Isis Innovation Limited

Moog Wolverhampton Limited

Oxford University Innovation Limited

Tony Wilson

Rimvydas Juskaitis

Martin James Booth

Mark Andrew Aquilla Neil

Edward Botcherby

Mark Andrew Neil

Jonathan Paul Davies

Farnaz Massoumian

Rimas Juskaitis

Mark Neil

A focusing apparatus for use with an optical system having a high NA objective lens includes an image forming and capturing mechanism for forming an image in an intermediate image zone and for capturing an image by receiving and refocusing light from a selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone, and a focus adjusting mechanism for adjusting the position of the selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone. The image forming and capturing mechanism includes at least one high NA lens. In use, spherical aberration introduced by the high NA objective lens is reduced.

Focusing apparatus and method

A diaphragm coupling having first and second diaphragm plates that are joined together around their outer edges. Each diaphragm plate has a central, axially-extending hub. The hub of the first plate supports within it a pin member having an outwardly projecting shoulder at each end adapted to engage an internal shoulder on the hub of the first plate at one end and an internal shoulder on the hub of the second plate at the other end so as to limit axial separation of the two hubs&#x2014;from one another.

Diaphragm couplings

A focusing apparatus for use with an optical system having a high NA objective lens includes an image forming and capturing apparatus for forming an image in an intermediate image zone, and for capturing an image by receiving and refocusing light from a selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone, and a focus adjusting apparatus for adjusting the position of the selected focal plane within the intermediate image zone. The image forming and capturing apparatus includes at least one high NA lens. In use, spherical aberration introduced by the high NA objective lens is reduced.

A microscopic imaging system includes a receiving means () for receiving an article () to be imaged, a linear optical detector (), focussing means () for focussing an image of an article in the receiving means onto the detector, scanning means () for producing relative movement between the image and the detector in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the detector, and an optical correcting element () for reducing aberrations in the image focussed onto the detector.

Microscopic imaging system having an optical correcting element

A method and apparatus for generating a beam of light having extended depth of focus. The apparatus comprises, for instance, a binary phase mask that generates a diffraction pattern including a bright main ring and a plurality of side-lobe rings, an annular aperture mask that passing only a portion of the diffraction pattern, and a lens that causes light passing through the annular aperture to converge toward and cross an optical axis. Where the converging light crosses the optical axis, constructive interference takes place, thereby generating a beam of light that has extended depth of focus.

Method of and apparatus for generating a beam of light

The confocal microscope has two matched light sources: a first light source ( ) and a second light source ( ). The light sources ( ) are arranged to illuminate opposite sides of a modulating mask ( ). The light either reflecting from or passing through the modulating mask ( ) is then used to illuminate an object O supported on a mount ( ). The microscope is arranged so that the object O is mounted on the opposite side of the mask ( ) to a camera ( ) such that light reflected from the object O passes through the modulating mask ( ) before being captured by the camera ( ). Subtraction of the image produced using the second light source ( ) from the image produced using the first light source ( ) generates a confocal image that contains substantially less noise than is possible with available confocal microscopy apparatus.

Confocal microscopy apparatus and method

The wavefront sensing device consists of a light source, a binary phase mask ( ), a fixed focus lens ( ) and at least two finite sized spatially separated detectors ( ) positioned in the plane of focus of the wavefront sensing device. The binary phase mask ( ) simultaneously applies a positive bias and a negative bias to the wavefront of the incident light such that a pair of spatially separated light points are generated in the plane of focus and detected by the detectors ( ). The difference in intensity between the pair of light points is representative of the aberration of the wavefront of the incident light from the ideal.

Wavefront sensing device

The confocal imaging apparatus includes first and second light sources ( ) located at opposite ends of a fibre optic bundle ( ). One end of the fibre optic bundle ( ) is located adjacent the object to be imaged the opposite end of the fibre optic bundle ( ) is located adjacent a camera ( ) that records the images received from the fibre optic bundle ( ). An analyser ( ) is used to extract a confocal image from the image of the object produced using the illumination from the first light source ( ) and the image of the object produced using illumination from the second light source ( ). The imaging apparatus is particularly suited to endoscopy applications and is able to provide video rate confocal images.

Imaging apparatus

An object is illuminated by a light source, and a periodic pattern of transparent and non-transparent stripes is superimposed onto the object. At least three images are recorded at different spatial phases of the pattern by means of a microscope of shallow focal depth, and a three-dimensional image containing only in-focus detail is then derived from the recorded images.

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Oxford, United Kingdom

Tony Wilson