STED Microscope Phase Modulation Resolution Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional STED microscopes face a trade-off between resolution and scanning time, where improving one aspect compromises the other, making user convenience insufficient.
Innovation Solution
An STED microscope apparatus and method that uses a phase modulation type spatial light modulator to shape STED light into an annular shape, allowing for control of the inner diameter of the annular STED light, enabling improved resolution and reduced scanning time by adjusting the phase pattern.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the diameter of the fluorescence region is reduced to improve resolution, then the resolution is improved, but the scanning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the inner diameter of the annular STED light adjustable through phase pattern control. The control unit dynamically changes the phase pattern parameters to adjust the annular light's inner diameter, allowing the system to adapt between high-resolution mode (smaller diameter) and fast-scanning mode (larger diameter), thus resolving the contradiction between resolution and scanning time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs parameter changes by modifying the phase pattern parameters presented to the spatial light modulator. By changing the phase pattern, the inner diameter parameter of the annular STED light is adjusted, which directly controls the fluorescence region diameter and thereby balances resolution improvement against scanning time reduction
2Productivity
If the diameter of the fluorescence region is increased to reduce scanning time, then the scanning time is reduced, but the resolution deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the annular STED light's inner diameter based on operational requirements. When fast scanning is needed, the control unit increases the inner diameter parameter through phase pattern modification, which enlarges the fluorescence region and reduces scanning time while accepting reduced resolution, thus resolving the contradiction in favor of productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the phase pattern parameters to control the inner diameter of the annular STED light. By increasing this parameter, the fluorescence region diameter increases, which improves scanning speed but reduces resolution, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and measurement precision
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 apparatus achieves improved user convenience by allowing for adjustable resolution and scanning time, enabling high-resolution imaging within the diffraction limit while reducing the time required for scanning the entire observation object region.
Implementation Method 1
a phase modulation type first spatial light modulator for presenting a first phase pattern for shaping the STED light in an annular shape by phase modulation
Implementation Method 2
the observation object is irradiated with STED light LS after a predetermined time difference from irradiation with the above-described excitation light LE. The electrons excited to the excited state by the excitation light LE are induced by the STED light LS to transit to the ground state
Implementation Method 3
when an observation object is irradiated with excitation light LE having an excitation wavelength, electrons are excited from a ground state to an excited state. After that, the electrons transit from the excited state to the ground state for several microseconds, and at this time, fluorescence PL having a wavelength corresponding to an energy difference between the ground state and the excited state is generated
Data Source
AI summary
An STED microscope apparatus includes an STED light source for outputting STED light, an excitation light source for outputting excitation light, a phase modulation type SLM for presenting a phase pattern for shaping the STED light in an annular shape by phase modulation, an optical system for irradiating an observation object region with the excitation light and the STED light after phase modulation, a detector for detecting fluorescence generated from the observation object region, and a control unit for controlling the phase pattern. The control unit sets the phase pattern for controlling the inner diameter of the annular shape of the STED light after phase modulation.