efficient non-linear emission with reduced aberrations and lower laser power requirements.
Implementation Method 1
an objective scanner comprising a kinematic flexure mechanism operable to scan the objective in at least two dimensions
Implementation Method 2
the aspheric objective is configured to reduce spherical aberration, compared to spherical aberration of a spherical objective
Implementation Method 3
a laser illuminates a sample with excitation photons to cause fluorescence
Implementation Method 4
The pinhole is at the location confocal with the focal volume. Fluorescence photons from the focal volume pass through the pinhole to a detector, while the screen rejects out-of-focus fluorescence photons by spatial filtering
Data Source
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AI summary
An optical scanning microscope includes an illumination system (160) and an objective lens (134) operable together to provide the excitation radiation (152, 154) in a focal volume (124) at sufficient intensity to cause emission of emission radiation from a sample in the focal volume. The objective lens (134) is scanned by an objective scanner (130, 132). In this example an x-y transducer (xyXD) (130) is connected to a kinematic flexure mechanism (132) which acts as a scanning lens mount. The kinematic flexure mechanism is operable to scan the objective in two dimensions transverse with respect to the objective's optical axis so as to scan the emitting focal volume in corresponding dimensions. The kinematic flexure mechanism may be a unitary 3D- printed member.