Combined wavefront coding and amplitude contrast imaging systems
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for increasing depth of field in a conventional Amplitude Contrast Imaging system having an illumination source, illumination optics, and an illumination mask placed before a Phase Object to be imaged, and an objective mask and objective optics after the Phase Object to form an image at a detector, the improvement comprising:
- an optical Wavefront Coding mask placed between the Phase Object and the detector to modify the wavefront of transmitted light, said coding mask being constructed and arranged to alter the optical transfer function of the Amplitude Contrast Imaging system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to the distance between the Phase Object and the objective optics over a greater range of object distances than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function, wherein the coding mask affects the alteration to the optical transfer function substantially by affecting the phase of light transmitted by the coding mask; and
a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the coding mask.
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Abstract
The present invention provides extended depth of field or focus to conventional Amplitude Contrast imaging systems. This is accomplished by including a Wavefront Coding mask in the system to apply phase variations to the wavefront transmitted by the Phase Object being imaged. The phase variations induced by the Wavefront Coding mask code the wavefront and cause the optical transfer function to remain essentially constant within some range away from the in-focus position. This provides a coded image at the detector. Post processing decodes this coded image, resulting in an in-focus image over an increased depth of field.
183 Citations
5 Claims
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1. Apparatus for increasing depth of field in a conventional Amplitude Contrast Imaging system having an illumination source, illumination optics, and an illumination mask placed before a Phase Object to be imaged, and an objective mask and objective optics after the Phase Object to form an image at a detector, the improvement comprising:
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an optical Wavefront Coding mask placed between the Phase Object and the detector to modify the wavefront of transmitted light, said coding mask being constructed and arranged to alter the optical transfer function of the Amplitude Contrast Imaging system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to the distance between the Phase Object and the objective optics over a greater range of object distances than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function, wherein the coding mask affects the alteration to the optical transfer function substantially by affecting the phase of light transmitted by the coding mask; and
a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the coding mask. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. The method for increasing depth of field in a conventional Amplitude Contrast Imaging system having an illumination source, illumination optics, and an illumination mask placed before a Phase Object to be imaged, and an objective mask and objective optics after the Phase Object to form an image at a detector, wherein the improvement comprising the steps of:
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between the Phase Object and the detector, modifying the wavefront of transmitted light with a wavefront coding mask;
the wavefront modification selected to alter the optical transfer function of the Amplitude Contrast Imaging system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially insensitive to the distance between the Phase Object and the objective optics over a greater range of object distances than was provided by the unaltered optical transfer function; and
post processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the coding mask.
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Specification
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Current AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System), CDM Optics, Inc. (Will Semiconductor Co., Ltd. Shanghai)
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Original AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University of Colorado (University of Colorado System)
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InventorsDowski, Edward Raymond Jr.
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Primary Examiner(s)MARIAM, DANIEL G
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Application NumberUS09/766,325Publication NumberTime in Patent Office1,530 DaysField of Search382/106, 382/211, 382/214, 382/232, 382/255, 382/274, 382/276, 382/283, 250/201.2, 250/201.4, 250/201.9, 356/124.5, 359/16, 359/279, 359/319US Class Current382/232CPC Class CodesG02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g...G02B 27/50 Optics for phase object vis...
