JP4720460B2 - microscope - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a microscope provided with a focusing device.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a microscope including a focus device that irradiates a specimen with slit-shaped illumination light for autofocus and positions the specimen surface at the focal position of an observation optical system using the reflected light. In addition, this type of microscope further includes a focus position adjustment lens for adjusting the imaging position of the illumination light for autofocus in the optical axis direction, thereby aligning the desired position of the sample with the focus position of the observation optical system. What has been proposed is proposed by the present applicant (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Here, the autofocus device provided with the focus position adjustment lens is provided with a dial for operating the focus position adjustment lens, and when the observer rotates the dial, the rotation angle is calculated from the rotation angle. The amount of movement of the focal position adjusting lens thus converted is converted into the number of pulses and transmitted to the lens driving unit, whereby the focal position adjusting lens is driven.
JP 2004-70276 A

  When the objective lens is focused on the sample, an operation dial for the stage for moving the stage up and down is operated. However, when the operation dial for the stage is operated, and then the operation dial for the focus position adjustment lens is operated when the focus position adjustment lens is moved, the focus position adjustment lens may not be adjusted smoothly. .

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and includes an autofocus device that can easily adjust a focus position adjusting lens that adjusts the focus position of illumination light for autofocus to a desired position of a specimen. An object is to provide a microscope.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention
A focal position where the illumination light from the light source for focal position adjustment is imaged on the specimen via the objective lens, and the focal position of the illumination light is changed by a lens that is arranged on the optical axis and that can move in the optical axis direction. A focusing illumination optical system having an adjustment lens;
A focusing imaging optical system that receives reflected light from the sample through the objective lens and forms an image on a focusing photoelectric converter;
A focus position adjustment lens driving rotation operation means for operating the focus position adjustment lens, and a focus device,
A stage rotation operation means for operating the stage on which the specimen is placed and movable in the optical axis direction of the objective lens;
The objective for making the movement amount of the focus position adjustment lens per rotation of the focus position adjustment lens driving rotation operation means substantially equal to the movement amount of the stage per rotation of the stage rotation operation means. Storage means for storing drive information of the focal position adjustment lens corresponding to the type of lens ;
A drive unit for driving the focal position adjustment lens;
A control unit for controlling the drive unit,
The control unit provides a microscope characterized by causing the drive unit to drive the focus position adjustment lens based on the drive information when the focus position adjustment lens driving rotation operation means is rotated .

The microscope of the present invention is
The storage means further includes drive information of the focal position adjustment lens corresponding to an environmental temperature ,
The control unit drives the focus position adjustment lens according to the type of the objective lens and the focus position adjustment lens according to the environmental temperature when the focus position adjustment lens drive rotation operation means rotates. It is preferable that the focus position adjustment lens is driven by the drive unit based on the above .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the microscope provided with the autofocus apparatus which can adjust easily the focus position adjustment lens which adjusts the focus position of the illumination light for autofocus to the desired position of a sample can be provided.

Hereinafter, a microscope provided with an autofocus device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, the overall configuration of the microscope will be described.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a microscope including an autofocus device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the microscope 1 includes a stage 3 on which a sample 2 is placed, an objective lens 4 and a focus device 5 arranged below the stage 3, a transmission illumination device 6 arranged above the stage 3, and a focus control device. A switch box 7 is provided. Here, the objective lens 4 is held by an electric turret (not shown), and a plurality of objective lenses having other magnifications are attached to the turret, and can be switched as appropriate according to the specimen.

  Inside the microscope 1 main body, a stage drive unit 8 for driving the stage 3 in the optical axis direction of the objective lens 4 and a position detection unit 9 for detecting the position of the stage 3 in the optical axis direction are provided, respectively. 10 is connected. The control unit 10 is also connected to the focus control switch box 7, the memory M, and the input unit 14. The input unit 14 is provided with a keyboard (not shown), an objective lens switching switch, an autofocus control start switch, a focus position storage switch, and the like.

The microscope 1 body is provided with a dial 11 (hereinafter referred to as “stage dial”) for operating the stage 3 in the optical axis direction.
Further, the focus control switch box 7 has a dial 12 (hereinafter referred to as “offset dial”) for operating a focus position adjustment lens 13 shown in FIG. 2 to be described later in the optical axis direction of the focus position adjustment lens 13. Is provided.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical system of a microscope including the autofocus device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 2, the optical system of the microscope 1 includes an observation optical system 15 disposed below the sample 2, a focusing illumination optical system 16 that is an optical system of the focusing device 5, and a focusing imaging optical system 17. Become.

  The observation optical system 15 includes an objective lens 4, a dichroic mirror 23, and an observation imaging lens 24 in order along the optical axis from the sample 2 side. Further, an eyepiece (not shown) is disposed behind the observation imaging lens 24, and a specimen image is formed through the eyepiece so that the observer can observe with the naked eye. Note that a CCD sensor may be arranged at the imaging position of the observation imaging lens 24 to take a sample image.

  The focusing illumination optical system 16 is an optical system for irradiating the specimen 2 with slit-shaped illumination light, and sequentially, along the optical axis, the LED light source 18, the first collector lens 19a, and the slit-shaped opening. , A second collector lens 19b, a pupil limiting mask 21 for shielding half of the pupil, a half mirror 22, and a focal position adjusting lens 13 (hereinafter referred to as “offset lens”). Yes.

In the present embodiment, the offset lens 13 includes a convex lens 13a and a concave lens 13b in order from the dichroic mirror 23 side, and an offset lens driving unit 27 for driving the concave lens 13b in the optical axis direction is connected to the concave lens 13b. Yes.
The focusing imaging optical system 17 is an optical system for receiving reflected light from the specimen 2 illuminated by the focusing illumination optical system 16, and is used for autofocusing disposed on the reflected light path of the half mirror 22. An imaging lens 25 and a CCD sensor 26 are provided.

  Under the above-described configuration, the autofocus control start switch of the input unit 14 is operated by the observer in a state where the focal position of the objective lens 4 and the condensing position of the illumination light from the focusing illumination optical system 16 match. Then, the illumination light system 16 for focusing irradiates the specimen 2 with slit-shaped illumination light, and the reflected light from the specimen 2 is imaged on the CCD sensor 26 by the imaging optical system 17 for focusing. As a result, the control unit 10 obtains focus information (relative distance from the focal position of the objective lens 4 to the sample surface) from the image obtained by the CCD sensor 26, and drives the stage 3 based on this focus information. The surface is arranged at the focal position of the objective lens 4. As a result, the focal position of the objective lens 4 and the sample surface are aligned, the condensing position of the illumination light from the focusing illumination optical system 16 is also aligned with the sample surface, and the reflected image is formed on the CCD sensor 26. The Rukoto. Note that the position of the sample surface at this time is referred to as an offset zero position.

  Next, when the observer moves the observation position to the inside of the sample, the offset dial 12 is rotated to drive the offset lens 13b so that the condensing position of the illumination light from the focusing illumination optical system 16 is the optical axis inside the sample. Move in the direction by an arbitrary amount of movement. At the same time, the control unit 10 performs autofocus control, so that the stage 3 is driven and the specimen surface is adjusted to the condensing position of the illumination light from the focusing illumination optical system 16. At this time, since the focal position of the objective lens 4 is fixed, the specimen surface is arranged at a position shifted from the focal position of the objective lens 4, that is, inside the specimen. By the above method, it is possible to match an arbitrary position inside the sample 2 to the focal position of the objective lens 4.

Next, drive control of the offset lens 13 that is most characteristic in the present embodiment will be described.
In the microscope equipped with the above-described conventional autofocus device, the amount of movement of the offset lens differs depending on the environmental temperature and the type of the objective lens even if the rotation angle is the same every time the offset dial is rotated. Under this condition, the driving of the offset lens 13b and the autofocus control (stage driving for arranging the sample surface at the condensing position of the moved illumination light) are performed simultaneously. Therefore, each time the observer rotates the offset dial, the amount of movement of the stage varies depending on the environmental temperature and the type of objective lens even at the same rotation angle. It was difficult to adjust the lens when it was placed at the focal position of the observation optical system.

  Therefore, the microscope 1 according to the present embodiment uses the control flow of FIG. 3 described in detail below, so that the amount of movement of the stage 3 when the offset dial 12 is rotated depends on the environmental temperature and the type of the objective lens 4. The amount of movement is constant, and the amount of movement is the same as the amount of movement of the stage 3 when the stage dial 11 is rotated by the same rotation angle.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a flowchart for controlling the driving of the offset lens in the microscope including the autofocus device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
This control flow is started when the observer operates the autofocus control start switch.

Step S101: The control unit 10 starts a timer.
Step S102: The control unit 10 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed (in this embodiment, it is set to 10 milliseconds). If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S103. If the predetermined time has not elapsed, step S102 is repeatedly performed.
Step S103: The control unit 10 reads the rotation angle of the offset dial 12 via a rotation angle detection unit (not shown) provided together with the lens driving unit 27 for the offset lens 13.

  Step S104: The controller 10 determines whether or not the offset dial 12 has been rotated by the user, that is, the rotation angle read in Step S103 is the rotation angle of the offset dial 12 corresponding to the previous detection stored in the memory M. To determine whether or not. If the rotation angle is different from the rotation angle for the previous detection, the process proceeds to step S105. If the rotation angle is the same, the control flow ends.

  Step S105: The amount of vertical movement of the stage 3 when the control unit 10 assumes that the stage dial 11 has been operated at an angle corresponding to the rotation angle is calculated from the rotation angle of the offset dial 12 read in step S103. To do. Here, the stage dial 11 has a constant amount of vertical movement of the stage 3 per rotation as in the known stage dial, and this unit rotational movement amount is a switch (not shown) provided in the input unit 14. Can be changed.

In this step, the method of calculating the vertical movement amount of the stage 3 from the rotation angle of the offset dial 12 is the same as the method of calculating the movement amount when the stage dial 11 is rotated, that is, the stage dial 11. A unit rotational movement amount of the stage 3 is used.
In this step, the control unit 10 further calculates the number of pulses required to drive the offset lens 13 by the amount of movement corresponding to the calculated amount of movement of the stage 3 in the vertical direction. The calculation of the number of pulses will be described in detail later.

Step S106: The rotation angle of the offset dial 12 obtained in Step S103 and the number of pulses for driving the offset lens 13 obtained in Step S105 are stored in the memory M. The stored rotation angle and number of pulses are used the next time step S104 is executed, and are used for the next calculation of the movement amount and the number of pulses.
Step S107: The control unit 10 outputs the number of pulses for driving the offset lens 13 obtained in step S105 to the lens driving unit 27 to drive the offset lens 13. Then, the process returns to step S103.

Next, calculation of the number of pulses for driving the offset lens 13 in step S105 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a table showing, for each objective lens, the number of pulses at each distance from the offset zero position at the reference temperature, which is stored in the memory of the microscope including the focus device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a table showing the number of pulses at the offset zero position at each temperature for each objective lens, which is stored in the memory of the microscope equipped with the focusing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, using the table shown in FIG. 4, the number of moving pulses Q (x2, y2) is calculated from the amount of vertical movement of the stage 3 calculated in step S105 and the current number of pulses Q (x1, y) of the offset lens 13. y) is determined. Next, the temperature is measured by a temperature sensor (not shown), and a deviation amount T (w1, y) at the offset zero position is obtained based on the table shown in FIG. Finally, Q (x2, y) + T (w1, y) is calculated, and this is the number of pulses for driving the offset lens 13.

In the present embodiment, the tables shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are data measured in advance for each objective lens, and are stored in the memory M.
Note that the form of the table is not limited to this. For example, when the microscope 1 is equipped with an apparatus for detecting the vertical position of the stage 3 using a linear encoder or the like, before using the microscope 1. The offset lens 13 may be moved to read the position of the stage 3 at that time to create the table shown in FIG. According to this configuration, since it is not necessary to consider the temperature, the number of pulses can be calculated by using only the table shown in FIG.

  With the above configuration, in the microscope 1 according to the present embodiment, the amount of movement of the offset lens 13 when the offset dial 12 is rotated is constant regardless of the environmental temperature and the type of the objective lens 4, and the amount of movement is the stage. The amount of movement of the stage 3 when the dial 11 is rotated by the same rotation angle is configured to be the same. That is, when the offset lens 13 is moved by operating the offset dial 12, the stage 3 can be moved up and down with the same operational feeling as when the stage dial 11 is operated and the stage 3 is moved up and down. .

  As described above, it is possible to realize a microscope including an autofocus device that can easily adjust a focus position adjustment lens that adjusts the focus position of illumination light for autofocus to a desired position of a specimen.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the microscope provided with the autofocus apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the optical system of the microscope provided with the autofocus apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the flowchart for the drive control of the offset lens in the microscope provided with the autofocus apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the table which showed the pulse number of each distance from the offset zero position in reference | standard temperature stored for every objective lens stored in the memory of the microscope provided with the focus apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the table which showed the pulse number of the offset zero position in each temperature for every objective lens stored in the memory of the microscope provided with the focus apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Microscope 2 Sample 3 Stage 4 Objective lens 10 Control part 11 Stage dial 12 Offset dial 13 Focus position adjustment lens (offset lens)
M memory

Claims (2)

A focal position where the illumination light from the light source for focal position adjustment is imaged on the specimen via the objective lens, and the focal position of the illumination light is changed by a lens that is arranged on the optical axis and that can move in the optical axis direction. A focusing illumination optical system having an adjustment lens;
A focusing imaging optical system that receives reflected light from the sample through the objective lens and forms an image on a focusing photoelectric converter;
A focus position adjustment lens driving rotation operation means for operating the focus position adjustment lens, and a focus device,
A stage rotation operation means for operating the stage on which the specimen is placed and movable in the optical axis direction of the objective lens;
The objective for making the movement amount of the focus position adjustment lens per rotation of the focus position adjustment lens driving rotation operation means substantially equal to the movement amount of the stage per rotation of the stage rotation operation means. Storage means for storing drive information of the focal position adjustment lens corresponding to the type of lens ;
A drive unit for driving the focal position adjustment lens;
A control unit for controlling the drive unit,
The control unit causes the drive unit to drive the focus position adjustment lens based on the drive information when the focus position adjustment lens drive rotation operation means rotates . The storage means further includes drive information of the focal position adjustment lens corresponding to an environmental temperature ,
The control unit drives the focus position adjustment lens according to the type of the objective lens and the focus position adjustment lens according to the environmental temperature when the focus position adjustment lens drive rotation operation means rotates. The microscope according to claim 1 , wherein the focus position adjustment lens is driven by the drive unit based on the lens .

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