Microscope control apparatus, microscope apparatus and objective lens for microscope

• US 20050024718A1
• Filed: 07/27/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Watanabe, Katsuya, Sase, Ichiro
• Application Number:
  US10/899,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024718A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/368
• 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: G02B 27/0025 for optical correction, e.g. distorsion, aberration

Abstract

A microscope control apparatus is used with a microscope apparatus attached with a microscope objective lens having an aberration correction lens. The microscope control apparatus includes a memory in which information on driving amounts of the aberration correction lens that are optimum for various observation conditions respectively, entry device for allowing an observer to enter a single parameter or multiple parameters for specifying an observation condition set upon observation, and calculation device for determining a driving amount of the aberration correction lens that is optimum for the observation condition specified by the parameter(s) based on the information.

Claims

1. A microscope control apparatus for a microscope apparatus attached with a microscope objective lens having an aberration correction lens, comprising:

a memory means in which information on driving amounts of said aberration correction lens that are optimum for various observation conditions respectively;

entry means for allowing an observer to enter a single parameter or multiple parameters for specifying an observation condition set upon observation; and

calculation means for determining a driving amount of said aberration correction lens that is optimum for the observation condition specified by said parameter(s) based on said information.

2. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said parameter(s) includes at least one of the following parameters:

a parameter indicative of a refractive index of an object to be observed;

a parameter indicative of a temperature of said object to be observed;

a parameter indicative of a position of an observation target plane in said object to be observed;

a parameter indicative of a refractive index of a medium present between said observation target plane and said microscope objective lens; and

a parameter indicative of a thickness of the medium present between said observation target plane and said microscope objective lens.

3. A microscope apparatus comprising:

a microscope objective lens having an aberration correction lens;

a memory means in which information on driving amounts of said aberration correction lens that are optimum for various observation conditions respectively;

entry means for allowing an observer to enter a single parameter or multiple parameters for specifying an observation condition set upon observation;

calculation means for determining a driving amount of said aberration correction lens that is optimum for the observation condition specified by said parameter(s) based on said information; and

driving means for driving said aberration correction lens by said determined driving amount.

4. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said microscope objective lens has a correction ring for driving said aberration correction lens along an optical axis direction, and said driving means makes said correction ring rotate.

5. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said microscope apparatus has a sensor for the correction ring which sensor detects rotational position of said correction ring, and said calculation means calculates a drive amount of said drive means for rotating said correction ring in accordance with a detection signal based on information detected by said sensor for the correction ring.

6. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said microscope apparatus has a stage on which a specimen is placed and which is movable along the optical axis of said objective lens, a stage driving means for moving said stage along the optical axis of said objective lens, and a sensor for the stage which detects position of said stage, wherein said stage driving means is driven in accordance with a detection signal based on information detected by said stage sensor.

7. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said microscope apparatus has a lens control portion which controls a drive amount of said driving means for making said correction ring rotate, based on a rotational position of the correction ring detected by said sensor for the correction ring and a target rotational position of said correction ring.

8. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said microscope apparatus has a stage control portion which controls a drive amount of said stage driving means for moving said stage, based on a position of the stage detected by said stage for the sensor and a target rotational position of said stage.

9. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said driving means changes successively observation conditions in accordance with a plurality of parameters entered into said entry means, to drive said aberration correction lens, thereby enabling to perform continuous observation.

10. A microscope control apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said driving means for rotating the correction ring and said stage driving means are respectively motors, wherein said correction ring is manually rotatable, and said stage has a dial for manually moving said stage.