Total internal reflection light illumination device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016266368-A1
Application number	US-201415030413-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 20, 2014
Priority date	Oct 22, 2013
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A total internal reflection light illumination apparatus includes a light source providing illumination light L 1 , a spatial light modulator inputting the illumination light L 1 and converging and outputting the illumination light L 1 by presenting a lens pattern, an objective lens illuminating an object substrate with illumination light L 2 converged and output by the spatial light modulator, and a calculation unit providing, to the spatial light modulator, the lens pattern corresponding to at least one of a desired polarization state, desired penetration length, desired shape, and desired light intensity of the evanescent light L 3 . The lens pattern converges the illumination light L 2 on a pupil plane of the objective lens.

First claim

1 : An apparatus for generating evanescent light by illuminating an object with light, the apparatus comprising:
a light source configured to output illumination light; a spatial light modulator configured to input the illumination light, and modulate the illumination light by a lens pattern; an objective lens configured to illuminate an object surface with the modulated illumination light and thereby causing total reflection; and a calculator electrically coupled to the spatial light modulator and configured to provide, to the spatial light modulator, the lens pattern corresponding to at least one of a desired polarization state, desired penetration length, desired shape, and desired light intensity of the evanescent light, wherein the lens pattern is a pattern for converging the illumination light on a pupil plane of the objective lens.

2 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the calculator generates the lens pattern corresponding to at least one of the desired polarization state, the desired penetration length, the desired shape, and the desired light intensity of the evanescent light.

3 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the calculator selects the lens pattern based on at least one of the desired polarization state, the desired penetration length, the desired shape, and the desired light intensity of the evanescent light, from among a plurality of lens patterns having been prepared in advance and corresponding to at least one of a polarization state, penetration length, shape, and light intensity of the evanescent light.

4 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing an incidence plane including an optical axis of the illumination light incident on the object surface and a reference plane perpendicular to the pupil plane to form an angle corresponding to the desired polarization state of the evanescent light.

5 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing a distance between a converging position of the illumination light on the pupil plane and a center position of the pupil plane to correspond to the desired penetration length or the desired light intensity of the evanescent light.

6 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing the illumination light to converge into a point shape on the pupil plane.

7 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing the illumination light to converge into an annular shape on the pupil plane.

8 : The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
as a mode of convergence of the illumination light on the pupil plane, one of a point shape or an annular shape is selected.

9 : A method for generating evanescent light by illuminating an object with light, the method comprising:
modulating illumination light by a spatial light modulator with a lens pattern; illuminating an object surface with the modulated illumination light by an objective lens and thereby causing total reflection; and providing, to the spatial light modulator, the lens pattern corresponding to at least one of a desired polarization state, desired penetration length, desired shape, and desired light intensity of the evanescent light, wherein the lens pattern is a pattern for converging the illumination light on a pupil plane of the objective lens.

10 : The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
generating the lens pattern corresponding to at least one of the desired polarization state, the desired penetration length, the desired shape, and the desired light intensity of the evanescent light.

11 : The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
selecting the lens pattern based on at least one of the desired polarization state, the desired penetration length, the desired shape, and the desired light intensity of the evanescent light, from among a plurality of lens patterns having been prepared in advance and corresponding to at least one of a polarization state, penetration length, shape, and light intensity of the evanescent light.

12 : The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing an incidence plane including an optical axis of the illumination light incident on the object surface and a reference plane perpendicular to the pupil plane to form an angle corresponding to the desired polarization state of the evanescent light.

13 : The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing a distance between a converging position of the illumination light on the pupil plane and a center position of the pupil plane to correspond to the desired penetration length or the desired light intensity of the evanescent light.

14 : The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing the illumination light to converge into a point shape on the pupil plane.

15 : The method according to claim 9 , wherein
the lens pattern is a pattern for allowing the illumination light to converge into an annular shape on the pupil plane.

16 : The method according to claim 9 , wherein
as a mode of convergence of the illumination light on the pupil plane, one of a point shape or an annular shape is selected.

Assignees

• Hamamatsu Photonics Kk

Inventors

• Watanabe Koyo
• Matsumoto Naoya

Classifications

• G02B21/365

  Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes (G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence) · CPC title

• G02B21/06

  Means for illuminating specimens · CPC title

• G02B21/0092

  Polarisation microscopes · CPC title

• G02B21/33

  Immersion oils {, or microscope systems or objectives for use with immersion fluids} · CPC title

• G02B21/10 Primary

  affording dark-field illumination (G02B21/14 {and G02B21/125} take precedence) · CPC title