Image-forming method and image-forming apparatus

• US 6,239,909 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1998
• Issued: 05/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Optical Corporation Limited (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayashi, Shinichi, Kamihara, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): HENRY, JON W
• Application Number:
  US09/219,605
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 359/569, 359/566, 359/558, 359/369, 359/577
• US Class Current: 359/569
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/00 Microscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/58 Optics for apodization or superresolution; Optical synthetic aperture systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06E 3/003 forming integrals of products, e.g. Fourier integrals, Laplace integrals, correlation integrals; for analysis or synthesis of functions using orthogonal functions

Abstract

A microscopy and apparatus capable of obtaining superresolution, and a fringe projection light-cut microscopy and apparatus capable of obtaining a natural light-cut image and enabling real-time observation. At the component separating step, a plurality of modulated images of an observation object (O) are formed by subjecting the observation object (O) to spatial modulation including a plurality of modulation components while varying the component ratios of the modulation components by moving a diffraction grating (21), which modulates the observation object (O), to a plurality of different positions. The modulated images are detected with an image pickup device (22). Modulated image components corresponding to the modulation components are separated from the number of modulated images that is not less than the number of the modulation components by using linear computation. At the component demodulating step, at least one of the separated modulated image components is demodulated.

Claims

1. An image-forming method comprising:

a component separating; and

a component demodulating,

said component separating using a plurality of modulated images of an observation object that are formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation;

wherein said spatial modulation includes a plurality of modulation components, said plurality of modulated images being formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation processes using modulation components of different component ratios,

said component separating including a linear computation to separate modulated image components from said modulated images,

wherein said linear computation uses a number of said modulated images that is not less than a number of said modulation components,

said component demodulating demodulates each of said modulated image components to obtain a restored image.

2. An image-forming method comprising:

modulated image forming,

component separating, and

component demodulating,

said modulated image forming including;

subjecting an observation object to spatial modulation;

forming a plurality of modulated images of said observation object subjected to the spatial modulation; and

imaging said modulated images;

wherein said spatial modulation includes a plurality of modulation components,

said plurality of modulated images being formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation processes using modulation components of different component ratios,

said component separating including a linear computation of separating modulated image components from said modulated images,

wherein said linear computation uses a number of said modulated images that is not less than a number of said modulation components,

said component demodulating demodulates each of said modulated image components to obtain a restored image.

3. An image-forming method according to claim 2, wherein said spatial modulation includes an exponential function type modulation component that multiplies said shape information light by an exponential function type modulation coefficient in the form of exp(2π

f₀x+jφ

) where j is a unit complex number (−

1), f₀ is a constant representing a spatial frequency, x is a position coordinate on said observation object, and φ

is a phase constant.

4. An image-forming method according to claim 2, wherein said spatial modulation includes a sinusoidal wave type modulation component in the form of cos(2π

f₀x+φ

) where f₀ is a constant representing a spatial frequency, x is a position coordinate on said observation object, and φ

is a phase constant.

5. An image-forming method according to claim 3, wherein said modulated image forming step includes the step of forming a plurality of said modulated images that are different in said phase constant φ

.

6. An image-forming method according to claim 4, wherein said modulated image forming step includes the step of forming a plurality of said modulated images that are different in said phase constant φ

.

7. An image-forming method according to claim 2, wherein said component demodulating includes:

multiplying said modulated image components by demodulation coefficients, respectively, to form demodulated image components; and

adding together said demodulated image components to form said restored image.

8. An image-forming method according to claim 6, wherein said spatial modulation is performed by a diffraction grating placed in contact with said observation object.

9. An image-forming method according to claim 6, wherein said spatial modulation is performed by using illuminating light that illuminates said observation object.

10. An image-forming apparatus, comprising:

an image storage unit constructed and arranged to store a plurality of modulated images; and

an arithmetic unit constructed and arranged to execute a component separating and a component demodulating;

said component separating using a plurality of modulated images of an observation object that are formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation,

wherein said spatial modulation includes a plurality of modulation components, said plurality of modulated images being formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation processes using modulation components of different component ratios,

said component separating including a linear computation of separating modulated image components from said modulated images,

wherein said linear computation uses a number of said modulated images that is not less than a number of said modulation components,

said component demodulating demodulates each of said modulated image components to obtain a restored image.

11. An image-forming apparatus, comprising:

a modulated image forming mechanism;

an image storage unit constructed and arranged to store a plurality of modulated images; and

an arithmetic unit constructed and arranged to execute a component separating and a component demodulating,

said modulated image forming mechanism including,

a modulating member constructed and arranged to subject an observation object to spatial modulation,

an image-forming optical system constructed and arranged to form a plurality of modulated images of said observation object subjected to the spatial modulation, and

an image-pickup device constructed and arranged to image said modulated images,

wherein said spatial modulation includes a plurality of modulation components, said plurality of modulated images being formed by subjecting said observation object to spatial modulation processes using modulation components of different component ratios,

said component separating including a linear computation of separating modulated image components from said modulated images,

wherein said linear computation uses a number of said modulated images that is not less than a number of said modulation components, and

said component demodulating demodulates each of said modulated image components to obtain a restored image.

12. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said spatial modulation device includes means for forming an exponential function type modulation component that multiplies said shape information light by an exponential function type modulation coefficient in the form of exp(j2π

f₀x+jφ

).

13. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said spatial modulation includes a sinusoidal wave type modulation component in the form of cos(2π

f₀x+φ

).

14. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said spatial modulation device includes means forming a plurality of said spatial modulation component that are different in said phase constant φ

.

15. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said spatial modulation device includes means for forming a plurality of said spatial modulation components that are different in said phase constant φ

.

16. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said component demodulating includes:

multiplying said modulated image components by demodulation coefficients, respectively, to form demodulated image components; and

adding together said demodulated image components to form said restored image.

17. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said modulating member includes a diffraction grating placed in contact with said observation object.

18. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said modulating member includes means for spatially modulating illuminating light that illuminates said observation object.

19. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said modulating member includes means for spatially modulating said illuminating light by projecting a pattern onto said observation object.

20. An image-forming apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said modulating member includes means for forming interference fringes by coherent light emitted from a coherent light source.