Confocal probe
AssigneePENTAX Corporation
InventorRogerio Jun Mizuno
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A confocal probe is provided with an optical fiber introducing light having wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range in the confocal probe, a collimating lens that collimates light emerged from an end surface of the optical fiber, a dispersing prism that receives the light collimated by the collimating lens and disperses the received light in a predetermined direction, light emerged from the dispersing prism and having the same wavelength being kept collimated, and a light converging optical system that converges the light emerged from the dispersing prism on a target (i.e., region of interest).
Claims11
A confocal probe, comprising:
- an optical fiber introducing light having wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range in the confocal probe;
- a collimating lens that collimates light emerged from an end surface of the optical fiber;
- a dispersing prism that receives the light collimated by the collimating lens and disperses the received light in a predetermined direction, light emerged from the dispersing prism and having the same wavelength being kept collimated;
- and
- a light converging optical system that converges the light emerged from the dispersing prism on a target.
A confocal probe, comprising:
- an optical fiber introducing light having wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range in the confocal probe;
- a collimating lens that collimates light emerged from an end surface of the optical fiber;
- a dispersing optical system that receives the light collimated by the collimating lens and disperses the received light in a predetermined direction, light emerged from the dispersing optical system and having the same wavelength being kept collimated;
- and
- a light converging optical system that converges the light emerged from the dispersing optical system on a target,
- wherein an optical axis of the collimating lens, an optical axis of the light converging optical system and an optical path of a chief ray of the light emerged from the end surface of the optical fiber are substantially parallel with each other, the optical path of the chief ray of the light emerged from the end surface of the optical fiber being shifted with respect to the optical axis of the collimating lens by a predetermined amount.
A confocal microscope, comprising:
- a multi-spectrum light source that emits light having wavelengths within a predetermined wavelength range;
- a confocal probe which includes an optical fiber that introduces the light emitted by the multi-spectrum light source in the confocal probe, a collimating lens that collimates light transmitted by and emerged from an end surface of the optical fiber, a dispersing prism that receives the light collimated by the collimating lens and disperses the received light in a predetermined direction, light emerged from the dispersing prism and having the same wavelength being kept collimated, and a light converging optical system that converges the light emerged from the dispersing prism on a target;
- a measuring device that detects spectrum of the light reflected by the target;
- and
- an image generating system that generates an image of the target based on an output of the measuring device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.