Tilted Sensor Microscope Scanner for Volumetric Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional microscope scanners face challenges in efficiently digitizing thick volumetric specimens due to limited depth of field, which results in suboptimal focus and increased scanning time, especially when dealing with specimens of varying depth within the field of view.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a tilted sensor synchronized with a positioning stage for rapid three-dimensional scanning, allowing for interpolation of tilted image layers into an orthogonal array or two-dimensional projection, and composing volume strips into a single continuous digital image, thereby enhancing focus accuracy and reducing scanning time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If smaller depth of field is used to improve spatial resolution along the third dimension, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to difficulty in ensuring focus across thick specimens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional 2D scanning to 3D volumetric scanning by introducing a tilted sensor array that captures multiple focal planes simultaneously. This dimensional change allows the system to maintain small depth of field for high resolution while capturing the entire thickness of thick specimens in a single scan position, eliminating the need for complex multi-position focusing mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic synchronization between the tilted sensor array and the scanning stage to maintain optimal focus across varying specimen depths. The sensor tilt angle and scanning speed are dynamically adjusted to match the specimen's three-dimensional structure, enabling continuous focus accuracy throughout the volumetric scan without mechanical refocusing.
2Device complexity
If conventional 2D scanning is used for thick specimens, then device complexity is kept simple, but productivity decreases due to increased scanning time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a tilted sensor array that captures volumetric data in three dimensions, allowing simultaneous acquisition of multiple focal planes. This enables rapid scanning of thick specimens without requiring multiple sequential 2D scans at different heights, dramatically reducing total scanning time while maintaining system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous tilted sensor array maintains uninterrupted capture of volumetric information throughout the scanning process. Unlike discrete point-by-point or line-by-line scanning, the tilted sensor provides continuous coverage across the entire field of view and specimen thickness, eliminating idle time between scan positions and maximizing productivity.
3Manufacturing precision
If higher magnification lenses are used to improve resolution, then manufacturing precision is improved, but depth of field decreases making focus control more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a tilted sensor array that captures optical information from multiple focal planes simultaneously along the optical axis. This allows the use of high magnification lenses with small depth of field while still capturing the entire thickness of thick specimens, as the tilted sensor intercepts light rays from different depths at different sensor positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tilted sensor array effectively segments the volumetric specimen into multiple thin optical slices, with each sensor element capturing information from a specific focal plane. This segmentation allows high-resolution imaging of each thin layer while collectively capturing the complete three-dimensional structure, overcoming the limited depth of field of high magnification lenses.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for and method of rapid three dimensional scanning and digitizing of an entire microscope sample, or a substantially large portion of a microscope sample, using a tilted sensor synchronized with a positioning stage. The system also provides a method for interpolating tilted image layers into a orthogonal tree dimensional array or into its two dimensional projection as well as a method for composing the volume strips obtained from successive scans of the sample into a single continuous digital image or volume.