Observation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016366318-A1
Application number	US-201615248262-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 26, 2016
Priority date	Feb 28, 2014
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is an observation device that appropriately illuminates a subject with structured illumination light. The device is provided with: a structured illumination section; a phase difference measurement illumination section; a phase contrast lens that has a phase plate for dimming illumination light for phase difference measurement, where the illumination light for phase difference measurement is incident into the lens, and the structured illumination light is incident into the lens from a side opposite to an incidence side of the ring-shaped illumination; a detection section that detects reflected light of the structured illumination light; and an observation section that images the illumination light for phase difference measurement. When Fourier transform is performed on the structured illumination light, a spatial frequency of the structured illumination light is set on a high-frequency side or a low-frequency side with respect to a position of the phase plate 32 on optical Fourier space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An observation apparatus comprising:
a structured illumination section that emits structured illumination light having a light-dark pattern; a phase difference measurement illumination section that emits illumination light for phase difference measurement onto a subject-mount surface; a phase contrast lens that has a phase plate for dimming illumination light for phase difference measurement, where the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface is incident into the phase contrast lens, and the structured illumination light is incident into the phase contrast lens in a direction different from a direction of incidence of the illumination light for phase difference measurement through an optical system; a detection section that detects reflected light of the structured illumination light which is reflected on the subject-mount surface; and an observation section that images the illumination light for phase difference measurement which has passed through the phase contrast lens, wherein when Fourier transform is applied to the structured illumination light through the optical system, a spatial frequency of the structured illumination light is set on a high-frequency side or a low-frequency side with respect to a position of the phase plate on optical Fourier space.

2 . An observation apparatus comprising:
a structured illumination section that emits structured illumination light having a light-dark pattern; a phase difference measurement illumination section that emits illumination light for phase difference measurement onto a subject-mount surface; a phase contrast lens that has a phase plate for dimming illumination light for phase difference measurement, where the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface is incident into the phase contrast lens, and the structured illumination light is incident into the phase contrast lens in a direction different from a direction of incidence of the illumination light for phase difference measurement through an optical system; a detection section that detects reflected light of the structured illumination light which is reflected on the subject-mount surface; and an observation section that images the illumination light for phase difference measurement which has passed through the phase contrast lens, wherein the phase plate has frequency characteristics in which a transmittance of the structured illumination light is higher than a transmittance of the illumination light for phase difference measurement.

3 . The observation apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a focus position adjustment section that adjusts a focus position of the phase contrast lens, on the basis of an intensity of the reflected light detected by the detection section.

4 . The observation apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising a focus position adjustment section that adjusts a focus position of the phase contrast lens, on the basis of an intensity of the reflected light detected by the detection section.

5 . The observation apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein a plurality of the phase contrast lenses having different magnifications is configured to be interchangeable, and wherein the spatial frequency of the structured illumination light is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

6 . The observation apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein a plurality of the phase contrast lenses having different magnifications is configured to be interchangeable, and wherein the spatial frequency of the structured illumination light is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

7 . The observation apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein a plurality of the phase contrast lenses having different magnifications is configured to be interchangeable, and wherein the spatial frequency of the structured illumination light is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

8 . The observation apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the structured illumination section comprises a light source, which emits light, and a grid through which light emitted from the light source is transmitted and which emits the structured illumination light, and wherein a spatial frequency of the grid is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

9 . The observation apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the structured illumination section comprises a light source, which emits light, and a grid through which light emitted from the light source is transmitted and which emits the structured illumination light, and wherein a wavelength of the light emitted from light source is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

10 . The observation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein a magnification of the optical system is changed in accordance with interchange of the phase contrast lenses.

11 . The observation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

12 . The observation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

13 . The observation apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

14 . The observation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

15 . The observation apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

16 . The observation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the observation section comprises an imaging element that captures an image of the illumination light for phase difference measurement having passed through the subject-mount surface and the phase contrast lenses.

17 . The observation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the structured illumination light is near-infrared light, and the illumination light for phase difference measurement is visible light.

18 . The observation apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the transmittance of the phase plate with respect to the structured illumination light is in a range of 75% to 100%, and the transmittance of the phase plate with respect to the illumination light for phase difference measurement is in a range of 0% to 50%.

19 . The observation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination light for phase difference measurement is ring-shaped illumination light.

20 . The observation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the structured illumination light is incident into the phase contrast lense

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Matsubara Kenta

Classifications

• G02B21/244

  using image analysis techniques · CPC title

• G02B21/18

  Arrangements with more than one light path, e.g. for comparing two specimens · CPC title

• H04N23/56 Primary

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• G02B21/14 Primary

  affording illumination for phase-contrast observation · CPC title

• G02B21/245

  using auxiliary sources, detectors · CPC title