Microscope system

A method for acquiring an image of a sample in a microscope system, the method comprising:

• splitting an optical image of the sample to an image acquisition optical path leading to a first image pickup device and a focus control optical path leading to a second image pickup device having a plurality of image pickup areas;
• splitting the optical image of the sample propagating along the focus control optical path to a plurality of optical paths having different optical lengths;
• and
• receiving, at each of the image pickup areas of the second image pickup device, respectively, the optical image of the sample propagating along each of the optical paths having different optical lengths;
• analyzing the images received by the second image pickup device and calculating focus control information;
• carrying out focus control on the basis of the focus control information;
• receiving an optical image of the sample propagating along the image acquisition optical path at the first image pickup device;
• and
• acquiring a focused image of the sample by the first image pickup device;
• wherein the image acquisition of the sample by the first image pickup device and focus control of the first image pickup device are carried out simultaneously.

A microscope system used for acquiring an image of a sample comprising:

• a light guiding optical system having an objective lens to which an optical image of the sample is made incident;
• a focus controller;
• a first image pickup device configured to acquire an image of the sample, wherein the first image pickup device is arranged along an image acquisition optical path optically coupling the first image pickup device and the sample;
• a beam splitter configured to split an optical image of the sample to the image acquisition optical path and a focus control optical path;
• a splitting optical system configured to split an optical image of the sample propagating along the focus control optical path to a plurality of optical paths having different optical lengths;
• and
• a second image pickup device having a plurality of image pickup areas, wherein the second image pickup device is disposed so as to receive, at each of the image pickup areas, respectively, the optical image of the sample propagating along each of the optical paths having different optical lengths;
• wherein (a) the focus controller analyzes the images received by the second image pickup device and acquires focus control information for a first pickup location, (b) the focus controller adjusts a focal point on the basis of the focus control information for the first pickup location, and (c) the first image pickup device performs image acquisition of the sample for the first image pickup location, and, thereafter, steps (a) through (c) are performed for multiple additional pickup locations, until image acquisition for the entire sample has been carried out.

A method for acquiring an image of a sample in a microscope system, the method comprising:

• (a) splitting an optical image of the sample to an image acquisition optical path leading to a first image pickup device and a focus control optical path leading to a second image pickup device having a plurality of image pickup areas;
• (b) splitting the optical image of the sample propagating along the focus control optical path to a plurality of optical paths having different optical lengths;
• and
• (c) receiving, at each of the image pickup areas of the second image pickup device, respectively, the optical image of the sample propagating along each of the optical paths having different optical lengths for a first pickup location;
• (d) analyzing the images received by the second image pickup device and calculating focus control information for the first pickup location;
• (e) carrying out focus control on the basis of the focus control information for the first pickup location;
• (f) receiving an optical image of the sample propagating along the image acquisition optical path at the first image pickup device for the first pickup location;
• and
• (g) acquiring a focused image of the sample by the first image pickup device for the first pickup location;
• performing at least steps (a) through (g) for multiple additional pickup locations, until image acquisition for the entire sample has been carried out.