INFRARED IMAGING MICROSCOPE USING TUNABLE LASER RADIATION

• US 20140253714A1
• Filed: 10/25/2012
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daylight Solutions, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Original Assignee: Daylight Solutions, Inc. (Leonardo S.p.A.)
• Inventors: Weida, Miles James, Day, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 9,432,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/80
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/00 Microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0056 based on optical coherence, e.g. phase-contrast arrangements, interference arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0088 Inverse microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/088 for both incident illumination and transillumination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/365 Control or image processing arrangements for digital or video microscopes G02B21/361, G02B21/362 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/20 for generating image signals from infrared radiation only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20

Abstract

An imaging microscope (12) for generating an image of a sample (10) comprises a beam source (14) that emits a temporally coherent illumination beam (20), the illumination beam (20) including a plurality of rays that are directed at the sample (10); an image sensor (18) that converts an optical image into an array of electronic signals; and an imaging lens assembly (16) that receives rays from the beam source (14) that are transmitted through the sample (10) and forms an image on the image sensor (18). The imaging lens assembly (16) can further receive rays from the beam source (14) that are reflected off of the sample (10) and form a second image on the image sensor (18). The imaging lens assembly (16) receives the rays from the sample (10) and forms the image on the image sensor (18) without splitting and recombining the rays.

Claims

1. An imaging microscope for generating an image of a sample, the imaging microscope comprising:

a beam source that emits a temporally coherent illumination beam, the illumination beam including a plurality of rays that are directed at the sample;

an image sensor that converts an optical image into an array of electronic signals; and

an imaging lens assembly that receives rays from the beam source that are transmitted through the sample and forms an image on the image sensor.

2. The imaging microscope of claim 1 wherein the imaging lens assembly further receives rays from the beam source that are reflected off of the sample and forms a second image on the image sensor.

3. The imaging microscope of claim 1 further comprising an illumination lens assembly that directs the illumination beam at the sample, the illumination lens assembly adjusting the illumination beam so that the illumination beam illuminates a two-dimensional illuminated area on the sample all at once, and wherein the image sensor includes a two-dimensional array of sensors.

4. The imaging microscope of claim 3 wherein the beam source is a MIR beam source and the illumination beam is at a beam wavelength that is within the MIR range;

and wherein the illumination lens assembly is refractive in the MIR range.

5. The imaging microscope of claim 3 wherein the illumination lens assembly directs the illumination beam at the sample without splitting and recombining the illumination beam.

6. The imaging microscope of claim 3 wherein the illumination lens assembly magnifies the illumination beam.

7. The imaging microscope of claim 3 wherein the illumination lens assembly adjusts the size of the illumination beam so that the illuminated area on the sample is at least approximately twenty millimeters squared.

8. The imaging microscope of claim 7 wherein the beam source is a MIR beam source and the illumination beam is at a beam wavelength that is within the MIR range;

and wherein the illumination lens assembly is refractive in the MIR range.

9. The imaging microscope of claim 1 wherein the imaging lens assembly includes a refractive lens that directs the rays received by the imaging lens assembly.

10. The imaging microscope of claim 1 wherein the imaging lens assembly receives the rays from a plurality of points on the sample and forms the image on the image sensor without splitting and recombining the received rays.

11. The imaging microscope of claim 1 wherein the imaging lens assembly collimates the received rays.

12. An imaging microscope for generating an image of a sample, the imaging microscope comprising:

a beam source that emits a temporally coherent illumination beam, the illumination beam including a plurality of rays that are directed at the sample;

an image sensor that converts an optical image into an array of electronic signals; and

an imaging lens assembly that receives rays from the beam source that are reflected off of the sample and forms an image on the image sensor.

13. The imaging microscope of claim 12 wherein the imaging lens assembly includes an objective lens and a projection lens, and wherein the imaging microscope further includes a beam splitter positioned between the objective lens and the projection lens, the beam splitter redirecting the illumination beam at the sample, and the beam splitter transmitting a portion of the rays received by the imaging lens assembly.

14. The imaging microscope of claim 12 further comprising an illumination lens assembly that directs the illumination beam at the sample, the illumination lens assembly adjusting the illumination beam so that the illumination beam illuminates a two-dimensional illuminated area on the sample all at once, and wherein the image sensor includes a two-dimensional array of sensors.

15. The imaging microscope of claim 14 wherein the beam source is a MIR beam source and the illumination beam is at a beam wavelength that is within the MIR range;

and wherein the illumination lens assembly is refractive in the MIR range.

16. The imaging microscope of claim 14 wherein the illumination lens assembly directs the illumination beam at the sample without splitting and recombining the illumination beam.

17. The imaging microscope of claim 14 wherein the illumination lens assembly magnifies the illumination beam.

18. The imaging microscope of claim 14 wherein the illumination lens assembly adjusts the size of the illumination beam so that the illuminated area on the sample is at least approximately twenty millimeters squared.

19. The imaging microscope of claim 12 wherein the imaging lens assembly includes a refractive lens that directs the rays received by the imaging lens assembly.

20. The imaging microscope of claim 12 wherein the imaging lens assembly receives the rays from a plurality of points on the sample and forms the image on the image sensor without splitting and recombining the received rays.

21. The imaging microscope of claim 12 wherein the imaging lens assembly collimates the received rays.

22. A method for generating an image of a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

emitting a temporally coherent illumination beam with a beam source, the illumination beam including a plurality of rays;

directing the plurality of rays at the sample;

converting an optical image into an array of electronic signals with an image sensor;

receiving rays from the beam source that are transmitted through the sample with an imaging lens assembly; and

forming an image on the image sensor with the rays received from the beam source by the imaging lens assembly that are transmitted through the sample.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of receiving rays from the beam source that are reflected off of the sample with the imaging lens assembly;

and forming a second image on the image sensor with the rays received from the beam source by the imaging lens assembly that are reflected off of the sample.

24. A method for generating an image of a sample, the method comprising the steps of:

emitting a temporally coherent illumination beam with a beam source, the illumination beam including a plurality of rays;

directing the plurality of rays at the sample;

converting an optical image into an array of electronic signals with an image sensor;

receiving rays from the beam source that are reflected off of the sample with an imaging lens assembly; and

forming an image on the image sensor with the rays received from the beam source by the imaging lens assembly that are reflected off of the sample.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of receiving includes the imaging lens assembly having an objective lens and a projection lens, and further comprising the steps of redirecting the illumination beam at the sample with a beam splitter positioned between the objective lens and the projection lens, and transmitting a portion of the rays received by the imaging lens assembly with the beam splitter.

26. An imaging microscope for generating an image of a sample, the imaging microscope comprising:

a beam source that emits a temporally coherent illumination beam, the illumination beam including a plurality of rays;

a reflection illumination lens assembly that conditions the illumination beams and directs the plurality of rays at the sample to simultaneously illuminate a broad reflection illumination area;

an image sensor that converts an optical image into an array of electronic signals; and

an imaging lens assembly that receives rays from the beam source that are reflected off of the sample and forms an image on the image sensor, wherein the imaging lens assembly includes a lens that is used as an objective of the rays reflected off of the sample;

wherein the illumination beam is directed through the lens at the sample.