JP2007322451A - Microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

A microscope device capable of continuously changing spatial resolution is provided.
A microscope apparatus 10 includes an objective optical system 12 that condenses light from a measurement object 20, and passes only light at a specific part of the measurement object 20 out of the light collected by the objective optical system 12. An aperture 14, a photodetector 16 that receives light that has passed through the aperture 14, and an imaging optical system 18 that forms an image of the object 20 to be measured collected by the objective optical system 12 on the surface of the aperture 14. The imaging optical system 18 is composed of a zoom optical system having a variable focal length.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope such as an infrared microscope and a Raman microscope, and more particularly to an improvement of a mechanism for changing the spatial resolution.

For example, various microscopic apparatuses such as an infrared microscope and a Raman microscope are used in order to investigate the molecular structure of an organic substance attached to the fixed surface. In such a microscope, the object to be measured is irradiated with light, the light from a specific minute part on the object to be measured is collected by the objective optical system, and the spectrum is measured. Furthermore, in order to achieve a predetermined spatial resolution, an aperture is provided on the optical path, and light from other parts than the specific minute part is cut out of the light collected by the objective optical system (for example, Patent Documents) 1). In this way, only light from a specific minute site to be measured passes through the aperture, and the light is detected by the photodetector.
JP 2000-121554 A

In the conventional microscope, the spatial resolution, that is, the size of the range of the minute part to be measured is changed by changing the diameter of the aperture. However, this method has a problem that the spatial resolution can be changed only in stages. Also, there has been a problem of position reproducibility that the position of the aperture is shifted when the diameter of the aperture is changed.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a microscope that can continuously change the spatial resolution.

  In order to achieve the above object, a microscope apparatus according to the present invention includes an objective optical system that condenses light from an object to be measured, and only light at a specific part of the object to be measured among the light collected by the objective optical system. An aperture that passes through the aperture, a photodetector that receives the light that has passed through the aperture, and an object surface that is installed on the optical path between the objective optical system and the aperture and is collected by the objective optical system. An image forming optical system for forming an image, and the image forming optical system comprises a zoom optical system having a variable focal length.

In the above microscope apparatus, a spectroscope installed on an optical path between the aperture and the photodetector, an incident optical system for introducing light that has passed through the aperture into the spectroscope,
It is preferable that the incident optical system is a zoom optical system having a variable focal position.
In the above microscope apparatus, the light from another optical path other than the light passing through the objective optical system, the imaging optical system, and the aperture is placed on the optical path between the aperture and the incident optical system to the spectrometer. It is preferable to provide an optical path switching means to be introduced.

  According to the microscope according to the present invention, since the imaging optical system that forms an image of the light collected by the objective optical system on the aperture is composed of the zoom optical system, the spatial resolution can be continuously changed. .

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a microscope apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 includes an objective lens 12 (objective optical system), an aperture 14, a photodetector 16, an imaging optical system 18 installed on an optical path between the objective lens 12 and the aperture 14, Is provided. Light from the object to be measured 20 is collected by the objective lens 12 and sent to the imaging optical system 18. The imaging optical system 18 forms an image of the object measured by the objective lens 12 on the surface of the aperture 14. The aperture 14 passes only light of a specific part to be measured and blocks light from other parts. The light that has passed through the aperture 14 is detected by the photodetector 16.

  Here, the imaging optical system 18 is configured as a zoom optical system. A zoom optical system is an optical system that consists of a plurality of lenses and can continuously change the focal length of the entire optical system while keeping the image formation position on the same plane. Can be changed.

  A mechanism for changing the spatial resolution in the microscope according to the present embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2A and 2B. 2A and 2B show a state where a specific part of the object to be measured is observed with different spatial resolutions. As shown in the figure, an image of a specific part of the object to be measured (a range indicated by an arrow in the figure) is formed on the surface of the aperture 14 at a predetermined magnification by the imaging optical system 18. Of the image formed on the surface of the aperture 14 (the portion indicated by the arrow in the figure), only the portion corresponding to the diameter of the aperture 14 passes through the aperture 14. Therefore, comparing the case where an image is formed on the surface of the aperture 14 with a large magnification (FIG. 2A) and the case where an image is formed with a small magnification (FIG. 2B), FIG. The range limited by 14 is large, and a smaller range is measured.

As described above, according to the microscope apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the size of the range of the specific part of the measurement object 20 that can pass through the aperture 14 can be continuously changed, and a continuous spatial resolution change can be achieved. . Further, since it is not necessary to make the aperture 14 movable, there is no problem of position reproducibility.
In addition, when combined with a mechanism for changing the diameter of the aperture 14 itself, the spatial resolution can be set more finely.

  Further, when performing spectroscopic measurement in the microscope, it is necessary to set (F matching) an incident optical system for introducing light into the spectroscope in accordance with the aperture angle of the spectroscope in order to increase the throughput of the spectroscope.

  The microscope apparatus of the present embodiment is also provided with a mechanism for suitably performing F matching. With reference to FIG. 1 again, the F matching mechanism of the spectrometer in the microscope apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. The polarization spectrometer 10 shown in FIG. 1 further includes a spectrometer 22 installed between the aperture 14 and the photodetector 16, a condensing optical system 24, and an incident optical system 26. The light that has passed through the aperture 14 is condensed by the condensing optical system 24 and sent to the incident optical system 26. The incident optical system 26 introduces light from the condenser lens 26 into the spectrometer 22. Here, the condensing optical system 24 and the incident optical system 26 are each composed of a zoom optical system.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the condensing optical system 24 is composed of a zoom optical system, and changes the focal length according to the magnification of the objective optical system 12 and the imaging optical system 18 at the time of measurement. That is, since the divergence angle of the light emitted from the aperture 14 varies depending on the magnification of the objective optical system 12 and the imaging optical system 18, the condensing optical system 24 efficiently changes the focal length and emits the light emitted from the aperture 14. Condensing. Further, the incident optical system 26 is also composed of a zoom optical system, the focal length is changed according to the size of the light beam emitted from the condensing optical system 24, and the F value of the condensing optical system 24 is changed to that of the spectroscope 22. It can be adjusted to suit the F value. Thus, according to the microscope apparatus of the present embodiment, F-matching of the spectrometer can be easily performed.

  It is also preferable that the microscope apparatus 10 includes an optical path switching unit 28 installed on the optical path between the aperture 14 and the incident optical system 26. The optical path switching means 28 is constituted by a movable mirror 30 that can be inserted into and retracted from the optical path. Normally, the mirror 30 is retracted from the optical path between the condensing optical system 24 and the incident optical system 26 as shown in FIG. 1 and passes through the objective lens 12, the imaging optical system 18, and the aperture 14. Is introduced into the spectrometer 22. On the other hand, when it is desired to introduce external light (for example,) other than the light passing through the objective lens 12, the imaging optical system 18, and the aperture 14 into the spectrometer 22, a mirror 30 is inserted into the optical path as shown in FIG. Then, external light is introduced into the spectrometer 22. Even when external light as shown in FIG. 4 is taken into the spectroscope, the incident optical system 26 can change the focal length according to the pupil diameter of the external light and perform F-matching of the spectroscope.

It is a schematic block diagram of the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the change mechanism of the spatial resolution of the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the change mechanism of the spatial resolution of the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the F matching mechanism of the spectrometer in the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the F matching mechanism of the spectrometer in the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of operation | movement of the optical path switching means of the microscope apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Microscope apparatus 12 Objective optical system 14 Aperture 16 Photo detector 18 Imaging optical system 20 Object 22 Spectrometer 24 Condensing optical system 26 Incident optical system 28 Optical path switching means

Claims (3)

An objective optical system that collects light from the object to be measured;
An aperture that passes only light of a specific part of the object to be measured out of the light collected by the objective optical system;
A photodetector for receiving light that has passed through the aperture;
An imaging optical system that is installed on an optical path between the objective optical system and the aperture, and forms an image of an object to be measured collected by the objective optical system on the aperture surface;
With
2. A microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging optical system comprises a zoom optical system having a variable focal length. The microscopic device according to claim 1, wherein
A spectroscope installed on an optical path between the aperture and the photodetector;
An incident optical system for introducing light that has passed through the aperture into the spectrometer;
With
2. A microscope apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the incident optical system comprises a zoom optical system having a variable focal position. The microscope according to claim 2,
An optical path switching unit that is installed on an optical path between the aperture and the incident optical system, and introduces light from another optical path other than the light that has passed through the objective optical system, the imaging optical system, and the aperture into the spectrometer. A microscopic device characterized by comprising.

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