Patent · US Expired

Phase contrast observation device

US6317261A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
2References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 30, 1999
Grant dateNov 13, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 30, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/14
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A phase contrast observation device for observing a phase object (O), and phase apertures for same. The device comprises, in order along an optical axis (AX), a light source (LS) capable of providing light (L), an illumination optical system (G2 and G3) for condensing the light and illuminating the object, an aperture stop (AP) having an aperture (AO) therein, arranged in the illumination optical system, an objective lens system (G2 and G3) for converging light from the illuminated object and forming an image of the object. The device also includes one of a number of novel phase apertures (Ph1-Ph4) arranged at a position inside said objective lens conjugate to the aperture stop. The phase apertures of the present invention allow for high-contrast and low-contrast imaging regardless of the phase content of the object.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.