The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 13, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 30, 1999
Tatsuro Otaki, Edogawa, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A phase contrast observation device for observing a phase object (O), and phase apertures for same. The device comprises, in order along an optical axis (AX), a light source (LS) capable of providing light (L), an illumination optical system (G,and G,) for condensing the light and illuminating the object, an aperture stop (AP) having an aperture (AO) therein, arranged in the illumination optical system, an objective lens system (G,and G,) for converging light from the illuminated object and forming an image of the object. The device also includes one of a number of novel phase apertures (Ph,Ph,) arranged at a position inside said objective lens conjugate to the aperture stop. The phase apertures of the present invention allow for high-contrast and low-contrast imaging regardless of the phase content of the object.