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US 12,761,134 B2Granted
Particle analysis using light microscope and multi-pixel polarization filter
AssigneeCarl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH
InventorsIndrajati Nicole Kastanja, Markus Cappellaro, Achim Schwarz
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Abstract
Techniques in connection with the use of a multi-pixel polarization filter in the light-microscopic examination of a sample object are described. In this way e.g. a particle analysis can be carried out, e.g. in particular for determining the technical cleanness of a surface of the sample object.
Claims11
An optical system, comprising:
- a sample holder configured to fix a sample object,
- a light microscope, which defines an illumination light path and a detection light path for microscopy of the sample object with polarized light,
- at least one camera comprising a multi-pixel detector having a multiplicity of detector pixel elements, and a multi-pixel polarization filter having a multiplicity of polarization filter pixel elements, wherein the multi-pixel polarization filter is arranged between the sample holder and the multi-pixel detector in the detection light path, wherein the multi-pixel detector is configured to provide image data, and
- a computer logic element configured to calculate at least one polarization image of the sample object on the basis of the image data,
- wherein the computer logic element is furthermore configured to carry out a particle analysis for a surface of the sample object on the basis of the at least one polarization image,
- wherein the multi-pixel polarization filter comprises at least two groups of polarization filter pixel elements,
- wherein the polarization filter pixel elements of the at least two groups each filter different polarization directions of light,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a first group and a second group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the first group and of the second group form a first basis for the space of the polarization directions,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a third group and a fourth group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the third group and of the fourth group form a second basis for the space of the polarization directions, the first basis and the second basis being independent from one another,
- wherein the computer logic element is configured to:
- determine a first pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to the polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the first basis;
- determine, independently of the first pixel value, a second pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to the polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the second basis;
- and
- combine the first pixel value and the second pixel value to obtain a pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image.
11 more elements
A method, comprising:
- controlling a multi-pixel detector associated with a multi-pixel polarization filter, and receiving image data that microscopically image a sample object by means of the multi-pixel detector,
- on the basis of the image data:
- calculating at least one polarization image of the sample object, and
- on the basis of the at least one polarization image:
- carrying out a particle analysis for a surface of the sample object,
- wherein the multi-pixel polarization filter comprises at least two groups of polarization filter pixel elements,
- wherein the polarization filter pixel elements of the at least two groups each filter different polarization directions of light,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a first group and a second group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the first group and of the second group form a first basis for the space of the polarization directions,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a third group and a fourth group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the third group and of the fourth group form a second basis for the space of the polarization directions, the first basis and the second basis being independent from one another,
- determining a first pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the first basis;
- determining, independently of the first pixel value, a second pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the second basis;
- and
- combining the first pixel value and the second pixel value to obtain the pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image.
10 more elements
A method of performing light-microscopic examination of a sample object, comprising:
- using a multi-pixel detector having a multiplicity of detector pixel elements, and a multi-pixel polarization filter having a multiplicity of polarization filter pixel elements;
- wherein the multi-pixel polarization filter comprises at least two groups of polarization filter pixel elements,
- wherein the polarization filter pixel elements of the at least two groups each filter different polarization directions of light,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a first group and a second group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the first group and of the second group form a first basis for the space of the polarization directions,
- wherein the at least two groups comprise a third group and a fourth group, wherein the polarization directions filtered by the polarization filter pixel elements of the third group and of the fourth group form a second basis for the space of the polarization directions, the first basis and the second basis being independent from one another,
- determining a first pixel value for each pixel of at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the first basis;
- determining, independently of the first pixel value, a second pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image based on image data corresponding to polarization filter pixel elements that filter the polarization directions of the second basis;
- and
- combining the first pixel value and the second pixel value to obtain the pixel value for each pixel of the at least one polarization image.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.