Aberration-Corrected Tunable Optical Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Varifocal lenses in optical systems introduce significant tuning-induced spherical aberration during fast axial scanning of sample volumes, affecting image quality in volumetric microscopic imaging.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an intermediate focal plane defining (IFPD) objective upstream of the tunable lens, along with a relay lens and adaptive optics elements, to correct for first-order tuning-induced spherical aberrations and other chromatic aberrations, ensuring clear and accurate imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a varifocal lens is used to perform fast axial scanning of a sample volume, then the scanning speed is improved, but significant tuning-induced spherical aberration is introduced into the image
Solution Approach 1:
An intermediate focal plane defining (IFPD) objective is introduced as an intermediary optical element between the sample and the varifocal lens. This IFPD objective creates an intermediate image at a defined focal plane, which then serves as the object for the varifocal lens. This intermediary arrangement allows the varifocal lens to operate in a regime where its tuning-induced spherical aberration is significantly reduced, thereby maintaining fast axial scanning capability while producing aberration-corrected images
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is segmented into distinct functional stages: the IFPD objective forms an intermediate image at a defined focal plane, and the varifocal lens subsequently processes this intermediate image. This segmentation allows each component to operate optimally - the IFPD objective handles the initial focusing and image formation, while the varifocal lens performs the axial scanning with minimized aberration impact on the final image quality
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 enables fast axial scanning with minimized aberrations, producing high-quality, aberration-corrected images that are free from tuning-induced spherical and chromatic distortions, facilitating efficient volumetric imaging.
Implementation Method 1
The IFPD objective is configured to define an intermediate focal plane between the IFPD objective and the tunable lens upon which an intermediate image having a prescribed magnification is formed
Implementation Method 2
the deformable mirror adaptive optics element is configured to compensate for wavefront aberrations introduced by at least one of a sample object or the tunable lens
Data Source
AI summary
Tunable optical assemblies and/or optical systems comprising such tunable optical assemblies that are corrected, at least to first order, for tuning-induced and/or tuning-independent spherical and chromatic aberrations. In an example embodiment, a tunable optical assembly comprises a tunable lens; and an intermediate focal plane defining (IFPD) objective. The IFPD objective is disposed upstream of the tunable lens in the tunable optical assembly and is configured to define an intermediate focal plane disposed between the IFPD objective and the tunable lens. In an example embodiment, the IFPD objective is an air objective.