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US 2024/0069319 A1Published application
Microscope focus control system
AssigneeCairn Research Limited
InventorMartin THOMAS
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AssigneeCairn Research Limited
InventorMartin THOMAS
Estimating the term…
There is provided a microscope focus control system comprising an illumination source (70) and a polarisation-sensitive detector (66) positioned to receive a reflected beam (40) from an interface (54) having a reference refractive index and configured to detect polarisation components of the reflected beam (40). An elongate aperture (72) is disposed proximal the illumination source (70) to generate a rectangular beam (74) to impinge on the interface (54) and a second aperture (106) is located at a position corresponding to an unfocused region of the reflected beam (40) from the interface (54) so as to direct unfocused reflected light onto the polarisation-sensitive detector (66). Changes in polarisation components of the reflected beam are used to measure of change in position of the interface (54) relative to the objective (50). The reflected beam (40) is generated by Fresnel reflection.
A microscope focus control system comprising an illumination source, and a polarisation-sensitive detector positioned to receive a reflected beam from an interface having a reference refractive index and configured to detect polarisation components of the reflected beam, wherein an elongate aperture is disposed proximal the illumination source to generate a rectangular beam to impinge on the interface and a second aperture is located at a position corresponding to an unfocused region of the reflected beam from the interface so as to direct unfocused reflected light onto the polarisation-sensitive detector, such that changes in polarisation components of the reflected beam are used as a measure of change in position of the interface relative to an objective.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.