# US 10,768,400 B2 · Varying an illumination path of a selective plane illumination microscopy > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,400 B2 - Document ID: US10768400B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/944,485 - Filed: 2018-04-03 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-24 - Applicants: Igor Lyuboshenko - Inventors: Igor Lyuboshenko - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768400B2 ## CPC - G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens - G01N 21/6458: {Fluorescence microscopy (fluorescence microscopes per se G02B21/0076 and G02B21/16)} - G02B 21/0032: {Optical details of illumination, e.g. light-sources, pinholes, beam splitters, slits, fibers (G02B21/0036 - G02B21/008; means for illumination of specimens in general G02B21/06)} - G02B 21/0048: {scanning mirrors, e.g. rotating or galvanomirrors, MEMS mirrors} - G02B 21/0076: {arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence} - G02B 21/26: Stages; Adjusting means therefor - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract A system for illuminating a microscopy specimen includes an illumination source configured to emit a light that travels along an illumination path to illuminate the microscopy specimen placed on an optical detection path of an optical microscope. The system also includes optical elements in the illumination path and configured to at least in part transform the light from the illumination source into a light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen. The optical elements include an electronically tunable lens configured to vary a focal distance of the electronically tunable lens to dynamically vary a position of a waist of the light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen. The optical elements include a deflector configured to vertically move the light sheet to illuminate the microscopy specimen at different horizontal planes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for illuminating a microscopy specimen, comprising: an illumination source configured to emit a light that travels along an illumination path to illuminate the microscopy specimen placed on an optical detection path of an optical microscope; and optical elements in the illumination path and configured to at least in part transform the light from the illumination source into a light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen; wherein the optical elements include an electronically tunable lens configured to vary a focal distance of the electronically tunable lens to dynamically vary a position of a waist of the light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen; and wherein the optical elements include a deflector configured to vertically move the light sheet to illuminate the microscopy specimen at different horizontal planes; and wherein the optical detection path includes a second electronically tunable lens configured to automatically vary a focal distance of the second electronically tunable lens. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the deflector includes an oscillating mirror that oscillates about a central rotational axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the focal distance of the electronically tunable lens is automatically swept across a range of focal distance values. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the electronically tunable lens is adjustable in a range that includes both positive and negative diopter values. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include a second deflector configured to horizontally move a direction with which beam components extending within the light sheet are directed to the microscopy specimen. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the second deflector includes an oscillating mirror that vibrates about a central rotational axis. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include a collimator and one or more diaphragms configured to adjust field and/or or angular aperture stops associated with the light sheet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include an aspherical optical element configured to at least in part generate a light bundle with an elliptic cross section. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical detection path includes a detector configured to detect a fluorescent light emitted by the microscopy specimen. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the focal distance of the second electronically tunable lens is automatically synchronized with automatically varying a vertical location of the light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include a group of optical relay lenses and an optical objective that directs the light sheet to the microscopy specimen, and the electronically tunable lens is positioned in the illumination path between the group of optical relay lenses and the optical objective. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include a group of optical relay lenses, and the electronically tunable lens is positioned in the illumination path between the group of optical relay lenses and the deflector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the optical elements include an aspherical optical element, and the electronically tunable lens is positioned in the illumination path between the aspherical optical element and the deflector. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a motorized stage configured to move and rotate the microscopy specimen with respect to the light sheet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein scanning lines of a rolling shutter of a detector in the optical detection path are synchronized with a varying position of the waist of the light sheet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a second illumination source configured to emit a different light that travels along a second illumination path to illuminate the microscopy specimen placed on the optical detection path of the optical microscope. ### Claim 17 A system for illuminating a microscopy specimen, comprising: an illumination source configured to emit a light that travels along an illumination path to illuminate the microscopy specimen placed on an optical detection path of an optical microscope; and optical elements in the illumination path and configured to at least in part transform the light from the illumination source into a light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen; wherein the optical elements include an electronically tunable lens configured to vary a focal distance of the electronically tunable lens to dynamically vary a position of a waist of the light sheet illuminating the microscopy specimen; and wherein the optical elements include a deflector configured to vertically move the light sheet to illuminate the microscopy specimen at different horizontal planes; and wherein the optical elements include an aspherical optical element, and the electronically tunable lens is positioned in the illumination path between the aspherical optical element and the deflector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein the optical elements include a second deflector configured to horizontally move a direction with which beam components extending within the light sheet are directed to the microscopy specimen. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the second deflector includes an oscillating mirror that vibrates about a central rotational axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein scanning lines of a rolling shutter of a detector in the optical detection path are synchronized with a varying position of the waist of the light sheet.