Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Microscope
Patent
1994-06-27
1996-05-28
Dzierzynski, Paul M.
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Microscope
359386, 359388, 359389, 359399, G02B 2106, G02B 2300
Patent
active
055217559
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to an epi-illumination system for microscopes. From H. Riesenberg, Handbuch der Mikroskopie, 3rd ed., published by VEB Verlag Technik Berlin, p. 303 an epi-illumination polarizing equipment for microscopes is known in which a semi-transmissive planar glass is combined with a fully-reflecting mirror. This mirror combination is also called Smith-splitter. It is explained in further detail in FIG. 1a. A semi-transmissive planar surface (2) is positioned in such a way in a vertical optical axis (1) of the microscope, that it redirects an illumination beam (3), which hits horizontally onto a reflection mirror (4) and is from there reflected to the planar surface (2). The illumination beam (3) is redirected coaxially to the optical axis (1) in direction of the object (5). The light part that is reflected from the object (5) arrives after transmission through the semi-transmissive planar surface (2) in the direction of a microscope ocular (not depicted). The familiar Smith-splitter contains, moreover, a polarizing plate in between the light source (not-depicted) and the mirror (4). This plate is suitably positioned in such a way that the polarized light beam which impinges upon the semi-transmissive planar surface (2) is positioned with its polarized plane perpendicular or parallel to the plane of incidence. FIG. 1b has an internal reflection surface 10 in pentaprism 12 and semi-transmissive surface 11 between pentaprism 12 and right angle prism 13 as a known modified Smith-splitter.
It is desirable in the design of the multi-functional epi-illumination concept, that different splitter systems can be used side by side or in quick exchange, respectively, depending on the chosen epi-illumination mode, for instance, epi-illumination fluorescence, bright field, dark field, or polarization. If one switches, for instance, from a classic Smith-splitter arrangement to a conventional bright field epi-illumination arrangement with a 45-degree neutral splitter, considerable differences in the ray path lengths will result due to construction. Such a difference in length leads to erroneous image formation of the aperture stop in the pupil, which in turn results in undesirable losses of the image quality. It is thus the task of this invention to design an epi-illumination system for microscopes with which different epi-illumination variants can be chosen in quick sequence, whereby a correct image of the aperture stop in the exit pupil of the objective is achieved at the same time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The task according to this invention is solved for an epi-illumination system that uses a plurality of modules and a telescope system to maintain the aperture stop image in the exit pupil of the microscope objective when the illumination path length changes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1a: the familiar Smith-splitter;
FIG. 1b: a modified Smith arrangement;
FIG. 2: a microscopic epi-illumination ray path with an epi-illumination module according to this invention;
FIG. 3: an epi-illumination bright field ray path with a modularly designed 45-degree neutral splitter;
FIG. 4: a microscopic epi-illumination module according to this invention having a cemented telescope system;
FIG. 5: a microscopic epi-illumination module according to this invention having a meniscus singlet telescope system; and
FIG. 6: a microscopic epi-illumination module according to this invention having the order of the negative and positive lenses of the telescope system reversed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention will be explained using FIGS. 2 and 3 in the following. Both figures differ basically only in the area of the modules 18 (FIG. 2) or 19 (FIG. 3) respectively. The illumination beam (3) comes from a light source (6), runs initially through a collector (7), then through the aperture stop (8), through a no
REFERENCES:
patent: 3277782 (1966-10-01), Smith
patent: 3930713 (1976-01-01), Stankewitz et al.
patent: 4232937 (1980-11-01), Swaminathan et al.
patent: 5046834 (1991-09-01), Dietrich
Patent Abstract of Japan vol. 8, No. 286 (P-324) (1723), Dec. 27, 1984.
Dzierzynski Paul M.
Leica Mikroskopie und Systeme GmbH
Sikd-er Mohammad Y.
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