Focus stabilizing mechanism of microscope or the like
AssigneeJapan Science and Technology Corporation
InventorsKazuhiko Kinoshita, Megumi Shio
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical microscope of high stability such that problems wherein an image of a sample becomes unsharp during observation and movement (drift) of the object point (object) occurs are solved because the defocusing in the Z direction attributable to thermal expansion of the optical microscope is compensated. The optical instruments are characterized as comprising an optical system unit symmetrical to the optical axis in terms of weight and shape and a peripheral unit having a sample positioning mechanism is constituted by combining components having temperature dependences close to zero.
Claims5
A focus-stabilizing mechanism for microscopes and similar instruments, the focus-stabilizing mechanism comprising:
- an optical system unit, and
- a peripheral unit that has a sample-positioning mechanism, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, wherein
- the focus-stabilizing mechanism is characterized by combining the temperature dependencies of each component, each of said temperature dependencies being close to zero.
A focus-stabilizing mechanism for microscopes and similar instruments, with the focus-stabilizing mechanism configured by combining components that have temperature-dependencies close to zero, said microscope comprising:
- an optical system with an objective lens mounted at the center of the top of a base using a hollow Z-axis stage or a hollow cylinder, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, and
- a sample-positioning hollow drive stage, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, mounted on the fixed base.
A focus-stabilizing mechanism for microscopes and similar instruments comprising:
- an optical system unit, and
- a peripheral unit that has a sample-positioning mechanism, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, wherein
- the focus-stabilizing mechanism is characterized by the sum of the temperature dependencies of each mechanism being equivalent.
A focus-stabilizing mechanism for microscopes and similar instruments, with the mechanism configured so that the sum of each temperature dependency of the optical system and hollow stage is equivalent, said microscope comprising:
- an optical system with the object lens fixed to the center of the top of a base using a hollow Z-axis stage or a hollow cylinder, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, and
- a sample-positioning hollow drive stage, which is symmetrical to the optical axis in weight and shape, mounted on the fixed base.
A focus-stabilizing mechanism for microscopes and similar instruments that uses Invar with a linear expansion coefficient of 3×10−6 or less for the optical system unit or sample-positioning unit so that the physical heights of both components are aligned and the sum of their temperature dependencies is equivalent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.