Wedge Component Multi-Beam Laser Microscope Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beam splitting technologies in laser scanning microscopes either lack stability and temperature insensitivity or fail to generate equidistant field angles between partial bundles, which are necessary for effective sample focusing.
Innovation Solution
A wedge-shaped light-transmitting component is used in the illumination beam path to generate scanning beams with non-zero angles, employing multiple reflections at a partially reflecting surface, and additional compensation elements ensure spectral independence and beam direction correction, allowing partial beams to intersect at the objective pupil with equidistant angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate holders for mirrors are used to generate angles between partial bundles, then field angles can be generated, but stability and temperature insensitivity are sacrificed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the mirror holder with the glass substrate, integrating the support structure directly into the substrate rather than using separate holders. This integration eliminates the instability and temperature sensitivity issues associated with separate holders while maintaining the ability to generate field angles through tilted mirror surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and properties of the mirror support by transitioning from separate mechanical holders to a glass substrate integration. This parameter change enables the system to maintain stable angular relationships and temperature insensitivity while still achieving the required field angles for focusing beams at different sample locations.
2Reliability
If all partial bundles are formed parallel to one another, then stability and temperature insensitivity are maintained, but no field angles can be generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tilting only the specific mirror surfaces that require angle generation, while maintaining the overall structural integration with the glass substrate. This localized tilting enables field angle generation at specific points without compromising the global stability and temperature insensitivity provided by the integrated substrate structure.
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 enhances stability and temperature insensitivity while enabling the objective to focus beams at different locations, ensuring precise and uniform beam distribution across the sample, improving scan speed and accuracy in laser scanning microscopes.
Implementation Method 1
generates a plurality of scanning beams by multiple reflections at an at least partially partially-reflecting surface
Implementation Method 2
additional compensation elements ensure spectral independence and beam direction correction, allowing partial beams to intersect at the objective pupil with equidistant angles
Data Source
AI summary
A laser-scanning microscope having an illumination-beam path and a detection-beam path and a microscope objective. A component for generating a plurality of scanning beams from at least one illumination beam is located in the illumination-beam path. A wedge-shaped, light-transmitting first component part provided in the illumination beam path generates spatially offset partial beams, the scanning beams being generated at the first component part by multiple reflections at an at least partially partially-reflecting surface. The microscope has a one-dimensional scanner for moving the scanning beams over a sample in the illumination beam path. The scanning beams have at least partially relative to one another a non-zero angle upstream of the objective in the illumination direction. The scanning beams can intersect at least partially in the objective pupil of the microscope objective. Additional compensation elements are provided for the scanning beams to compensate for a spectral dispersion and/or the beam direction.