# US 8,465,708 B2 · Immersion objective lens, retention mechanism for immersion medium, and manufacturing method

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- Number: US 8,465,708 B2
- Document ID: US8465708B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/505,164
- Filed: 2006-08-16
- Published: 2006-12-07
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2004-02-16
- Assignees: Olympus Corporation
- Applicants: Mitsuo Harada; Akihiro Namba; Morinao Fukuoka
- Inventors: Mitsuo Harada; Akihiro Namba; Morinao Fukuoka
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465708B2

## CPC

- G02B 21/33: Immersion oils {, or microscope systems or objectives for use with immersion fluids}
- Y10T 29/49826: Assembling or joining
- Y10T 436/25: including sample preparation
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

There is provided a retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, includes a member which retains the immersion medium near a tip portion of the objective lens, wherein the member is configured to include at least first and second materials.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An immersion objective lens for use in a device which maintains the immersion medium between a sample and a tip portion of the immersion objective lens and observes/measures the sample via the immersion medium,
wherein the immersion medium is brought into contact with the tip portion of the immersion objective lens and maintained,
the immersion objective lens being formed of the tip portion, a lens ring portion and a lens outer frame, the lens ring portion being formed of an entire surface inclined from the lens of the tip portion to the lens outer frame,
the immersion objective lens comprising a retention mechanism for an immersion medium comprising a first ring-member as a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium so as to surround the lens in a region including the tip portion and the lens ring portion of the immersion objective lens,
an affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium being lower than an affinity of a region connected to an inner side of the surface-processed region with the immersion medium.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the immersion medium is greater than 60°.

### Claim 3

An immersion objective lens for use in a device which maintains the immersion medium between a sample and a tip portion of the immersion objective lens and observes/measures the sample via the immersion medium,
wherein the immersion medium is brought into contact with the tip portion of the immersion objective lens and maintained,
the immersion objective lens being formed of the tip portion, a lens ring portion and a lens outer frame, the lens ring portion being formed of an entire surface inclined from the lens of the tip portion to the lens outer frame,
the immersion objective lens comprising a retention mechanism for an immersion medium comprising a first ring-member as a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium so as to surround the lens in a region including the tip portion and the lens ring portion of the immersion objective lens,
the surface processing of the first ring-member having a water repellency.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 3, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the immersion medium is greater than 60°.

### Claim 5

An immersion objective lens for use in a device which maintains the immersion medium between a sample and a tip portion of the immersion objective lens and observes/measures the sample via the immersion medium,
wherein the immersion medium is brought into contact with the tip portion of the immersion objective lens and maintained,
the immersion objective lens being formed of the tip portion, a lens ring portion and a lens outer frame, the lens ring portion being formed of an entire surface inclined from the lens of the tip portion to the lens outer frame,
the immersion objective lens comprising a retention mechanism for an immersion medium comprising a first ring-member as a region surface-processed with a first material for retaining the immersion medium so as to surround the lens in a region including the tip portion and the lens ring portion of the immersion objective lens, and a second ring-member as a region surface-processed with a second material for discharging the immersion medium so as to surround the first ring-member in a region connected to an outer side of the first ring-member,
an affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium being lower than an affinity of the second ring-member with the immersion medium.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 5, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the immersion medium is greater than 60°.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 1, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is synthetic resin.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 1, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is synthetic resin.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The immersion objective lens according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the second ring-member is synthetic resin.