Multiplane optical microscope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9823457-B2
Application number	US-201514591760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2015
Priority date	Jan 8, 2014
Publication date	Nov 21, 2017
Grant date	Nov 21, 2017

Abstract

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to optical microscopy. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a sample holder, a first objective lens, a plurality of optical components, a second objective lens, and a mirror. The apparatus may directly image a cross-section of a sample oblique to or parallel to the optical axis of the first objective lens, without scanning.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a sample holder configured to hold a sample, the sample including a lateral plane and a specified plane with a first angle of about 0 degrees to 90 degrees between the lateral plane and the specified plane;
a first objective lens positioned proximate the sample holder, the first objective lens having a first optical axis, the first optical axis being substantially perpendicular to the lateral plane of the sample, the first objective lens configured to generate a primary image of the sample, the primary image including information for forming an image of the lateral plane of the sample and a second image, the second image being an image of the specified plane of the sample;
a plurality of optical components configured to project the primary image from the first objective lens on a first image plane to form the image of the lateral plane of the sample;
a second objective lens, the second objective lens having a second optical axis; and
a mirror, the mirror being positioned at a focus of the second objective lens and at an angle of one half of the first angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the second optical axis, the plurality of optical components being further configured to project the primary image through the second objective lens, the mirror configured to reflect a reflected image of the primary image in which the information for forming the second image is rotated to be substantially perpendicular to the second optical axis, and the plurality of optical components being further configured to project the reflected image from the second objective lens on a second image plane to form the second image.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first detector positioned at the first image plane, wherein the first detector is configured to record the image of the lateral plane of the sample; and
a second detector positioned at the second image plane, wherein the second detector is configured to record the second image.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first detector comprises a first charge coupled device, and wherein the second detector comprises a second charge coupled device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first angle between the lateral plane and the specified plane is 90 degrees, and wherein the angle of one half of the first angle with respect to the plane perpendicular to the second optical axis is 45 degrees.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mirror comprises a surface of a silicon wafer coated with a layer of metal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mirror is configured to be rotated about the second optical axis.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light source configured to project light along the first optical axis to illuminate the sample.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first objective lens is substantially identical to the second objective lens.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a numerical aperture of the first objective lens and the second objective lens is greater than about 0.7 times the refractive index of a medium in which the first objective lens and the second objective lens are configured to operate.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a numerical aperture of the first objective lens and the second objective lens is greater than about 0.7.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a magnification of the first objective lens and the second objective lens is about 1× magnification to 200× magnification.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second objective lens is positioned a distance from the first objective lens.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second optical axis is substantially parallel to the first optical axis.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of optical components includes a first beam splitter and a second beam splitter, wherein the first beam splitter is positioned at a first angle with respect to the first optical axis, wherein the second beam splitter is positioned at a second angle with respect to the second optical axis, wherein the first beam splitter is configured to reflect the primary image from the first objective lens to the second beam splitter, and wherein the second beam splitter is configured to reflect the primary image through the second objective lens.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of optical components further includes a first lens and a second lens, wherein a focal point of the first lens overlaps with a back focal point of the first objective lens and receives the primary image from the beam splitter, wherein the focal point of the first lens overlaps with a focal point of the second lens, and wherein the second beam splitter receives the primary image from the second lens.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the first lens and the second lens are substantially identical.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of optical components further includes a third lens and a fourth lens, wherein the second beam splitter is configured to transmit the primary image through the beam splitter to the fourth lens, wherein the fourth lens is configured to focus the image of the lateral plane of the sample on the first image plane, wherein the second beam splitter is configured to transmit the reflected image to the third lens, and wherein the third lens is configured to focus the second image on the second image plane.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first lens, the second lens, the third lens, and the fourth lens are substantially identical.

19. An apparatus comprising:
a sample holder configured to hold a sample, the sample including a lateral plane and an axial plane with an angle of about 90 degrees between the lateral plane and the axial plane;
a first objective lens positioned proximate the sample holder, the first objective lens having a first optical axis, the first optical axis being substantially perpendicular to the lateral plane of the sample, the first objective lens configured to generate a primary image of the sample, the primary image including information for forming an image of the lateral plane of the sample and an image of the axial plane of the sample;
a plurality of optical components configured to project the primary image from the first objective lens on a first image plane to form the image of the lateral plane of the sample;
a second objective lens, the second objective lens having a second optical axis; and
a mirror, the mirror being positioned at a focus of the second objective lens and at a 45 degree angle with respect to a plane perpendicular to the second optical axis, the plurality of optical components being further configured to project the primary image through the second objective lens, the mirror configured to reflect a reflected image of the primary image in which the information for forming the image of the axial plane of the sample is rotated to be substantially perpendicular to the second optical axis, and the plurality of optical components being further configured to project the reflected image from the second objective lens on a second image plane to form the image of the axial plane of the sample.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the mirror comprises a surface of a silicon wafer coated with a layer of metal.

Assignees

• Li Tongcang
• Ota Sadao
• Kim Jeongmin
• Wang Yuan
• Zhang Xiang
• Univ California

Inventors

• Li Tongcang
• Ota Sadao
• Kim Jeongmin
• Wang Yuan
• Zhang Xiang

Classifications

• G02B21/367

  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

• G02B21/16

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

• G02B21/06

  Means for illuminating specimens · CPC title

• G02B21/18 Primary

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