Specimen illumination apparatus with optical cavity for dark field illumination
US5982534A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 1997 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B2006/12114
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An illumination apparatus with a specimen slide holder, an illumination source, an optical cavity producing multiple reflection of illumination light to a specimen comprising a first and a second reflective surface arranged to achieve multiple reflections of light to a specimen is provided. The apparatus can further include additional reflective surfaces to achieve the optical cavity, a slide for mounting the specimen, a coverslip which is a reflective component of the optical cavity, one or more prisms for directing light within the optical cavity, antifading solutions for improving the viewing properties of the specimen, an array of materials for analysis, fluorescent components, curved reflective surfaces as components of the optical cavity, specimen detection apparatus, optical detection equipment, computers for analysis of optical images, a plane polarizer, fiberoptics, light transmission apertures, microscopic components, lenses for viewing the specimen, and upper and lower mirrors above and below the specimen slide as components of the optical cavity. Methods of using the apparatus are also provided.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.