# US 8,465,709 B2 · Immersion objective lens, retention mechanism for immersion medium, and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,709 B2 - Document ID: US8465709B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/851,096 - Filed: 2010-08-05 - Published: 2010-12-16 - 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/US8465709B2 ## 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 A retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, the immersion objective lens being formed of a 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 retention mechanism comprising: a bottom plate which has an opening portion to be engaged around the immersion objective lens; a wall plate arranged along a periphery of the bottom plate; an immersion medium supply unit which supplies the immersion medium to the tip portion of the immersion objective lens; and a drip draining unit of the immersion medium provided on the bottom plate in vicinity of the wall plate, which drains a drip of the immersion medium from the tip portion of the immersion objective lens, the bottom plate comprising a first ring-member formed of a first material for retaining the immersion medium and arranged to surround the opening portion, the bottom plate being inclined to make a side of the opening portion higher than a side of the wall plate, an affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium being lower than an affinity of an inner member of the first ring-member with the immersion medium. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 1, further comprising a second ring-member formed of a second material for draining the immersion medium, which is arranged outside the first ring-member to surround the first ring-member, wherein the affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium is lower than an affinity of the second ring-member with the immersion medium. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 2, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member and the immersion medium is greater than 60°. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 3, wherein the material of at least one of the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the second ring-member is synthetic resin. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 1, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member and the immersion medium is greater than 60°. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 5, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is formed of synthetic resin. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 6, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 1, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is formed of synthetic resin. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 8, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The retention mechanism for an immersion medium, according to claim 1, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium. ### Claim 11 A method of manufacturing a retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, the immersion objective lens being formed of a 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 method comprising: forming an opening portion to be engaged around the immersion objective lens, on a bottom plate; arranging a wall plate along a periphery of the bottom plate; providing an immersion medium supply unit which supplies the immersion medium to the tip portion of the immersion objective lens: providing a drip draining unit of the immersion medium which drains a drip of the immersion medium from the tip portion of the immersion objective lens, on the bottom plate in vicinity of the wall plate; and arranging a first ring-member formed of a first material for retaining the immersion medium, on the bottom plate, so as to surround the opening portion, the bottom plate being inclined to make a side of the opening portion higher than a side of the wall plate, an affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium being lower than an affinity of an inner member of the first ring-member with the immersion medium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising arranging a second ring-member formed of a second material for draining the immersion medium, which is arranged outside the first ring-member to surround the first ring-member, wherein the affinity of the first ring-member with the immersion medium is lower than an affinity of the second ring-member with the immersion medium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member and the immersion medium is greater than 60°. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the material of at least one of the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium and the second ring-member is synthetic resin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein a contact angle between the first ring-member and the immersion medium is greater than 60°. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is formed of synthetic resin. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the first ring-member retaining the immersion medium is formed of synthetic resin. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the first ring-member is a region surface-processed with a material for retaining the immersion medium.