Microscope optical system, microscope, and virtual slide forming system

• US 20050248837A1
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Katsuya, Sase, Ichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,113 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/380
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/002 Scanning microscopes scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/32 Micromanipulators structurally combined with microscopes

Abstract

The purpose is to move an observation field of view of a microscope without moving or changing an objective lens without varying position or state of a sample. A microscope optical system according to the present invention has a mirror that changes the direction of the optical path by reflection and locates in the optical path between an objective lens of the microscope and an image to be observed. The mirror is able to be tilted with changing the position of a reflecting surface of the mirror. Accordingly, the observation field of view is moved by tilting the mirror. In other words, the observation field of view can be moved without changing positional relation between the objective lens of the microscope and the sample.

Claims

1. A microscope optical system comprising:

a first objective lens that locates at the most sample side in an optical path between a sample and an image to be observed;

a second objective lens that forms an intermediate image conjugate with the sample together with the first objective lens; and

a mirror that changes the direction of the optical path by reflection and locates in the optical path between the first objective lens and the second objective lens;

the mirror being able to be tilted with changing the position of a reflecting surface of the mirror.

2. The microscope optical system according to claim 1, wherein a variable magnification optical system capable of changing magnification of the image to be observed is included between the mirror and the image to be observed.

3. The microscope optical system according to claim 2, wherein a controller that has information showing relations between a position of an observation field of view corresponding to the sample and an amount of tilt of the mirror and tilts the mirror on the basis of the information is included.

4. The microscope optical system according to claim 1, wherein a controller that has information showing relations between a position of an observation field of view corresponding to the sample and an amount of tilt of the mirror and tilts the mirror on the basis of the information is included.

5. A microscope equipped with the microscope optical system according to any one of claim 1 through 4.

6. A virtual slide forming system comprising:

the microscope according to claim 5;

an image data generator that repeatedly carries out in the microscope a movement that tilts the tilt mirror and a movement that photographs the image to be observed and generates image data; and

an image synthesizer that synthesizes a plurality of the generated image data and forms virtual slides of the sample.

7. A microscope optical system comprising:

a first objective lens that locates at the most sample side in an optical path between a sample and an image to be observed;

a second objective lens that forms an intermediate image conjugate with the sample together with the first objective lens; and

a lens that locates in the optical path behind the intermediate image and is movable in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

8. A microscope equipped with the microscope optical system according to claim 7.

9. A virtual slide forming system comprising:

the microscope according to claim 8;

an image data generator that repeatedly carries out in the microscope a movement that moves the lens in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and a movement that photographs the image to be observed and generates image data; and

an image synthesizer that synthesizes a plurality of the generated image data and forms virtual slides of the sample.

10. A microscope optical system comprising:

a first objective lens that locates at a sample side in an optical path between a sample and an image to be observed;

a mirror that locates to an image side of the first objective lens; and

a second objective lens that locates to the image side of the mirror and forms an intermediate image conjugate with the sample;

the mirror being arranged to be able to be tilted such that the intermediate image is moved in the direction substantially perpendicularly to the optical axis.

11. The microscope optical system according to claim 10, wherein a controller that has information showing relations between a position of an observation field of view corresponding to the sample and an amount of tilt of the mirror and tilts the mirror on the basis of the information is included.

12. A microscope equipped with the microscope optical system according to claim 11.

13. A virtual slide forming system comprising:

the microscope according to claim 12;

an image data generator that repeatedly carries out in the microscope a movement that tilts the tilt mirror and a movement that photographs the image to be observed and generates image data; and

an image synthesizer that synthesizes a plurality of the generated image data and forms virtual slides of the sample.