Light microscope and method for providing structured illumination light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11454792-B2
Application number	US-201816610223-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2018
Priority date	May 5, 2017
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A light microscope comprises: a structuring optical unit comprising a waveguide chip for providing a structured illumination; an input selection device for variably directing light to one of several inputs of the waveguide chip; the waveguide chip further comprising a light guide path following each of the inputs; each light guide path divides into several path divisions; and each path division leads to one output of the wave-guide chip. The outputs of the waveguide chip can be arranged at a pupil plane of the light microscope, and an exit direction of light from the outputs is transverse to a plane defined by the waveguide chip. A method for providing structured illumination light using the light microscope is also described.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A light microscope comprising:
a structuring optical unit configured for providing a structured illumination from impinging light, the structuring optical unit comprising a waveguide chip with a plurality of inputs;
an input selection device configured for variably directing light to one of the inputs;
the waveguide chip further comprising a light guide path following each of the inputs wherein each light guide path divides into several path divisions; and each path division leads to one output of the waveguide chip;

wherein
an exit direction of light from the outputs is transverse to a plane defined by the waveguide chip,
the path divisions are formed such that at least some of the path divisions which belong to different inputs intersect, and
the intersecting path divisions intersect each other at an angle between 70° and 120°.

2. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
the light guide paths and the path divisions extend in or parallel to a pupil plane of the light microscope.

3. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
each output of the waveguide chip comprises an interface for deflecting light out of the waveguide chip by total internal reflection.

4. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
each output of the waveguide chip comprises an interface for deflecting light out of the waveguide chip, wherein the interface comprises a mirror.

5. The light microscope as defined in claim 3 ,
wherein
each interface is at an angle between 20° and 70° to the plane of the waveguide chip.

6. The light microscope as defined in claim 3 ,
wherein
the interface is formed by a recess in the waveguide chip.

7. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
the outputs of the waveguide chip that belong to the same input form a dot pattern, and
the dot patterns are similar to each other but rotated relative to each other.

8. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
further comprising an input polarizing unit which is configured to polarize light such that its polarizing direction is in the plane of the waveguide chip when impinging on the inputs of the waveguide chip.

9. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
further comprising an output polarizing unit on which light from the outputs of the waveguide chip impinges,
the output polarizing unit being configured to rotate a polarization direction of impinging light by 90°.

10. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
each output of the waveguide chip comprises two mirrors arranged at a substrate of the waveguide chip,
the mirrors being configured such that they rotate a polarization direction of impinging light by 90°.

11. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
the waveguide chip comprises adjustable phase shifters at some or all of the path divisions, the phase shifters being configured for adjustably setting a phase shift of light in the respective path division.

12. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
for providing a TIR illumination, the waveguide chip comprises one or more additional inputs which each connect to an additional light guide path leading to a respective TIR output of the waveguide chip,
wherein the outputs of the waveguide chip define a geometric center, and
wherein each TIR output is further away from the geometric center than any of the outputs of the waveguide chip.

13. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
further comprising:
a zoom assembly arranged behind the outputs of the waveguide chip,
a control unit designed to receive a control command indicating whether a structured illumination is desired or a total internal reflection illumination is desired,
the control unit being designed to set a larger magnification with the zoom assembly if total internal reflection illumination is desired.

14. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 , further comprising:
optical elements arranged between the waveguide chip and a specimen plane and configured to:
create a pupil plane at a location of the waveguide chip,
wherein the outputs of the waveguide chip are arranged at the pupil plane, and

to produce in the specimen plane an interference pattern of the light exiting through the outputs of the waveguide chip, for providing a structured illumination in the specimen plane.

15. The light microscope as defined in claim 1 ,
wherein
each light guide path is connected to a splitter formed in the waveguide chip which is configured to divide the light guide path into four parts,
wherein three of said parts constitute three path divisions, and one of said parts leads light away such that light of that part does not illuminate a sample.

16. A method for providing structured illumination light in a light microscope, the method comprises the steps of:
Guiding light from a light source to an input selection device;
Variably directing light with the input selection device to one of a plurality of inputs of a waveguide chip which is configured to provide structured illumination from incoming light;
the waveguide chip further comprising a light guide path following each of the inputs wherein each light guide path divides into several path divisions;
and each path division leads to one output of the waveguide chip;

wherein
light exits the outputs of the waveguide chip in an exit direction which is transverse to a plane defined by the waveguide chip,
the outputs of the waveguide chip that belong to the same input form a dot pattern, and
the dot patterns are similar to each other but rotated relative to each other.

17. The method as defined in claim 16 , wherein:
the outputs of the waveguide chip are arranged at or in the region of a pupil plane of the light microscope.

18. The method as defined in claim 16 , wherein
the path divisions are formed such that at least some of the path divisions which belong to different inputs intersect; and
the intersecting path divisions intersect each other at an angle between 70° and 120°.

19. The method as defined in claim 16 ,
for providing a TIR illumination, the waveguide chip comprises one or more additional inputs which each connect to an additional light guide path leading to a respective TIR output of the waveguide chip,
the outputs of the waveguide chip define a geometric center, and
each TIR output is further away from the geometric center than any of the outputs of the waveguide chip.

20. A light microscope comprising:
a structuring optical unit configured for providing a structured illumination from impinging light, the structuring optical unit comprising a waveguide chip with a plurality of inputs;
an input selection device configured for variably directing light to one of the inputs;
the waveguide chip further comprising a light guide path following each of the inputs wherein each light guide path divides into several path divisions; and each path division leads to one output of the waveguide chip;

wherein
an exit direction of light from the outputs is transverse to a plane defined by the waveguide chip,
for providing a TIR illumination, the waveguide chip comprises one or more additional inputs which each connect to an additional light guide path leading to a respective TIR output of the waveguide chip,
wherein the outputs of the waveguide chip define a geometric center, and
wherein each TIR output is further away from the geometric

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Microscopy Gmbh
• Lionix Int B V

Inventors

• Krampert Gerhard
• Wicker Kai
• Netz Ralf
• Dekker Ronald
• Klein Edwin Jan
• Geuzebroek Douwe Harmen

Classifications

• G02B21/0032 Primary

  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

• G02B21/0076

  arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence · CPC title

• G02B21/367 Primary

  providing an output produced by processing a plurality of individual source images, e.g. image tiling, montage, composite images, depth sectioning, image comparison · CPC title

• G02B27/58

  Optics for apodization or superresolution; Optical synthetic aperture systems · CPC title

• G02B21/0068

  arrangements using polarisation · CPC title