Microscope suitable for high-throughput screening having an autofocusing apparatus

A system for automatically focusing an image in a microscope, comprising:

• an imaging system for creating an image of an object plane using an illumination light beam of a first wavelength;
• and
• an autofocusing detection system, said autofocusing detection system comprising:
• an autofocusing light beam of a second wavelength, the autofocusing light beam being directed to reflect off of the object plane;
• an autofocusing detection device comprising an iris and a light detector;
• and
• a detection system lens for directing the reflected autofocusing light beam to the autofocusing detection device, the autofocusing detection device receiving the reflected autofocusing light beam from the detection system lens, said iris permitting at least a portion of the reflected autofocusing light beam to pass through an aperture of said iris, and said light detector measuring the intensity of the portion of the reflected autofocusing light beam that passes through the aperture of the iris in order to detect the distance that the image of the object plane in the imaging system is displaced from a desired focus reference surface.

A system for automatically focusing an image in a microscope, comprising:

• an imaging system for creating an image of an object plane using an illumination light beam of a first wavelength;
• and
• an autofocusing detection system, said autofocusing detection system comprising:
• an autofocusing light beam of a second wavelength, the autofocusing light beam being directed to reflect off of the object plane;
• an autofocusing detection device comprising a plurality of light sensors;
• and
• a detection system lens for directing the reflected autofocusing light beam to the autofocusing detection device, the autofocusing detection device receiving the reflected autofocusing light beam from the detection system lens, said plurality of light sensors measuring the light intensity of the reflected autofocusing light beam in order to detect the distance that the image of the object plane in the imaging system is displaced from a desired focus reference surface.

A method of automatically focusing an image of an object plane in a microscope, comprising:

• generating an autofocusing light beam;
• directing the autofocusing light beam against the object plane to be examined;
• reflecting the autofocusing light beam off the object plane;
• directing the reflected autofocusing light beam to a detection system;
• sensing the autofocusing light beam with a light detector of the detection system;
• determining, based on the sensed autofocusing light beam, the amount of displacement of the image plane of the reflected autofocusing light beam from a desired reference plane;
• and
• focusing on the object plane to create a properly focused image,
• wherein said sensing includes transmitting the reflected autofocusing light beam at least partially through an aperture of an iris and measuring the light intensity of the reflected autofocusing light beam that is transmitted through the aperture with the light detector of the detection system.

A method of automatically focusing an image of an object plane in a microscope, comprising:

• generating an autofocusing light beam;
• directing the autofocusing light beam against the object plane to be examined;
• reflecting the autofocusing light beam off the object plane;
• directing the reflected autofocusing light beam to a detection system;
• sensing the autofocusing light beam with a plurality of light detectors of the detection system;
• determining, based on the sensed autofocusing light beam, the amount of displacement of the image plane of the reflected autofocusing light beam from a desired reference plane;
• and
• focusing on the object plane to create a properly focused image,
• wherein said determining includes comparing the light intensities of the reflected autofocusing light beam detected by the light detectors.