Patent · US Expired

Microscope system

US7232980B2 · kind B2 · utility

21Cited by
1References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 19, 2004
Grant dateJun 19, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 25, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG02B21/245
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A microscope system comprises a light guiding optical system 20 containing an objective lens 21 and a beam splitter 25 for splitting an optical image of a sample S to a first optical path and a second optical path, a photodetector 31 disposed on the first optical path used to acquire an image of the sample S, and a CCD camera 32 disposed on the second optical path for acquiring a two-dimensional image for focus control. The camera 32 is disposed being inclined at an angle of θ with respect to the optical path so that the optical path length in the light guiding optical system 20 varies along the z-axis direction. The image acquired by the camera 32 is analyzed by a focus controller 37, and the focal point for image pickup with respect to the sample S is controlled on the basis of the analysis result. Accordingly, there can be implemented a microscope system in which image acquisition of the sample and focus control for image pickup can be simultaneously performed.

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