JPH07174980A - Microscope stage - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a microscope stage having an improved adjusting mechanism concerning the tilt angle an the bearing of an observed sample with reference to the optical axis of an objective lens. CONSTITUTION:This microscope stage is provided with an X-moving body 3 and a Y-moving body making a sample placing base 4 respectively movable in directions X and Y which orthogonally cross each other, and, equipped with two fixed pins for positioning 6a and 6b to which two adjacent sides of a preparation 5 placed on the placing surface 4a of the sample placing base are pressed, a pressing member 7 turning the preparation 5 with two fixed pins for positioning as fulcra, and a regulating member 6c regulating the turning of a sample caused by the pressing of the pressing member 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a microscope stage suitable for adjusting the tilt angle and orientation of an observation sample with respect to the optical axis of an objective lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A microscope stage is provided with a Y movable body which is movable in a Y direction with respect to a support fixed to a microscope body, and an X movable body which is movable in an X direction orthogonal to the Y direction. There is an XY stage (cross movement stage) equipped with and. The XY stage is provided with a sample mounting table for mounting a sample on the uppermost X moving body, and serves as an upper surface of the sample mounting table (referred to as a mounting surface and serves as a reference surface for measuring an inclination angle). ) Is preferably made orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens. However, the mounting surface of the sample mounting table may be tilted due to manufacturing and assembly errors of the moving body and the like, and the mounting surface may not be orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens.

In a state where the mounting surface of the sample mounting table is inclined, a sample (an object to be observed is a slide prepared by enclosing the object to be observed between a slide glass and a cover glass) is mounted on the mounting surface. When scanning in the Y-direction or the Y-direction, the relative distance between the objective lens and the specimen changes with respect to the tilt direction of the mounting surface when the specimen is moved in the X-direction or the Y-direction from the position where the focus is first obtained. Therefore, it becomes impossible to focus on the entire observation area of the sample.
That is, when the X-moving body is moved in the tilt direction of the mounting surface, the sample surface deviates from the focus position of the objective lens in proportion to the moving distance, and the observation microscopic image becomes blurred and observation becomes impossible.

Therefore, in the XY stage of the microscope, there is an inclination adjusting mechanism for adjusting the inclination angle of the mounting surface of the sample mounting table with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens so that the sample observation surface is orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective lens. Will be needed. Further, when observing the entire sample while moving the sample mounting table in the X and Y directions, if the sample or the observation target is not placed parallel to the scanning direction of the moving body, the sample or the observation target Since the object is scanned obliquely, the scanning efficiency is reduced. Therefore, in addition to the tilt adjusting mechanism, the XY stage of the microscope also requires a rotation adjusting mechanism that adjusts the orientation of the sample so that the sample is parallel to the scanning direction of the moving body.

As a microscope stage equipped with the tilt adjusting mechanism and the rotation adjusting mechanism described above, a sample mounting table provided on the uppermost part of the XY stage is rotated in two directions of a horizontal direction orthogonal to the optical axis and an optical axis direction. What can be configured is actually Kaikai 58-1.
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 90614. The microscope stage disclosed in the publication includes an X moving body, a Y moving body, and a sample mounting base, one end of the sample mounting base is fixed to the Y moving body, and the other end of the sample mounting base is the X moving body. It is configured to make rolling contact at one point. Further, this sample mounting table has an inclination adjusting mechanism including two adjusting screws so that the inclination can be adjusted with respect to the Y moving body. Further, as described above, the sample mounting table is connected to the Y moving body by the fixed shaft and the eccentric cam shaft, and the eccentric cam shaft is rotated, whereby the sample mounting table is rotationally adjusted on the XY plane about the fixed shaft. It has a rotation adjustment mechanism.

[0006]

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention
The microscope stage described in Japanese Patent No. 190614 includes:
Since there is no mechanism for holding the sample at a predetermined position, unless the moving body is moved or stopped slowly, the sample may move due to inertial force and the observation position may shift. If the observation position is shifted, move the X moving body or Y moving body in the X direction or Y direction.
It has to be moved in the direction to find out the observation target site taken into the observation field of view of the microscope. Even if the observation position on the sample is managed by the XY coordinate values of the X moving body and the Y moving body, if the sample moves, the observation position cannot be specified by the XY coordinate value.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and appropriately holds and holds the sample on the mounting surface of the sample mounting table.
The purpose is to improve the observation efficiency of the specimen by eliminating the displacement of the specimen.

[0008]

A microscope stage according to the present invention is a microscope stage provided with an X movable body and a Y movable body that enable movement of a sample mounting portion in mutually orthogonal X and Y directions. Two positioning fixing pins that press two adjacent sides of the sample placed on the sample mounting portion, and a pressing member that rotates the sample with these two positioning fixing pins as fulcrums, And a regulating member for regulating the rotation of the specimen due to the pressing of the pressing member.

Further, the microscope stage according to the present invention is characterized in that an inclination adjusting mechanism for adjusting the inclination angle of the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion with respect to the optical axis of the objective lens is provided in the sample mounting portion.

[0010]

In the microscope stage of the present invention, two positioning fixing pins and one regulating member are brought into contact with two adjacent sides of the sample, and the pressing member fixes the two positioning samples. The orientation of the sample can be adjusted by rotating the sample with the pin as a fulcrum, and the sample can be fixedly held on the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion by the two fixing pins, the regulating member and the pressing member. In addition, by adjusting the tilt angle of the sample mounting part with the tilt adjustment mechanism, the sample is positioned perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens, and the observation that is always in focus at any position of the sample is performed. It can be carried out.

[0011]

First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a microscope stage according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic front view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a schematic side view thereof. In addition, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram relating to the inclination adjusting operation of the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion in the first embodiment.

In the figure, 1 is a support base fixed to a microscope base or mirror column, 2 is a Y movable body which is movable in the Y direction through a ball race or the like which is in rolling contact with the support base 1, and 3
Is an X moving body that can move in the X direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the Y moving body 2 through a ball race or the like that makes rolling contact with the Y moving body 2, and 4 is a height adjusting screw and a fixing screw described later. A sample placing part 5 supported at three points on the X moving body 3 is a preparation as a sample, and the preparation 5
Is mounted on the mounting surface 4 a of the sample mounting portion 4. 6a,
6b is a fixing pin for positioning, which is screwed and attached to the sample mounting portion 4 so as to abut on two adjacent sides of the slide 5 in order to position the slide 5 almost at the center of the mounting surface 4a, and 6c is for positioning. Like the fixed pin 6b, it is a regulating pin that is arranged in the Y scanning direction, is movable in a direction intersecting with the Y scanning direction, and serves as a regulating member that regulates the rotation of the slide 5.

Numeral 7 designates the slide 5 which is positioned by the fixing pins 6a and 6b and the regulating pin 6c.
It is a pressing member that rotates with a and 6b as fulcrums.
The pressing member 7 can be fixed at an arbitrary pushing position, and the tip of the pressing member 7 is formed with an inclined portion 7a that pushes the slide 5 toward the regulating pin 6c. Reference numeral 8 is a height adjusting screw for adjusting the inclination angle of the mounting surface 4a of the sample mounting portion 4. The height adjusting screw 8 is screwed into the peripheral portion of the lower surface of the sample mounting portion 4 at a position corresponding to the apex of a triangle, and the tip end is in contact with the upper surface of the X moving body 3. Reference numeral 9 is a fixing screw for fixing the sample mounting portion 4 on the X moving body 3. The fixing screw 9 is screwed into the outer side in the vicinity of the height adjusting screw 8 so as to pass through the sample mounting portion 4 at three apexes similar to the above-mentioned triangle, and the tip is a corresponding female screw portion provided on the X moving body 3. The sample mounting portion 4 is fixed to the X moving body 3 by being screwed into.

By adjusting the protrusion amounts of the height adjusting screws 8 at three locations (the distance between the lower surface of the sample placing portion 4 and the upper surface of the X moving body 3 at the screwing position of the height adjusting screw 8 in the sample placing portion 4). The inclination angle of the mounting surface 4a of the sample mounting portion 4 is adjusted as shown in FIG. In this way, when the mounting surface 4a is set perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens of the microscope, the sample mounting portion 4 is fixed to the X moving body 3 with the fixing screw 9. Next, with the two sides of the slide 5 being in contact with the fixing pins 6a and 6b and the regulation pin 6c, the pressing member 7 is pushed in and moved, and the slide 5 is fixed to the fixing pins 6a and 6a, as shown in FIG. 6b as a fulcrum, and the regulation pin 6
Rotate to c side. For example, the slides 5 are aligned so as to be parallel to the X scanning direction, or the slides 5 are arbitrarily rotated so that the longitudinal direction of the object to be observed is parallel to the X scanning direction. be able to. Then, using the distances between the origins of the Y moving body 2 and the X moving body 3 and the origin of the slide 5 as correction values, positioning is performed using XY coordinate values.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the slide member 5 is pressed by the pressing member 7 so that the two slide pins 5 are fixed to each other.
Since the direction of the slide 5 can be freely adjusted by rotating the slides 5a and 6b as fulcrums, particularly in the field of examination, when performing raster scanning of the entire specimen or cells to be observed, efficient scanning is performed. Therefore, the work efficiency can be improved. Further, while adjusting the three height adjusting screws 8 respectively, the tilt angle of the mounting surface 4a of the sample mounting portion 4 is adjusted, and the slide 5 is positioned perpendicularly to the optical axis of the objective lens. However, once the objective lens is focused on the slide 5, the focus does not shift with respect to the entire observation area, and the slide 5 does not move by an external force other than the pressing member 7. The work efficiency can be improved as compared with.

Second Embodiment FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a microscope stage according to a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a schematic rear view thereof, and FIG. 7 is a schematic side view thereof. Further, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram regarding an inclination adjusting operation of the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion in the second embodiment, and FIG.
It is explanatory drawing regarding the rotation adjustment operation of the mounting surface of the sample mounting part in 2nd Example. This embodiment shows a modification of the tilt adjusting mechanism and the regulating member of the above-mentioned first embodiment, and the same parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted.

In the figure, 4'indicates a slope 4b 'formed at three locations on the lower surface peripheral portion, and a sample mounting portion 10 supported on the X moving body 3 at three points by a ball and a set screw, which will be described later.
In order to position the slide 5 at approximately the center of the mounting surface 4a 'of the sample mounting portion 4', a and 10b are attached to the sample mounting portion 4'by screws or the like so as to abut on two adjacent sides of the slide 5. The top fixing pin 10c, which is attached by means, is arranged at a predetermined position in the Y scanning direction like the top fixing pin 10b, and is vertically movable as shown in FIG. It is a restriction pin as a member. The top-shaped regulating pin 10c is a spring (not shown).
Always urged downward by.

Reference numeral 7 is a slide 5 which is positioned by the top-shaped fixing pins 10a and 10b and the regulating pin 10c.
Is a pressing member that rotates with the fixing pins 10a and 10b as fulcrums. 11 is a mounting surface 4 of the sample mounting portion 4 '.
It is an inverted L-shaped fixing member arranged at three locations around the periphery of a '. The lower surface of the lateral protruding portion of the fixed member 11 in the inverted L shape contacts the mounting surface 4a 'of the sample mounting portion 4',
In the hanging part of the inverted L-shape of the fixing member 11, the tip is X-shaped.
A set screw 11a that is in contact with the upper surface of the moving body 3 is screwed in. Reference numeral 12 denotes a ball fitted in a hemispherical concave portion provided at three apexes of a triangle at three positions of the X moving body 3 in correspondence with the inclined surface 4b 'of the sample mounting portion 4'.

Since the microscope stage of this embodiment is constructed as described above, first, when the sample mounting portion 4'is moved back and forth and left and right with the set screws 11a at three locations being loosened,
On the three balls 12 arranged at the vertices of the triangle, the sample placing part 4'is freely swung (see FIG. 8). Then, the mounting surface 4a 'of the sample mounting portion 4'is adjusted so as to be perpendicular to the optical axis of the objective lens, and the set screws 11a at three positions are tightened to move the sample mounting portion 4'in the X direction. Secure to body 3.

Next, while pushing the pressing member 7 in a state where the two sides of the slide 5 are in contact with the top-shaped fixing pins 10a and 10b and the regulating pin 10c, as shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the slide 5 in the state shown by the solid line is rotated toward the regulating pin 10c with the fixing pins 10a and 10b as fulcrums. As a result, the slide 5 rotates in the state shown by the chain double-dashed line. At this time, since the slide 5 presses the inclined side surface of the regulation pin 10c, the regulation pin 10c resists the downward bias and moves upward from the state shown by the solid line in FIG. 9 to the state shown by the chain double-dashed line. Moving. As in the first embodiment, the distances between the origins of the Y moving body 2 and the X moving body 3 and the origin of the slide 5 are used as correction values, and positioning is performed using XY coordinate values.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, the first
The same effect as that of the embodiment can be obtained, and the fixing pins 10a and 10b and the regulating pin 10c are the inverted trapezoidal cross section, and the preparation 5 as a sample has the fixing pins 10a and 10b and the regulating pin 10c. Since it is pressed downward along the inclined side surface, the slide 5 is mounted on the mounting surface 4a 'of the sample mounting portion 4'as compared with the first embodiment.
It can be securely fixed.

[0022]

As described above, the microscope stage of the present invention adjusts the inclination angle of the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion to position the preparation as a sample perpendicularly to the optical axis of the objective lens. Therefore, it is not necessary to readjust the focus over the entire observation region, and the slide as the sample is rotated so as to be aligned with the scanning direction of the stage, so that efficient scanning can be performed.
Moreover, since the sample is fixed to the mounting surface of the sample mounting portion so that the sample is not displaced, the coordinate management of the measurement point can be performed using the X coordinate value and the Y coordinate value. As a result, the measurement time is shortened and the measurement can be easily automated.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a microscope stage according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic front view of the microscope stage shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the microscope stage shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram regarding an operation of adjusting the inclination of the mounting surface of the sample mounting table in the microscope stage according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a microscope stage according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a schematic rear view of the microscope stage shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of the microscope stage illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram regarding an inclination adjusting operation of a mounting surface of the sample mounting table in the microscope stage according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram regarding a rotation adjusting operation of a mounting surface of the sample mounting table in the microscope stage according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 Y moving body 3 X moving body 4 Specimen mounting table 4'Sample mounting table 4a Specimen mounting table mounting surface 4a 'Specimen mounting table mounting surface 4b' Sloping surface of sample mounting section lower surface 5 Sample preparation 6a Positioning fixing pin 6b Positioning fixing pin 6c Restriction pin as a restriction member for restricting rotation of the sample 7 Pushing member 8 Height adjusting screw 9 Fixing screw 10a Frame-shaped positioning pin 10b Frame-shaped positioning fixer Pin 10c Restriction pin as a top-shaped restricting member 11 Fixing member 11a Set screw 12 Ball

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A specimen mounting part is arranged in an X direction and a Y direction which are orthogonal to each other.
In a microscope stage equipped with an X moving body and a Y moving body that are movable in each direction, two positioning fixing pins against which two adjacent sides of the sample placed on the sample placing section are pressed, A pressing member that rotates the sample with the two positioning fixing pins as fulcrums, and a restricting member that restricts the rotation of the sample due to the pressing of the pressing member. Microscope stage to do. 2. The microscope stage according to claim 1, wherein a tilt adjusting mechanism for adjusting a tilt angle of a mounting surface of the sample mounting portion with respect to an optical axis of the objective lens is provided in the sample mounting portion.