US 2026/0243655 A1Published application

Method and device for interferometric microscopy

AssigneeHoltra AB

InventorsFredrik Eklund, Erik Olsén, Daniel Midtvedt

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Abstract

A sample holder and a method for using such a holder in interferometric microscopy. The sample holder is designed such that the height of a sample chamber is similar or smaller than the coherence length of the illuminating light, said sample chamber having a floor and a roof defining therebetween an internal height of the sample chamber. The sample chamber further has a lower interface formed between an inner space of the sample chamber and the floor and an upper interface formed between the inner space of the sample chamber and the ceiling. The internal height is in a viewable area of the sample chamber designed such that light from the reflection from the chamber lower interface and light from the reflection from the chamber upper interface is sufficiently out of phase such that destructive interference of the two reflections is achieved.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An interferometric microscopy system for characterizing submicron-and nano-particles, the system comprising:

a sample holder comprising a chamber configured to hold a liquid sample comprising at least one particle, the sample holder having a floor and a roof;
wherein at least the floor is optically transparent;
a light source configured to illuminate the liquid sample through the floor of the sample holder, the illuminating light having a coherence length of similar length or longer than a height of the chamber;
a detector arranged to record images of light backscattered by the at least one particle in the sample, the detector being closer to the floor than the roof,
wherein reflected light from a chamber lower interface between the floor and the sample due to difference of refractive index between the chamber floor and the sample as well as reflected light from the chamber upper interface between the sample and the roof due to difference of refractive index between the sample and the roof is reflected back to the detector where the reflected light interferes with light backscattered by the at least one particle in the sample, and
wherein the height of the chamber in the field of view is nλ/4±λ/6, where n is an odd integer 1,3,5, . . . and 2 is the wavelength of light in the liquid sample such that light from the reflection from the chamber lower interface and from the reflection from the chamber upper interface reaching the detector is sufficiently out of phase to achieve destructive interference.

3 more elements

Method for characterizing submicron-and nano-particles using an interferometric microscopy system, the method comprising:

by a light source, illuminating a liquid sample in a sample holder comprising a chamber holding the liquid sample comprising at least one particle, the sample holder having a floor and a roof;
wherein at least the floor is optically transparent, wherein the liquid sample is illuminated through the floor of the sample holder and the illuminating light having a coherence length of similar length or longer than a height of the chamber;
by a detector, recording images of light backscattered by the at least one particle in the sample, the detector being closer to the floor than the roof, wherein reflected light from a chamber lower interface between the floor and the sample due to difference of refractive index between the chamber floor and the sample as well as reflected light from the chamber upper interface between the sample and the roof due to difference of refractive index between the sample and the roof is reflected back to the detector where the reflected light interferes with light backscattered by the at least one particle in the sample, and
wherein the height of the chamber in the field of view is nλ/4±λ/6, where n is an odd integer 1, 3, 5, . . . and 2 is the wavelength of light in the liquid sample such that light from the reflection from the chamber lower interface and from the reflection from the chamber upper interface reaching the detector is sufficiently out of phase to achieve destructive interference.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.