411 results about "Scanning microscopy" patented technology

A scanning microscope having a laser outputting an excitation laser beam and a fiber member having a first core and a second core. The second core is generally disposed within the first core and is operable to receive the excitation laser beam from the laser and transmit the excitation laser beam to a sample to be tested. A moveable stage supports an end of the fiber member and / or a sample to be tested and is operable to move the end of the fiber member and the sample to be tested relative to each other.

The principle of reciprocity states that full-field and scanning microscopes can produce equivalent images by interchanging the roles of condenser and detector. Thus, the contrast transfer function inversion previously used for images from scanning systems can be applied to Zernike phase contrast images. In more detail, a full-field x-ray imaging system for quantitatively reconstructing the phase shift through a specimen comprises a source that generates x-ray radiation, a condenser x-ray lens for projecting the x-ray radiation onto the specimen, an objective x-ray lens for imaging the x-ray radiation transmitted through the specimen, a phase-shifting device to shift the phase of portions of x-ray radiation by a determined amount, and an x-ray detector that detects the x-ray radiation transmitted through the specimen to generate a detected image. An image processor then determines a Fourier filtering function and reconstructs the quantitative phase shift through the specimen by application of the Fourier filtering function to the detected image. As a result, artifacts due to absorption contrast can be removed from the detecting image. This corrected image can then be used in generating three dimensional (3D) images using computed tomography.

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, a method for imaging tissue, for example, includes the steps of mounting the tissue on a computer controlled stage of a microscope, determining volumetric imaging parameters, directing at least two photons into a region of interest, scanning the region of interest across a portion of the tissue, imaging a plurality of layers of the tissue in a plurality of volumes of the tissue in the region of interest, sectioning the portion of the tissue and imaging a second plurality of layers of the tissue in a second plurality of volumes of the tissue in the region of interest, detecting a fluorescence image of the tissue due to said excitation light; and processing three-dimensional data that is collected to create a three-dimensional image of the region of interest.

Methods and apparatus are provided for computing focus information prior to scanning microscope slides with a line scan camera. The methods include a point-focus procedure that works by moving the slide to the desired measurement location, moving the objective lens through a predefined set of height values, acquiring imagery data at each height, and determining the height of maximum contrast. The methods also include a ribbon-focus procedure whereby imagery data are acquired continuously, while the slide and objective lens are in motion. Both methods may be applied with either a static or a dynamic implementation.

High speed, wide area microscopic scanning or laser positioning is accomplished with an inertia-less deflector (for example an acousto-optic or electro-optic deflector) combined with a high speed wide area microscopic scanning mechanism or laser positioner mechanism that has inertia, the motion of the inertia-less deflector specially controlled to enable a focused spot to stabilize, for example to stop and dwell or be quickly aimed. It leads to improved data acquisition from extremely small objects and higher speed operation. In the case of fluorescence reading of micro-array elements, dwelling of fluorophore-exciting radiation in a spot that is relatively large enables obtaining the most fluorescent photons per array element, per unit time, a winning criterion for reducing fluorophore saturation effects. The same inertia-less deflector performs stop and dwell scanning, edge detection and raster scans. Automated mechanism for changing laser spot size enables selection of spot size optimal for the action being performed.

The present invention may include a pattern inspection method of extracting a pattern edge shape from an image obtained by a scanning microscope and inspecting the pattern. A control section and a computer of the scanning microscope process the intensity distribution of reflected electrons or secondary electrons, find the distribution of gate lengths in a single gate from data about edge positions, estimate the transistor performance by assuming a finally fabricated transistor to be a parallel connection of a plurality of transistors having various gate lengths, and determine the pattern quality and grade based on an estimated result. In this manner, it is possible to highly, accurately and quickly estimate an effect of edge roughness on the device performance and highly accurately and efficiently inspect patterns in accordance with device specifications.

High speed, wide area microscopic scanning or laser positioning is accomplished with an inertia-less deflector (for example an acousto-optic or electro-optic deflector) combined with a high speed wide area microscopic scanning mechanism or laser positioner mechanism that has inertia, the motion of the inertia-less deflector specially controlled to enable a focused spot to stabilize, for example to stop and dwell or be quickly aimed. It leads to improved data acquisition from extremely small objects and higher speed operation. In the case of fluorescence reading of micro-array elements, dwelling of fluorophore-exciting radiation in a spot that is relatively large enables obtaining the most fluorescent photons per array element, per unit time, a winning criterion for reducing fluorophore saturation effects. The same inertia-less deflector performs stop and dwell scanning, edge detection and raster scans. Automated mechanism for changing laser spot size enables selection of spot size optimal for the action being performed.

Scanning and analysis of cytology and histology samples uses a flatbed scanner to capture images of the structures of interest such as tumor cells in a manner that results in sufficient image resolution to allow for the analysis of such common pathology staining techniques as ICC (immunocytochemistry), IHC (immunohistochemistry) or in situ hybridization. Very large volumes of such material are scanned in order to identify cells or clusters of cells which are positive or warrant more detailed examination, and if analysis at higher resolution is necessary, information regarding these positive events is transferred to a secondary microscope, such as a conventional scanning microscope, to allow further analysis and review of the selected regions of the slide containing the sample.

A fluorescence light scanning microscope (2) comprises a light source providing excitation light (8) for exciting a fluorophore in a sample to be imaged for spontaneous emission of fluorescence light, and suppression light (7) for suppressing spontaneous emission of fluorescence light by the fluorophore on a common optical axis (4), the suppression wavelength differing from the excitation wavelength; an objective (19) focusing both the excitation (8) and the suppression (7) light to a focus point; a detector (21) detecting fluorescence light (11) spontaneously emitted by the fluorophore; and a chromatic beam shaping device (1) arranged on the common optical axis (4), and including a birefringent chromatic optical element (3) adapted to shape a polarization distribution of the suppression light (7) such as to produce an intensity zero at the focus point, and to leave the excitation light such as to produce a maximum at the focus point.

The present invention relates to near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) and near-field / far-field scanning microscopy methods, systems and devices that permit the imaging of biological samples, including biological samples or structures that are smaller than the wavelength of light. In one embodiment, the present invention permits the production of multi-spectral, polarimetric, near-field microscopy systems that can achieve a spatial resolution of less than 100 nanometers. In another embodiment, the present invention permits the production of a multifunctional, multi-spectral, polarimetric, near-field / far-field microscopy that can achieve enhanced sub-surface and in-depth imaging of biological samples. In still another embodiment, the present invention relates to the use of polar molecules as new optical contrast agents for imaging applications (e.g., cancer detection).

The present invention concerns a mosaicing method taking into account motion distortions, irregularly sampled frames and non-rigid deformations of the imaged tissue. The invention relates to a method for mosaicing frames from a video sequence acquired from a scanning device such as a scanning microscope, the method comprising the steps of:a) compensating for motion and motion distortion due to the scanning microscope,b) applying a global optimisation of inter-frame registration to align consistently the framesc) applying a construction algorithm on the registered frames to construct a mosaic, andd) applying a fine frame-to-mosaic non rigid registration.The method is based on a hierarchical framework that is able to recover a globally consistent alignment of the input frames, to compensate for the motion distortions and to capture the non-rigid deformations.

The invention relates to a film-stretching loading device in scanning microscope environment and a film-deformation measuring method in the field of microscope scanning nondestructive inspection and precision machine. The device uses the designed mechanic structure, pressure ceramic driving system, force buffer system and so on which can do three-space location and angle adjustment to finish film deformation measuring on atom force scanning microscope and electron beam microscope detecting table. It can dose quantity detecting to deformation field of all region or localized region of the micro size film; the thickness of the detected film is from several micrometers to sub-micros; it can finish film original location and on line detecting under the high spacing resolution microscope atom force scanning microscope or electron beam scanning microscope environment combined with the double-exposure digital spot technique, the image related technique or micro-labeling technique.

A scanning microscope system includes an optical microscope observation unit that irradiates the sample with excitation light, and forms an optical image from fluorescence emitted from a sample. The system also includes a scanning map creator and a flying spot scanning observation unit. The scanning map creator creates a scanning map indicating a scanning region in which a substance to be scanned exists in the sample, based on brightness of pixels of the optical image. The flying spot scanning observation unit scans the scanning region of the sample with laser beam, and forms a scanning image based on fluorescence emitted from the sample.

The invention relates to a method for optically detecting at least one entity which is arranged on a substrate. The at least one entity is scanned with a measuring volume using at least one radiation source and a confocal optic. During a scanning process an auxiliary focus is generated by means of at least one second radiation source and a second optic. Radiation generated by the first radiation source is collimated by a first optic and radiation generated by the second radiation source is collimated by a second optic. A retroreflection from the auxiliary focus is detected by at least one detector and is used to measuring the position of an interface and, thus, for indirectly positioning the measuring volume. The position of the auxiliary focus relative to the measuring volume is adjustable in a defined manner.

A method for separating different emission wavelengths in a scanning microscope includes scanning a specimen with an illuminating light beam by passing the illuminating light beam over the specimen using a beam deflector, and selectively applying each of a plurality of excitation wavelengths to the illuminating light beam during the scanning according to a predefinable illumination scheme. Emission light coming from the specimen is detected using a detector, the emission light including emission wavelengths corresponding to the excitation wavelengths. The detector is read out when an excitation wavelength is applied so as to provide detected signals. The detected signals are associated with the respective excitation wavelengths using the illumination scheme.

The invention discloses a scanning microscope for optical measurement with high spatial resolution of a specimen point of a specimen, having a light source for emitting an exciting light beam suitable for exciting an energy state of the specimen; a detector for detection of the emitted light; and a stimulating light beam, coming from the light source, for generating stimulated emission of the specimen excited by the exciting light beam at the specimen point, the exciting light beam and the stimulating light beam being arranged in such a way that their intensity distributions in the focal region partially overlap, wherein optical elements which shape the stimulating light beam are combined into at least one module that is positionable in the beam path of the scanning microscope.

A liquid lens includes a segmented electrode that allows the simultaneous application of different potentials across the lens's meniscus to obtain a predetermined aberration correction condition and to adjust focal length as necessary to conform to the topography of the object being scanned. The lens also includes a gas plenum interfacing with one of the liquids of the lens to allow for volume changes in the lens cell due to temperature variations. This combination of features produces a liquid-lens cell capable of maintaining substantially constant transverse magnification and diffraction-limited image quality over a useful range of focal length. As such, the lens is particularly suitable for incorporation in an array of micro-objectives used in a scanning microscope.

A confocal scanning microscope includes a stimulating light beam scanning unit that scans at least a predetermined plane perpendicular to the depth direction of the stimulating light beam focal position, a stimulating light beam scanning control unit that controls the scanning area of the stimulating light beam to a desired area, an exciting light beam scanning control unit that controls the scanning area of the exciting light beam to a desired area, an exciting light beam focal position changing unit, provided in an excitation fluorescence optical path, which is a portion of an optical path where the exciting light beam and the fluorescence pass and located outside a common optical path where the exciting light beam, the fluorescence, and the stimulating light beam pass, that changes at least the exciting light beam focal position in the depth direction, and an exciting light beam control unit that controls the exciting light beam focal position variably to a desired position.

An apparatus for focusing plasmon waves to a spot. The plasmon waves are there converted to light. In one application, the light is used for heat induced magnetic recording. In another application, the light is used as a part of near field scanning microscope. The plasmon waves may be induced on a converging rectangular cone having an aperture. The plasmon waves may also be focused on a flat surface by a curved dielectric lens. In the heat induced magnetic recording embodiment, a magnetic pole structure is integrated into the focusing apparatus, either as one surface of the rectangular cone, or as a layer upon which the curved dielectric lens is formed.

A method for scanning microscopy is disclosed. It contains the step of generating an illuminating light beam that exhibits at least a first substantially continuous wavelength spectrum whose spectral width is greater than 5 nm; the choosing of a second wavelength spectrum that is arranged spectrally within the first wavelength spectrum; the step of selecting the light of the second wavelength spectrum out of the illuminating light beam using an acoustooptical component; and the step of illuminating a specimen with the illuminating light beam. A scanning microscope is also disclosed.

Provided is a multiple light source microscope which is capable of performing not only electron image observation but also fluorescence image observation, fluoroscopic image observation and the like for the same biological tissue sample, and is provided with a plurality of observation-use light sources. Disclosed is this multiple light source microscope configured by: an optical microscope unit for observing fluorescence, provided with a light source unit; and a scanning electron microscope unit, wherein the optical microscope has a Cassegrain mirror with an aspherical reflecting surface, and the Cassegrain mirror is arranged in a lens barrel of the scanning microscope unit so as to be coaxial with an optical axis of an electron beam of the scanning electron microscope unit.

A method of finding, recording and optionally evaluating object structures, especially on slides, preferably of fluorescent object structures such as gene spots. A microscope with a CCD camera, a scanning microscope or a preferably confocal laser scanning microscope can be used for recording and for the rapid and reliable detection of the object structures, with the image data being recorded using an illumination pattern that is projected into the object plane.

In a scanning microscope that impinges upon a sample with a first light pulse and a second light pulse, a dispersive medium that modifies the time offset between the first and the second light pulse is provided in the beam path of at least one of the light pulses.

A rotational system including a cylindrical container with a cylindrical container axis. The cylindrical container is inserted into at least one pair of opposing polymer grippers. A motor is coupled to rotate the cylindrical container.

An optical system for a scanning probe microscope provides both an optical on-axis view and an optical oblique view of the sample by means of two optical paths each providing an image to a CCD camera via an auto-zoom lens. A shutter alternately blocks the image of either view from reaching the auto-zoom lens. The CCD camera provides the optical image to a video display which also displays the scanning probe image, thus eliminating the need for eyepieces and allowing easy viewing of both the optical and scanning probe images simultaneously.

A scanning microscope includes a light source, illumination optics, and a scanning device for moving the illumination focus across a target region and doing so by varying the direction of incidence in which the illuminating beam enters an entrance pupil of the illumination optics. To incline the illumination focus relative to the optical axis of the optics, the scanning device directs the illuminating beam onto a portion of the entrance pupil that is offset from the center of the pupil and, in order to move the illumination focus across the target region, the scanning device varies the direction of incidence of the illuminating beam within said portion. An observation objective is provided which is spatially separated from the illumination optics and disposed such that its optical axis (O3) is substantially perpendicular to the target region and at an acute angle (α) to the optical axis (O1) of the illumination optics.

A microscope and method for high resolution scanning microscopy of a sample, having: an illumination device for the purpose of illuminating the sample, an imaging device for the purpose of scanning at least one point or linear spot across the sample and of imaging the point or linear spot into a diffraction-limited, static single image below a reproduction scale in a detection plane. A detector device for detecting the single image in the detection plane for various scan positions is also provided. An evaluation device for the purpose of evaluating a diffraction structure of the single image for the scan positions is provided. The detector device has a detector array which has pixels and which is larger than the single image. At least one phase mask with a variable lateral profile of the phase influence is included in or near to the objective pupil, or in a plane which is conjugated to the objective pupil, for generating a spatial distribution of the illumination light and / or the detection light perpendicular to the optical axis, and / or in the direction of the optical axis.

According to a first embodiment the invention provides for increasing the throughput and reducing the striping due to imperfections in the microlens and / or confocal aperture arrays of a Laser Confocal Scanning Microscope by increasing the number of repeat patterns in the microlens and confocal aperture arrays to more than one, and incorporating an intensity modulation function that ensures constant integrated image intensities at the image detector independent of the instantaneous speed of scanning. According to a second embodiment the invention provides for reducing the striping in a Laser Confocal Scanning Microscope by introducing a second galvanometer mirror such that the emitted laser light beam is descanned at the image (sample) plane. According to embodiments three to five, striping in a Laser Confocal Scanning Microscope is also reduced by destroying coherency in the emitted light beam by insertion of a small angle diffuser, by flattening the Gaussian intensity distribution of the emitted laser light beam and changing the characteristics of the beam expander. According to embodiment six the invention provides for changing the degree of confocality of a Laser Confocal Scanning Microscope by inserting a mechanism that offers a range of selectable confocal aperture sizes.

A scanning microscope (1), having a light source (5) for generating an illumination light beam (7), having at least one objective (19) that focuses the illumination light beam onto and / or into a sample (21), having a beam deflection apparatus (11) that guides the focus of the illumination light beam over and / or through the sample, and having a detection device (29) that receives detected light emanating from the sample, is disclosed. The scanning microscope is characterized in that a means for generating a manipulation illumination pattern (37) is provided; and that imaging means image the manipulation illumination pattern onto and / or into the sample.