Scanning optical microscope
AssigneePhomedics Limited
InventorsCraig James Hamilton, Gordon Robertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical scanning microscope includes an illumination system (160) and an objective lens (134) operable together to provide the excitation radiation (152, 154) in a focal volume (124) at sufficient intensity to cause emission of emission radiation from a sample in the focal volume. The objective lens (134) is scanned by an objective scanner (130, 132). In this example an x-y transducer (xyXD) (130) is connected to a kinematic flexure mechanism (132) which acts as a scanning lens mount. The kinematic flexure mechanism is operable to scan the objective in two dimensions transverse with respect to the objective's optical axis so as to scan the emitting focal volume in corresponding dimensions. The kinematic flexure mechanism may be a unitary 3D-printed member.
Claims20
An optical scanning microscope for inducing optical emission in a sample using a laser illumination system operable to provide excitation radiation, the optical scanning microscope comprising:
- an aspheric objective lens configured to focus the excitation radiation,
- such that the laser illumination system and the aspheric objective lens are operable together to provide the excitation radiation in a focal volume to cause emission of emission radiation from the sample in the focal volume;
- and
- an objective scanner comprising a kinematic flexure mechanism and an x-y transducer;
- wherein the kinematic flexure mechanism comprises:
- flexure beams configured to be actuated to scan the aspheric objective lens linearly in a plane in two dimensions transverse with respect to an optical axis of the aspheric objective lens so as to scan the emitting focal volume in a corresponding sample plane, and
- an objective hole for mounting the aspheric objective lens on the flexure beams, wherein the aspheric objective lens is mounted in the objective hole;
- and
- wherein the x-y transducer is connected to the kinematic flexure mechanism which acts as a scanning lens mount for scanning the aspheric objective lens directly in the two dimensions.
An optical scanning microscope for inducing optical emission in a sample using a laser illumination system operable to provide excitation radiation, the optical scanning microscope comprising:
- an objective configured to focus the excitation radiation, such that the laser illumination system and the objective are operable together to provide the excitation radiation in a focal volume to cause emission of emission radiation from the sample in the focal volume;
- and
- an objective scanner comprising a kinematic flexure mechanism and an x-y transducer;
- wherein the kinematic flexure mechanism comprises:
- flexure beams configured to be actuated to scan the objective linearly in a plane in two dimensions transverse with respect to an optical axis of the objective so as to scan the emitting focal volume in a corresponding sample plane, and
- an objective hole for mounting the objective on the flexure beams, wherein the objective is mounted in the objective hole;
- and
- wherein the x-y transducer is connected to the kinematic flexure mechanism which acts as a scanning objective mount for scanning the objective directly in the two dimensions;
- wherein the objective comprises an axicon or an aspheric mirror.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.