High resolution imaging devices with wide field and extended focus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9357202-B2
Application number	US-201113032529-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 22, 2011
Priority date	Feb 23, 2010
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a high-resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus comprising a beam generator for generating a plurality of nondiffracting beams and a scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nondiffracting beams relative to the object to illuminate a volume of the object. The high-resolution imaging device also comprises surface element and a body having a light detector layer outside the surface element. The light detector layer has a light detector configured to measure light data associated with the plurality of nondiffracting beams illuminating the volume of the object. In some cases, the high-resolution imaging device also includes a lens inside of the light detector layer. The lens is configured to focus the light on the light detector surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus, comprising:
a body comprising a light detector layer outside a transparent surface element;
a beam generator having a beam generator surface, the beam generator configured to generate a plurality of nondiffracting beams, each nondiffracting beam having a substantially constant spot size and a beam length, wherein each nondiffracting beam is configured to propagate imaging illumination along the beam length;
a scanning mechanism for moving the plurality of nondiffracting beams through an object being imaged between the beam generator surface and the transparent surface element or moving the object through the plurality of nondiffracting beams in order to propagate the imaging illumination m lengths of the nondiffracting beams through a volume of the object;
a light detector in the light detector layer, the light detector configured to receive light incident across the light detector layer and measure light data associated with the plurality of nondiffracting beams illuminating the volume of the object; and
a processor configured to generate an image of the object based on the light data measured by the light detector, wherein the image is at a focal plane within the extended depth of focus defined by the beam lengths of the nondiffracting beams.

2. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a lens inside the light detector layer, the lens configured to focus light on a light detector surface of the light detector layer.

3. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 2 , wherein the lens is located so that the focal plane of the lens is half way through the length of the nondiffracting beams.

4. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 2 , wherein the lens has a numerical aperture smaller than the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

5. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the transparent surface element is a transparent platform holding the object.

6. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a filter layer between the light detector layer and the transparent surface element, the filter layer having a filter for passing emissions.

7. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the light detector comprises a two-dimensional array of light detecting elements comprising sets of light detecting elements, each set uniquely corresponding to a nondiffracting beam of the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

8. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the beam generator comprises a computer generated hologram and an illumination source providing an excitation beam to the computer generated hologram, the computer generated hologram configured to transform the excitation beam into the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

9. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the scanning mechanism is a scanner coupled to the beam generator for moving the beam generator relative to the object.

10. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the scanning mechanism is a scanner coupled to the transparent surface element holding the object, wherein the scanning mechanism is configured to move the object relative to the nondiffracting beams.

11. A high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus, comprising:
a beam generator having a beam generator surface, the beam generator configured to generate a plurality of nondiffracting beams, each nondiffracting beam having a substantially constant spot size and a beam length, wherein each nondiffracting beam is configured to propagate imaging illumination along the beam length; and
a body comprising:
a fluid channel having a first channel surface and a second channel surface, the fluid channel having a flow moving an object through the nondiffracting beams propagating imaging illumination through the fluid channel,
a transparent surface layer located outside the first channel surface, and
a light detector layer located outside the transparent surface layer, the light detector layer comprising a light detector, the light detector configured to receive light incident across the light detector layer and configured to measure time varying light data associated with illumination from the plurality of nondiffracting beams as the object moves through the fluid channel, and

a processor configured to generate an image of the object based on the measured time varying light data measured by the light detector, wherein the image is at a focal plane within the extended depth of focus defined by the beam lengths of the nondiffracting beams.

12. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to generate line scans from the time varying light data.

13. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 11 , wherein the body further comprises a lens inside of the light detector layer, the lens configured to focus light on the light detector surface.

14. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 13 , wherein the lens is located so that the focal plane of the lens is half way through the depth of the fluid channel.

15. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 13 , wherein the lens has a numerical aperture smaller than the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

16. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 11 , wherein the body further comprises a filter layer between the light detector layer and the transparent surface layer, the filter layer having a filter for passing emissions.

17. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 11 , wherein the light detector comprises a two-dimensional array of light detecting elements comprising sets of light detecting elements, each set uniquely corresponding to a nondiffracting beam of the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

18. The high resolution optofluidic imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 11 , wherein the beam generator comprises a computer generated hologram and an illumination source providing an excitation beam to the computer generated hologram, the computer generated hologram configured to transform the excitation beam into the plurality of nondiffracting beams.

19. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 ,
wherein the nondiffracting beams propagate through the thickness of the object and over an area corresponding to the wide field of the high resolution imaging device; and
wherein the nondiffracting beams have a length associated with an extended focal range of the extended focus of the high resolution imaging device.

20. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of nondiffracting beams is in the form of a two-dimensional array of Bessel beams.

21. The high resolution imaging device with wide field and extended focus of claim 1 ,

Assignees

• Pavani Sri Rama Prasanna
• Yang Changhuei
• Wu Jigang
• California Inst Of Techn

Inventors

• Pavani Sri Rama Prasanna
• Yang Changhuei
• Wu Jigang

Classifications

• H04N13/207 Primary

  using a single two-dimensional [2D] image sensor · CPC title

• G02B21/16

  adapted for ultraviolet illumination {; Fluorescence microscopes (G02B21/0076 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B30/54

  the three-dimensional [3D] volume being generated by moving a two-dimensional [2D] surface, e.g. by vibrating or rotating the 2D surface · CPC title

• G02B30/36

  using refractive optical elements, e.g. prisms, in the optical path between the images and the observer · CPC title

• G02B21/361

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