JP2005235954A - Means for adjusting quantity of light of a plurality of laser light sources, and laser microscope using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of a laser microscope that laser power remarkably differs depending on a selected light source, resulting in inability to obtain an appropriate amplitude in a detected signal. <P>SOLUTION: The laser microscope having a plurality of laser light sources is equipped with a selecting means for selecting laser light from each light source, a dimmer means for adjusting the quantity of light from the selected laser light, a detecting means for detecting the quantity of light controlled by the dimmer means, and a range adjust means for adjusting the amplitude of the detected signal from the detecting means. The quantity of light from the range adjust means is observed, and the range is adjusted by feeding back based on the observation information. Alternatively, the range is adjusted while monitoring the observation information to obtain an appropriate amplitude. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a light amount adjusting means for a plurality of laser light sources and a laser microscope using the same.

  A laser microscope uses a laser light source as a light source, directs and irradiates laser light emitted from the laser light source to the sample surface, and transmits light from the sample surface, for example, reflected light reflected from the sample surface, transmitted through the sample surface. In this apparatus, optical information such as transmitted light or fluorescence excited by emitted laser light is detected, image information is applied based on the detected information, and then observed as a sample form. When observing a sample with a laser microscope, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the amount of laser light emitted from the laser light source in accordance with the reflectance, transmittance, or fluorescence amount of the sample.

  Figure 1 shows the light intensity control of a laser microscope that uses a single laser source. 1. Attenuate the amount of laser light emitted from the laser light source 2. Dimming means, separating the transmitted light from the dimming means into output light output to the sample surface and reference light used for detection 3. Beam splitter 4. Detecting the amount of light from the reference light 4. Deriving the correction value based on the detection means and the detection signal from the detection means 4. Control means and the amount of illumination light according to the number of adjustment steps of the light control means 5. A storage means for storing the correction value is provided.

  As the dimming means, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) or ND filter is used. The amount of light cannot be controlled. Regarding the latter, it is possible to easily adjust the transmittance by motor control. However, because of variations in filter film deposition and individual differences, the same transmittance is not always obtained for each dimming setting. When the output light from the light control means is not properly adjusted by the light control setting value, there is a problem that unevenness occurs in the observation image from the sample surface.

  Therefore, means for detecting the laser light from the light control means as reference light is provided, correction calculation is performed from the detected signal, and the corrected light control set value is stored in the control memory. By giving the correction value stored in the control memory to the light control means, the amount of light on the laser light path can be stabilized. In addition, since the transmitted light from the light control means has a non-linear distribution with respect to the light control setting value, a portion where the light amount varies greatly and a portion where the light amount varies slightly are generated for each number of steps of the light control setting value. Therefore, the reference light quantity corresponding to the dimming setting values at several points is detected by the detection means, and corrected by mathematical preservative methods (linear interpolation, polynomial interpolation, spline interpolation, etc.) by the laser microscope computer, By storing a correction value corresponding to the number of steps of the set value in the control memory, the transmitted light (the amount of light on the laser light path) from the dimming means for the dimming set value can be converted into a linear characteristic. This adjustment flowchart is shown in FIG.

Although similar words “correction” and “adjustment” appear above, in the text, the former is limited to the method and calculation process for calculating the dimming setting value from the detection signal by the arithmetic processing. The latter mainly indicates all means for adjusting the amount of light on the laser light path.
JP 2000-19432

  The laser microscope needs to change the laser power applied to the sample in various ways in order to cope with various observation methods. Therefore, a plurality of laser light sources are installed, and each light source can be selected to obtain a laser power suited to the purpose. However, there is a problem in that an appropriate amplitude cannot be obtained in a detected signal because a significant difference occurs in laser power depending on a light source to be selected. When the amplitude of the detected signal is extremely small or is too large and is saturated, the accuracy of the light quantity on the laser optical path cannot be guaranteed.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and a light amount adjusting means capable of appropriately detecting the amount of light in order to achieve high accuracy in adjusting the amount of light on the laser optical path, and using the same. The purpose is to provide a laser microscope.

  The invention of claim 1 comprises a laser microscope having a plurality of laser light sources, a selection means for selecting laser light from each laser light source, a light control means for adjusting the light quantity of the selected laser light, and a light control means. Detection means for detecting the adjusted light amount and range adjustment means for adjusting the amplitude of the detection signal from the detection means are provided. The amount of light from the range adjustment means is observed, and the range is adjusted by applying feedback based on the observation information. Alternatively, an appropriate amplitude is realized by adjusting the range while monitoring the observation information.

  The invention of claim 2 is a laser microscope having a plurality of laser light sources, a selection means for selecting an output from each laser light source, a light control means for adjusting the light quantity of the selected laser light, and adjustment by the light control means Detecting means for detecting the amount of light detected, range adjusting means for adjusting the amplitude of the detection signal from the detecting means, control means for calculating a correction value using the signal from the range adjusting means, and dimming setting of the dimming means Storage means for storing a correction value of the amount of laser light for each number of value stages is provided. By setting the range setting value obtained by the invention of claim 1 to the range adjustment means, it is useful because the control means can capture a signal having an appropriate amplitude even if a light amount difference due to a difference in laser light source occurs. Correction can be performed, and the amount of light on the laser light path can be adjusted accurately for each laser light source.

  The invention of claim 3 stores the range set value obtained by the invention of claim 1 in a storage medium in a laser microscope having a plurality of laser light sources. The stored set value is stored as information that does not always change in a storage medium that does not erase information even when the power is turned off. By setting the information from the storage medium in the range adjusting means before performing the light amount adjustment on the laser optical path, the step of the invention of claim 1 can be omitted and the adjustment time can be shortened.

  In a laser microscope having a plurality of laser light sources, a means for adjusting the range is provided and converted into an appropriate detection signal, so that the amount of light on the laser light path can be adjusted with high accuracy as in the case of a single laser light source device.

  In addition, the range adjustment value is stored in a storage medium before shipment, and the range adjustment value is set from the storage medium during user operation, thereby eliminating the time for range adjustment and performing laser light in the same time as a single laser light source device. The amount of light on the road can be adjusted.

  Fig. 3 shows the light intensity control part of a laser microscope using multiple laser light sources. 1. Controlling the opening and closing of laser light on the optical path of laser light emitted from multiple laser light sources 8. Light source selection means and attenuate the amount of laser light 2. Light control means and light transmitted from light control means 3 is divided into output light that is output to the sample surface and reference light that is used for detection 3. beam sputter and detection of the amount of light from the reference light 4. detection means and control of the amplitude of the detected electrical signal 9. range adjustment means And a control means for deriving a correction value from the adjustment detection signal from the range adjustment means, and 5. a storage means for storing the correction value of the amount of illumination light corresponding to the number of adjustment steps of the dimming means. . As a method of adjusting the range adjusting means, a method of performing manually by a switch or the like may be used, but it is simpler to automatically give the range set value from the control means.

  FIG. 4 shows a modification. Rather than adjusting the amplitude of the electrical signal photoelectrically converted by the detection means, it is appropriate to adjust the increase or decrease of the optical signal by providing another 10.Dimming means 2 that controls the amount of reference light in front of the detection means It is possible to obtain an adjustment detection signal having a large amplitude. For the adjustment of the optical signal, an optical amplifier may be used for amplification, and an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) or ND filter may be used for attenuation.

  When a plurality of laser light sources are used, there are many parameters to be set for performing light source selection and detection signal range adjustment. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a new adjustment means as an operation method. FIG. 5 shows an adjustment flowchart of the present invention. This flowchart is modeled on FIG. 3 of the embodiment.

  First, the maximum light amount with the transmittance of the light control means set to 100% is output to the selected laser light source, and this light amount is detected. Here, in order to obtain an accurate detection signal, the range setting value is set to a fixed value such as the same magnification (1 ×) in the range adjustment means. It is determined whether the value of the signal amplitude is appropriate from the obtained detection signal. If the value is inappropriate, a range setting value for taking in an appropriate signal amplitude is set in the range adjusting means by applying feedback.

  Next, the light amount at the reference light amount is detected while the derived range setting value is fixed, and a correction value corresponding to the number of steps of the light adjustment setting value is stored in the control memory from the correction calculation. By reading out the correction value converted with respect to the dimming setting value from the control memory, the amount of light on the laser light path can be made stable and linear. This series of operations is performed for each laser light source.

  In the prior art, the information stored in the control memory is only the correction value corresponding to the dimming setting value, but in the present invention, other light sources to be selected, the corresponding range setting value, and the correction calculation are necessary. Information such as a dimming setting value for obtaining several reference light quantities may be stored. Further, since the amount of information is not so large, it may be stored in a register inside the control means.

  The content of the adjustment flowchart in FIG. 5 has a problem that the entire light amount adjustment time is required at the time of user operation because the procedure is larger than that in the adjustment flowchart of the prior art shown in FIG. Here, the range setting value (multiplier) for each laser light source does not change greatly, and is therefore a parameter unique to the apparatus. Figure 6 shows this countermeasure. The dimming setting value for the selected light source is not erased even when the power is turned off, such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) or non-volatile memory. Next, before adjusting the laser light quantity, 12. Load the data of the storage medium, 11. Set the light source selection and range adjustment value by shutter control from the control means. If the saving to the storage medium is completed by the adjustment before shipping the product and the data is loaded from the storage medium at the time of user operation, the time for performing the range adjustment can be saved. That is, the amount of light adjustment time per unit laser light source is not different from the conventional method by the method using the storage medium.

It is a block diagram of a prior art, and is a light intensity control part of a laser microscope having a single laser light source. It is a light quantity adjustment flowchart of a prior art. In the block diagram of this invention, it is the light quantity light control part of the laser microscope which has a several laser light source. In the block diagram of this invention, it is the light quantity light control part of the laser microscope which has a several laser light source. It is a light quantity adjustment flowchart of this invention. This is a means for shortening the light amount adjustment time according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Laser light source 2: Light control means 3: Beam splitter 4: Detection means 5: Storage means 6: Control memory 7: Computer for laser microscope 8: Light source selection means 9: Range adjustment means 10: Light control means 2
11: Control means 12: Storage medium

Claims (4)

  A laser light source that emits a plurality of laser lights, a selection means that selects the output from each laser light source, a light control means that adjusts the light quantity of the selected laser light, and a detection that detects the light quantity adjusted by the light control means And a range adjustment means for adjusting the amplitude of the detection signal from the detection means, and the amount of light generated by the difference in the laser light source is observed, and the range is adjusted based on the observation information. Dimming device.   A laser light source that emits a plurality of laser lights, a selection means that selects the output from each laser light source, a light control means that adjusts the light quantity of the selected laser light, and a detection that detects the light quantity adjusted by the light control means Means, a range adjusting means for adjusting the amplitude of the detection signal from the detecting means, a control means for calculating a correction value using the signal from the range adjusting means, and a laser light intensity corresponding to the number of adjustment steps of the light adjusting means. A laser light dimmer comprising a storage means for storing a correction value of the light amount.   A range adjustment value of a detection signal corresponding to a laser light source, which is a parameter unique to the apparatus, is stored in a storage medium, and information from the storage medium is set in the range adjustment unit of claim 1 or 2 before adjusting the amount of light. Laser light dimmer. A laser microscope comprising the laser light dimmer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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