Objective lens for a microscope

• US 6,016,226 A
• Filed: 03/06/1998
• Issued: 01/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mitutoyo Corporation
• Inventors: Arisawa, Katsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lucas, Michael A
• Application Number:
  US09/035,764
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 359/661, 359/802-805, 359/440-442
• US Class Current: 359/661
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/02 Objectives

Abstract

An objective lens for a microscope including a first lens group and a second lens group. The first lens group is positioned far from a surface of an object and has a negative refractive power as a whole. The second lens group is disposed between the object and the first lens group and has a positive refractive power as a whole. The first lens group includes two compound lenses, each with a convex lens and a concave lens, and the second lens group has a single convex lens and compound lenses. The objective lens is composed to satisfy the following conditions:

5F<D<15F                                                   (1)

F<|F1|<2.5F                              (2)

25<ν2p-ν2n<60                                        (3)

0.01F<1/r<0.06F                                            (4)

1.6<n                                                      (5)

where D is the distance between the first lens group and the second lens group, F is the focal length of the objective lens, F1 is the focal length of the first lens group, ν2p is the average Abbe number of the convex lenses of the second lens group, ν2n is the average Abbe number of the concave lenses of the second lens group, r is radius of curvature of an object side surface of the meniscus lens disposed at the object side end, and n is the refractive index of the object side end lens at the d-line.

Claims

1. An objective lens for a microscope comprising:

a first lens group positioned far from a surface of an object and having a negative refractive power;

a second lens group disposed between the object and said first lens group and having a positive refractive power;

said first lens group including a compound lens comprising a cemented doublet with a lens having a convex surface facing the object side and a lens having a concave surface facing the image side; and

said second lens group including a single lens having a convex surface facing the object side, a compound lens comprising a cemented doublet with a lens having a convex surface facing the object side and a lens having a concave surface facing the image side, a first compound lens comprising a cemented triplet, and three meniscus lenses proximate to the object with a concave surface of the meniscus lens of said three meniscus lenses closest to the object facing the object;

wherein said objective lens satisfies the following conditions;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">5F<

D<

15F;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">F<

|F1|<

2.5F;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">25<

ν

2p-ν

2n<

60;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.01F<

1/r<

0.06F;

and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1.6<

n;

where D is a distance between said first lens group and said second lens group, F is a focal length of said objective lens, F1 is a focal length of said first lens group, ν

2p is an average Abbe number of all convex lenses of said second lens group, ν

2n is an average Abbe number of all concave lenses of said second lens group, r is a radius of curvature of said concave surface of said meniscus lens, and n is a refractive index of an object side end of said objective lens at d-line.

2. The objective lens according to claim 1, wherein said objective lens satisfies the following condition:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.2<

n2n-n2p;

where n2p is an average refractive index of said lenses with convex surfaces of said second lens group at the d-line, and n2n is an average refractive index of said lenses with concave surfaces of said second lens group at the d-line.

3. The objective lens according to claim 1 wherein one of said compound lens and said first compound lens of said second lens group comprises a lens having a convex surface facing the object side and a concave lens having a concave surface facing the image side and a flat surface at the object side.

4. The objective lens according to claim 1 wherein one of said compound lens and said first compound lens of said second lens group comprises a lens having a convex surface facing the object side and a concave lens having a concave surface facing the image side and a finite curvature at the object side.

5. The objective lens according to claim 1, said second lens group further comprising a second compound lens comprising a cemented triplet with a first lens having a convex surface facing the object side, a lens having a concave surface facing the object side and a second lens having a convex surface facing the object side.

6. An objective lens for a microscope device comprising:

a first lens group having a negative refractive power; and

a second lens group having a positive refractive power, including at least one lens having a convex surface facing the object side, at least one lens having a concave surface facing the image side and at least one meniscus lens;

wherein said objective lens satisfies;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">5F<

D<

15F;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">F<

|F1|<

2.5F;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">25<

ν

2p-ν

2n<

60;

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.01F<

1/r<

0.06F;

and

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">1.6<

n;

wherein;

D is a distance between said first lens group and said second lens group;

F is a focal length of said objective lens;

F1 is a focal length of said first lens group;

ν

2p is an average Abbe number of all convex lenses of said second lens group;

ν

2n is an average Abbe number of all said lenses with concave surfaces of said second lens group;

r is a curvature radius of an object side surface of said at least one meniscus lens closest to an object; and

n is a refractive index of an object side of said at least one meniscus lens closest to the object at a d-line.

7. The objective lens of claim 6, wherein said objective lens satisfies:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">0.2<

n2n-n2p;

wherein n2n is an average refractive index of said lenses with concave surfaces of said second lens group at the d-line; and

n2p is an average refractive index of said lenses with convex surfaces of said second lens group at the d-line.

8. The objective lens of claim 6, said first lens group comprising a first compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

9. The objective lens of claim 8, said first compound lens comprising cemented lenses including a lens having a convex surface facing the object side and a concave lens having a concave surface facing the image side.

10. The objective lens of claim 8, said first lens group comprising a second compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

11. The objective lens of claim 6, said second lens group further comprising a first compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

12. The objective lens of claim 11, said first compound lens including a lens having a concave surface facing the object side and a lens having a convex surface facing the object side.

13. The objective lens of claim 12, said first compound lens further including a second lens having a convex surface facing the object side.

14. The objective lens of claim 11, said second lens group further comprising a second compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

15. The objective lens of claim 14, said second lens group further comprising a third compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

16. The objective lens of claim 15, said second lens group further comprising a fourth compound lens comprising cemented lenses.

17. The objective lens of claim 6, said second lens group further comprising a second lens having a convex surface facing the object side.

18. The objective lens of claim 6, said second lens group further comprising a second meniscus lens.

19. The objective lens of claim 18, said second lens group further comprising a third meniscus lens.

20. The objective lens of claim 6, wherein an object side surface of said at least one of said lenses with concave surfaces has an infinite curvature radius.