Creating an image of an object with an optical microscope

An optical microscope for use in viewing an object, the optical microscope comprising:

• a photosensor having a semiconductor surface on which the object is to be placed, the semiconductor surface being responsive to a beam of light to produce an electrical output indicating a spatial profile of the object which blocks or attenuates an amount of light to reach the semiconductor surface compare to an area without the object;
• a light source operable to produce the beam of light;
• an actuator coupled to the light source to scan the beam of light over multiple positions on the semiconductor surface of the photosensor;
• processing circuitry coupled to receive the electrical output produced by the semiconductor surface and configured to:
• receive two background scan signals from the photosensor when light from the beam strikes the semiconductor surface of the photosensor during a background scan conducted without the object placed on the semiconductor surface, the background scan signals indicating motion of the beam of light in two different directions over the semiconductor surface;
• add the two background scan signals to form a combined background scan signal;
• create a background scan dataset indicating a value of the combined background scan signal at each of multiple positions on the semiconductor surface of the photosensor;
• receive two object scan signals when light from the beam strikes the semiconductor surface of the photosensor during an object scan conducted with the object placed on the surface, the object scan signals indicating motion of the beam in two different directions over the semiconductor surface;
• add the two object scan signals to form a combined object scan signal;
• create an object scan dataset indicating a value of the combined object scan signal at each of the multiple positions on the semiconductor surface of the photosensor;
• deconvolve a known profile of the light beam from the background scan dataset and the object scan dataset to form a beam-corrected background scan dataset and a beam-corrected object scan dataset;
• and
• subtract the beam-corrected object scan dataset from the beam-corrected background scan dataset to create an image dataset for use in creating the image of the object;
• and
• a display device configured to display the image of the object.

A method for use in creating an image of an object in an optical microscope, the method comprising:

• scanning a beam of light over a photosensitive surface on which the object is to be placed to generate a photo-induced output signal as a function of multiple scanning positions;
• receiving a background scan signal when the light strikes the surface without the object in place;
• after the object has been placed on the surface, again scanning the beam of light over the surface;
• receiving an object scan signal when the light strikes the surface with the object in place;
• creating a background scan dataset indicating a value of the background scan signal at each of multiple positions on the surface;
• creating an object scan dataset indicating a value of the object scan signal at each of the multiple positions on the surface;
• and
• deriving image data from the background scan dataset and the object scan dataset for use in creating the image of the object.

An imaging device, comprising:

• a substrate formed of a semiconductor material responsive to light to produce an electrical signal and having a sample surface on which a sample is to be placed;
• at least one pair of electrical contacts formed on said substrate and spaced from each other across said sample surface to receive and output said electrical signal;
• an optical fiber probe to receive and guide an optical probe beam to illuminate said sample surface for generating said electrical signal;
• a scanning element to scan said fiber probe over said sample surface to illuminate multiple scanning positions on said sample surface;
• and
• a processing circuit coupled to said electrical contacts to receive said electrical signal and operable to extract imaging information of the object placed on said sample surface from said electrical signal.