Quantitative phase image generating method, quantitative phase image generating device, and program

A quantitative phase image generating method, comprising:

• irradiating an object with illumination light, the object being a phase body;
• disposing a focal point of an objective lens at each of a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps Δz along an optical axis of the objective lens;
• detecting light from the object;
• generating three-dimensional light intensity distribution data based upon the light detected at each of the plurality of positions;
• and
• generating a quantitative phase image based upon the three-dimensional light intensity distribution data, wherein
• the quantitative phase image is an image including phases obtained by multiplying change in thickness of the object by change of its refractive index, and
• the gap Δz is 0.07 μm or greater and 90.3 μm or less.

A quantitative phase image generating device comprising a microscope, the microscope comprising:

• an illumination optical system that irradiates illumination light upon an object, the object being a phase body;
• an objective lens;
• a detector that detects light from the object due to the irradiation of illumination light from the illumination optical system;
• and
• a processor configured to
• adjust a position of a focal point of the objective lens so that the focal point of the objective lens is disposed at a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps Δz along an optical axis of the objective lens;
• generate three-dimensional light intensity distribution data based upon the light detected at each of the plurality of positions;
• and
• generate a quantitative phase image based upon the three-dimensional light intensity distribution data, wherein:
• the quantitative phase image is an image including phases obtained by multiplying change in thickness of the object by change of its refractive index;
• the processor sets the gap Δz based upon setting information of the microscope;
• and
• the setting information includes at least one of the following:
• a numerical aperture NA of the objective lens, a wavelength λ of the illumination light, and a refractive index between the objective lens and the object.

A quantitative phase image generating device, comprising:

• an illumination optical system that irradiates illumination light upon an object, the object being a phase body;
• an objective lens;
• a detector that detects light from the object due to the irradiation of illumination light from the illumination optical system;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• adjust a position of a focal point of the objective lens upon the object so that the focal point of the objective lens is disposed at a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps Δz along an optical axis of the objective lens;
• and
• generate three-dimensional light intensity distribution data based upon the light detected at each of the plurality of positions;
• and
• generate a quantitative phase image based upon the three-dimensional light intensity distribution data, wherein
• the quantitative phase image is an image including phases obtained by multiplying change in thickness of the object by change of its refractive index, and
• the processor sets the gap Δz to 0.07 μm or greater and 90.3 μm or less.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that controls a processor of a quantitative phase image generating device with a microscope,

• the quantitative phase image generating device comprising:
• an illumination optical system that irradiates illumination light upon an object, the object being a phase body;
• an objective lens;
• a detector that detects light from the object due to the irradiation of illumination light from the illumination optical system;
• and
• the processor configured to
• adjust a position of a focal point of the objective lens so that the focal point of the objective lens is disposed at a plurality of positions in the object that are mutually separated by gaps Δz along an optical axis of the objective lens;
• generate three-dimensional light intensity distribution data based upon the light detected at each of the plurality of positions;
• and
• generate a quantitative phase image based upon the three-dimensional light intensity distribution data, and
• the program causing the quantitative phase image generating device to execute processing for performing setting processing for setting the gap Δz based upon setting information for the microscope inputted to or stored in the quantitative phase image generating device, wherein
• the setting information includes at least one of the following:
• a numerical aperture NA of the objective lens, a wavelength λ of the illumination light, and a refractive index between the objective lens and the object.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program that controls a processor of a quantitative phase image generating device,

• the quantitative phase image generating device comprising:
• an illumination optical system that irradiates illumination light upon an object, the object being a phase body;
• an objective lens;
• a detector that detects light from the object due to the irradiation of illumination light from the illumination optical system, and
• the processor configured to:
• adjust a position of a focal point of the objective lens upon the object, so that the focal point of the objective lens is disposed at a plurality of positions that are mutually separated by gaps Δz along an optical axis of the objective lens;
• generate three-dimensional light intensity distribution data based upon the light detected at each of the plurality of positions;
• and
• generate a three-dimensional quantitative phase image based upon the three-dimensional light intensity distribution data, the quantitative phase image being an image including phases obtained by multiplying change in thickness of the object by change of its refractive index, and
• the program causing the quantitative phase image generating device to execute processing for performing setting processing for setting the gap Δz to 0.07 μm or greater and 90.3 μm or less.