Observation Method and Observation Device
AssigneeHitachi High-Tech Corporation
InventorsTatsuya YAMASHITA, Tsuyoshi SONEHARA, Akira MASUYA, Kento NISHIURA
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Abstract
The present invention tries to speed up autofocus executed in a plurality of successively observed observation areas. This method for successively observing an ith observation area and an (i+1)th observation area, which are targets to be observed, involves executing autofocus in the ith observation area (S3); when autofocus is achieved in the ith observation area (S4: Yes), imaging the ith observation area (S5); and executing autofocus in the (i+1) observation area, starting from the position of an objective lens at the time when autofocus is achieved in the ith observation area (S3 and S4).
Claims14
An observation method for successively observing a first observation area and a second observation area which are observation targets, the observation method comprising:
- executing autofocus in the first observation area;
- and
- in a case where the autofocus in the first observation area is successful, imaging the first observation area and executing the autofocus in the second observation area starting from a first position of an objective lens when the autofocus in the first observation area is successful.
An observation device for successively observing a first observation area and a second observation area which are observation targets, the observation device comprising:
- an autofocus unit configured to execute autofocus in the first observation area and the second observation area;
- and
- a control unit configured to control the autofocus unit to, in a case where the autofocus in the first observation area is successful, image the first observation area and execute the autofocus in the second observation area starting from a first position of an objective lens when the autofocus in the first observation area is successful.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.