Microscope

• US 9,402,059 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Original Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
• Inventors: Maji, Takeshi, Sasayama, Tomoki, Yokota, Kazumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yang, Nien-Ru
• Application Number:
  US13/727,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 348/79, 348/61, 348/86, 348/95, 348/117, 348/129, 348/142
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/35 using infrared light G01N21/39 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/088 for both incident illumination and transillumination
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/16 adapted for ultraviolet illumination ; Fluorescence microscopes G02B21/0076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/244 using image analysis techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/361 Optical details, e.g. image relay to the camera or image sensor G02B21/364 takes precedence; illumination details G02B21/06 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A microscope is provided. The microscope includes: a detection section for detecting the measurement light; a first image acquisition section emitting the visible light onto a detection surface to obtain an optical image; and a switch mirror or beam splitter disposed on a light path, along which the measurement light from the analysis position of the sample is guided to the detection section. The microscope further includes a second image acquisition section that is disposed in a position apart from the light path of the detection section for obtaining an optical image of a large area which includes the analysis position of the sample, wherein the optical image of the large area is larger than an optical image of an area, which includes the analysis position of the sample, obtained by the first image acquisition section.

Claims

1. A microscope, comprising:

a measurement light source section emitting a measurement light to an analysis position of a sample;

a visible light source section emitting a visible light to an area comprising the analysis position of the sample;

a detection section detecting the measurement light from the analysis position of the sample;

a first image acquisition section receiving the visible light from the area comprising the analysis position of the sample onto a detection surface to obtain an optical image; and

a beam splitter disposed on a light path that guides the measurement light from the analysis position of the sample to the detection section and guiding the visible light from the area comprising the analysis position of the sample to the detection surface of the first image acquisition section by switching or splitting the light path,

wherein the sample is moved with respect to the detection section and the first image acquisition section, and

the microscope further comprises a second image acquisition section disposed in a position apart from the light path that leads to the detection section and obtaining an optical image of a large area comprising the analysis position of the sample simultaneously as the first image acquisition section obtains the optical image by guiding the visible light to the detection section, wherein the optical image of the large area obtained by the second image acquisition section is larger than an optical image of the area comprising the analysis position of the sample obtained by the first image acquisition section.

2. The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the second image acquisition section further comprises a zoom in/out mechanism zooming in or zooming out the obtained optical image of the large area.

3. The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the second image acquisition section obtains the visible light by an optical axis different from an optical axis of an optical system that guides the measurement light to the detection section, and

the microscope further comprises a control section, correcting a distortion of the optical image of the large area obtained by the second image acquisition section such that the optical image of the large area is obtained by using an optical axis the same as the optical axis of the optical system that guides the measurement light to the detection section, and displaying a picture of the optical image of the large area.

4. The microscope according to claim 1, further comprising a sample disposing mechanism for moving a sample stage that carries the sample.

5. The microscope according to claim 4, wherein the control section displays a picture of the optical image obtained by the first image acquisition section and a picture of the optical image of the large area at the same time or in turn.

6. The microscope according to claim 5, wherein the control section displays at least an optical image position picture, which indicates a position of the picture of the optical image obtained by the first image acquisition section, and an analysis position picture, which indicates the analysis position, on the picture of the optical image of the large area.

7. The microscope according to claim 6, wherein the control section moves the sample stage according to an operation performed on the position of the optical image position picture or the analysis position picture on the picture of the optical image of the large area via an input device.

8. The microscope according to claim 6, wherein when the sample stage moves in a direction of the light path that leads to the detection section, a direction of a view center of the second image acquisition section is varied, such that a view center of the first image acquisition section and the view center of the second image acquisition section on a surface of the sample are consistent to each other.

9. The microscope according to claim 1, further comprising an optical element condensing the measurement light from the measurement light source section and emitting the condensed measurement light to the analysis position of the sample and condensing a light from the area comprising the analysis position of the sample and emitting the condensed light, wherein the optical element is a Cassegrain lens comprising a Cassegrain main lens and a Cassegrain auxiliary lens, and an optical system for guiding light to the second image acquisition section or the detection surface of the second image acquisition section is disposed on a back side of the Cassegrain auxiliary lens.

10. The microscope according to claim 9, wherein the second image acquisition section obtains the visible light by a same optical axis as the optical system that guides the measurement light to the detection section, and the control section is a control section displaying the optical image of the large area obtained by the second image acquisition section as a picture of the optical image of the large area.

11. The microscope according to claim 9, wherein a focusing range of the first image acquisition section and a focusing range of the second image acquisition section overlap each other.