Integrated microscope and related methods and devices
OwnerRyan Murdick, Lukas Novotnyinventors
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Abstract
An embodiment includes an integrated microscope including scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with optical microscopy hardware, and other embodiments include related methods and devices.
Claims22
A method of operating an integrated optical and scanning probe microscope having optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic, a transmissive objective disposed on a first side of the peripheral optic, a reflective optic disposed on a second side of the peripheral optic, a first side illumination path, a second side illumination path, a first side collection path, a second side collection path, a light source to direct light along the first side illumination path, and the microscope also having scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the method comprises:
- activating the first side illumination path;
- and
- simultaneously activating the first and second side collection paths,
- wherein the reflective optic is an off-axis parabolic mirror.
A method of operating an integrated optical and scanning probe microscope having optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic, a transmissive objective disposed on a first side of the peripheral optic, a reflective optic disposed on a second side of the peripheral optic, a first side illumination path, a second side illumination path, a first side collection path, a second side collection path, a light source to direct light along the first side illumination path, and the microscope also having scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the method comprises:
- activating the first side illumination path;
- and
- simultaneously activating the first and second side collection paths,
- a transmission illumination mode for focusing on a transparent material and a reflection illumination mode for focusing on at least one of the transparent material or an opaque material,
- wherein an illumination mode mirror is disposed on a first side of the transmissive objective and is removable for the reflection illumination mode.
An integrated optical and scanning probe microscope, comprising:
- optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic;
- and
- scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the SPM hardware includes an SPM scanning head disposed within the peripheral optic,
- wherein the SPM scanning head is suspended from a spoked member having spaces through which light passes,
- wherein the spoked member includes a radially outer portion carried proximate a major diameter end of the circumferential mirror, a radially inner portion carrying the SPM scanning head, and spokes extending between the radially inner and outer portions.
An integrated optical and scanning probe microscope, comprising:
- optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic;
- scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the SPM hardware includes an SPM scanning head disposed within the peripheral optic and suspended from a spoked member having spaces through which light passes;
- and
- a modular mount to suspend different types of SPM scanning heads, wherein the modular mount includes a first dovetail mortise member having a first dovetail mortise, and a first dovetail tenon disposed in the dovetail mortise and nanopositioning elements disposed between the first dovetail tenon and mortise.
An integrated optical and scanning probe microscope, comprising:
- optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic;
- scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the SPM hardware includes an SPM scanning head disposed within the peripheral optic and suspended from a spoked member having spaces through which light passes;
- and
- a modular mount to suspend different types of SPM scanning heads, wherein the modular mount includes the spoked member having a hub that carries at least one magnet on one side of the hub, a ferrous member on an opposite side of the hub coupled to the SPM scanning head, and at least one nanopositioning element disposed between the hub and the ferrous member.
An integrated optical and scanning probe microscope, comprising:
- optical microscopy hardware including a peripheral optic;
- and
- scanning probe microscopy (SPM) hardware integrated with the optical microscopy hardware to carry out SPM techniques including confocal and near-field optical SPM techniques, wherein the SPM hardware includes an SPM scanning head disposed within the peripheral optic,
- wherein the optical microscopy hardware includes mode conversion devices including a mode converter to convert a source light beam from linear polarized mode to a radial polarized mode, and at least one off-axis parabolic mirror optically downstream of the mode converter to communicate the polarized light in an optically downstream direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.