Arrangement for microscopy and for correction of aberrations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11163147-B2
Application number	US-201716313645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 29, 2017
Priority date	Jul 1, 2016
Publication date	Nov 2, 2021
Grant date	Nov 2, 2021

Abstract

An arrangement for microscopy, having an illumination optical unit with an illumination objective for illuminating a specimen on a specimen carrier. An optical axis of the illumination objective lies in a plane which includes an illumination angle that differs from zero with the normal of a specimen plane and the illumination is implemented in the plane. A detection optical unit with a detection objective is located in a detection beam path. The optical axis of the detection objective includes a detection angle that differs from zero with the normal of the specimen plane. The illumination objective and/or the detection objective has an illumination correction element. A meniscus lens is located between the specimen carrier and the illumination and detection objectives being arranged both in the illumination beam path and in the detection beam path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for microscopy, comprising
an illumination optical unit with an illumination objective for illuminating a specimen situated on a specimen carrier in a specimen region of a specimen plane via an illumination beam path, said illumination objective having an optical axis, wherein said optical axis lies in a plane which includes an illumination angle that differs from zero with a plane normal to the specimen plane, in respect of which the specimen carrier is aligned, and illumination is implemented in the plane,
a detection optical unit with a detection objective in a detection beam path, said detection objective having a detection optical axis, the detection optical axis includes a detection angle that differs from zero with the plane normal to the specimen plane,
the illumination objective includes an illumination correction element that is arranged in the illumination beam path or introducible into the illuminating beam path, and/or
the detection objective includes a detection correction element that is arranged in the detection beam path or introducible into the detection beam path,
a meniscus lens being located between the specimen carrier and the illumination and detection objectives, the meniscus lens being arranged both in the illumination beam path and in the detection beam path;
the meniscus lens being configured to correct aberrations that arise on account of a passage through media with different refractive indices of radiation to be detected and/or radiation for illuminating the specimen, and
the illumination correction element and/or the detection correction element being configured to correct remaining aberrations;
wherein a radiation employed for illumination purposes is shaped into a light sheet and directed into the specimen region, and the optical axis of the illumination objective and the light sheet lie in a plane that includes an illumination angle that differs from zero with the plane normal to the specimen plane; and
further comprising a separation layer system aligned with and formed by a base of the specimen carrier with at least one layer made of a predetermined material with a predetermined thickness, which separation layer system separates a medium, in which the specimen is situated, from the illumination objective and the detection objective, wherein, by means of a base that is aligned parallel to the specimen plane, the separation layer system is in contact with an immersion medium, at least in a region accessible to the illumination objective and the detection objective for illumination and detection purposes, respectively.

2. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the illumination correction element and/or the detection correction element is arranged in a pupil of the illumination objective and/or the detection objective.

3. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the illumination correction element and/or the detection correction element is at least one phase plate or a free-form lens.

4. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the illumination correction element and/or the detection correction element is a phase plate for correcting static aberrations and an adaptive mirror or a spatial light modulator is present in the illumination beam path and/or in the detection beam path.

5. The arrangement as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the illumination correction element and/or the detection correction element are arranged to be adjustable and adaptive correction elements positioned in the illumination and/or the detection beam paths for correcting specimen-induced aberrations.

6. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the adjustable and adaptive correction element in the illumination beam path and/or the adjustable and adaptive correction element in the detection beam path is an Alvarez manipulator, a spatial light modulator, at least one adaptive mirror, at least one tilt lens, at least one sliding lens, at least one deformable optical lens or a combination thereof.

7. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the adaptive illumination correction element and/or the adaptive detection correction element is a spatial light modulator and a cylindrical lens is present in the detection beam path for partial compensation of occurring astigmatism.

8. The arrangement as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the adaptive detection correction element is an adaptive mirror and a cylindrical lens is present in the illumination beam path and/or detection beam path for partial compensation of occurring aberrations.

9. A microscope comprising an arrangement as claimed in claim 1 .

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Microscopy Gmbh

Inventors

• Siebenmorgen Jörg
• Lippert Helmut
• Kalkbrenner Thomas
• Kleppe Ingo
• Wolleschensky Ralf
• Degen Artur
• Wald Matthias
• Wittig Lars-Christian
• Gölles Michael
• Singer Wolfgang

Classifications

• G02B21/0032

  Optical details of illumination, e.g. light-sources, pinholes, beam splitters, slits, fibers (G02B21/0036 - G02B21/008; means for illumination of specimens in general G02B21/06) · CPC title

• G02B21/04

  involving mirrors · CPC title

• G02B21/361 Primary

  Optical details, e.g. image relay to the camera or image sensor (G02B21/364 takes precedence; illumination details G02B21/06 and subgroups) · CPC title

• G02B21/06

  Means for illuminating specimens · CPC title

• G02B21/0076

  arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence · CPC title