JPS635235A - Photometric apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a mechanical motion part for scanning and to perform highly accurate photometry, by projecting the image of a light source body, wherein minute light sources are arranged in an array form unidimentionally or two-dimensionally, onto the surface of a specimen. CONSTITUTION:In a scanning type photometric microscope, an array type light source 1 is constituted so that LED displays are arranged in an array form unidimensionally or two-dimensionally. Optical fiber bundle 2 is constituted so that the optical fibers at one end thereof are opposed to LEDs of the light source 1 one at a time and those at the other end thereof are collected into one to form an array like light emitting surface (f). A condenser lens system C forms the contracted image of the light emitting surface (f) on a specimen S. When one of LEDs of the light source 1 is allowed to light, 1min point on the surface of the specimen S can be illuminated selectively. Therefore, when LEDs constituting the light source 1 are allowed to light one at a time in appropriate order by a scanning circuit 3 and a drive circuit 4, the same result as such a case that the surface of the specimen S is scanned by a light spot is obtained. The transmitted or reflected light of the specimen is received by an optical sensor R through an objective lens P and subjected to signal processing to be displayed on CRT.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A. Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a photometric device that can be used, for example, in a scanning photometric microscope.

2. Description of the Related Art A two-dimensional scanning method in a conventional scanning photometric microscope uses sample plane scanning or image plane scanning. In the image plane scanning method, the entire sample surface is illuminated to form an entire image of the sample surface, and scanning is performed using that image plane. In this method, scanning is performed using an image pickup tube or
Since the light-receiving surface of a dimensional image sensor is electrically scanned, it has the advantage of being able to scan at high speed because there are no mechanically moving parts.However, since the entire surface of the sample is illuminated, one pixel on the sample surface Regarding the parts, the influence of scattered light in adjacent parts cannot be avoided. On the other hand, in the sample surface scanning method, since the sample surface is illuminated and scanned with a light spot, the influence of scattered light from adjacent pixels can be avoided. Therefore, when accurate photometric values are required, such as with a photometric microscope or a microspectroscope, it is necessary to use the sample surface scanning method. However, with this sample surface scanning method, the light beam focused on the sample surface is photographed two-dimensionally, or the light beam is fixed and the sample stage is moved in both the X and Y directions, so mechanical This method requires many moving parts, makes the device expensive, is inferior to the image plane scanning method in terms of durability, high-speed scanning, etc., and is troublesome to maintain.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present invention aims to provide a scanning photometric microscope that reduces the number of mechanically moving parts for scanning and is capable of highly accurate photometry.

20 Means for Solving Problems Using a light source in which minute light sources are arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally in an array, the image of this light source is projected onto the sample surface, and the minute light sources constituting the light source are The lights were made to light up one by one in an appropriate order.

By projecting the image of a light source in which 0 action micro light sources are arranged in an array onto the sample surface and lighting up the 1ii micro light sources in the light source, one micro point on the sample surface can be selectively illuminated. .

Therefore, the minute light sources that make up the light source are
If the number N is turned on at a time, the same result as scanning the sample surface with a light spot can be obtained, and furthermore, the lighting of the light source can be controlled electrically. When the light source is a one-dimensional array of minute light sources, it is necessary to drive the sample, the light source, or the optical element between the sample and the light source in a direction perpendicular to the array arrangement direction of the light source. The driving speed and number of reciprocations are much smaller than the moving speed of the light emitting points on the array and the number of light emission repetitions, and the moving parts for two-dimensional scanning can actually be minimized.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, L is a light source device,
C is a condenser lens system for illumination, S is a sample, P is an objective lens, H is a half mirror, and 1R is a single type (no resolution).
K is an objective lens, which focuses the transmitted light on the light receiving surface of the photosensor R, and ■ is an eyepiece lens.

In the light source device, 1 is a two-dimensional array type light source, and LE
Although a D display is used, a high density plasma display type gas discharge light emitting array may also be used. Reference numeral 2 denotes an optical fiber bundle, - one end of each optical fiber is opposed to each light emitting point of the array type light source 1, and the opposite end is brought together to form one array type light emitting surface f. The condenser lens system C forms a reduced image of this light emitting surface f on the sample S. 3 is a scanning circuit, and 4 is a drive circuit for driving the light source 1.

FIG. 2 shows the control circuit in the above embodiment.

Components corresponding to those in FIG. 1 are given the same reference numerals. The scanning circuit 3 includes an address control circuit 31 and an address decoder 32. The address control circuit 31 may be a counter that counts clock pulses, but may also be configured to output a predetermined address designation signal based on commands from a microcomputer. The address designation data output from the address control circuit 31 is sent to the address decoder 3.
2 converts the signal into a drive signal corresponding to one light emitting element of the light source 1 and inputs it to the driver 4 . The output of the optical sensor R is sent to a signal conversion circuit 5 consisting of a preamplifier, A/D converter, etc.
is converted into a digital light intensity signal by Reference numeral 6 denotes an image memory, which is addressed by the output of the address control circuit 31 and stores the light intensity signal. 7 is an XY scanning signal generation circuit for image display; when the data in the memory 6 is to be displayed as an image, the data in the memory 6 is addressed and read out by a signal from the scanning signal generation circuit 7; A brightness signal conversion circuit 8 consisting of a converter etc. converts the signal into a brightness modulation signal, which is applied to the CRT.

A scanning signal ' is also sent to the CRT from the scanning signal generating circuit 7, and an image formed by the transmitted light of the X material S is displayed on the CRT.

Figure 3 shows an example of a light source system, where d is a light emitting diode,
They are arranged in a two-dimensional array, with one optical fiber facing each light emitting diode. FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the light source 1, in which an electro-optic crystal shutter or a liquid crystal shutter array is used instead of arranging a large number of minute light sources, and the light source itself is a planar light source. Reference numeral 9 denotes a liquid crystal shutter array, in which an X-coordinate designating electrode X and a Y-coordinate designating electrode y sandwich a liquid crystal in a perpendicular relationship, and an address decoder 32 . A voltage is applied via the driver 4, and the voltage-applied portion of the liquid crystal becomes transparent, allowing light from the planar light source 10 located below to pass upward. Even if this transmitted light is directly condensed onto the sample by the condenser lens system C in Figure 1, it can be condensed into a small area by an optical fiber bundle and then guided to the condenser lens as in the example in Figure 1. You may also do so. The planar light source 10 may be a literal planar light emitting surface, but it may also be one in which a Z light diffusing surface is uniformly illuminated with a normal light source.

In the above embodiment, the light source has a two-dimensional spread, but the light source has a two-dimensional spread.
Scanning may be performed using a dimensional light source and using an oscillating mirror or moving the sample stage in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the light source extends. FIG. 5 shows an example in which such a one-dimensional light source device is applied to a reflection or fluorescence measuring system. Components corresponding to those in the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. 1 is a one-dimensional array light source, the objective lens P also serves as a condenser lens, the image of the light source 1 is formed on the sample S in the X direction (perpendicular to the plane of the figure), and the sample stage (not shown) is placed on the sample S. is driven in the direction of arrow Y. light source 1
Each time a one-dimensional scan is performed, the sample S is moved in the Y direction by one pixel pitch, and a two-dimensional scan of the sample surface is performed.

The present invention also includes methods that measure point by point instead of scanning.

G. Effect The photometric device of the present invention has the above-mentioned configuration and is of the type that measures the sample with a light spot, so accurate photometry is possible without the influence of scattered light from adjacent parts of the sample. Since measurement is performed by controlling the light emitting position of a light source surface that has a one-dimensional or two-dimensional spread, the mechanical movement part for measurement can be eliminated or minimized, and the mechanical movement part Various problems associated with use, such as cost, maintenance, durability, speed, etc., are all eliminated.

Only one means for measuring transmitted light or reflected light is required, and an ultra-high sensitivity sensor (for example, a photomultiplier tube), which is impossible with a surface sensor, can be used, and measurement in photon counting mode is also possible.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system of the same embodiment, FIG. 3 is a side view of an example of a light source system, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing other parts of the light source system. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one example, and FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of another embodiment of the present invention. L...Light source device, C...Condenser lens, S...
・Sample, P... Objective lens, R... Optical sensor, 1.
...Light source, 2... Optical fiber bundle, 3... Scanning circuit, 4... Drive circuit, d... Light emitting diode, 9
...LCD shutter agent Patent attorney Hiroshi Agata Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 4 □Y

Claims (1)

[Claims] A light source with a one-dimensional or two-dimensional spread, a control circuit that controls the position of its light emitting point, a means for projecting an image of the light source onto the sample surface, and photometry of light transmitted through the sample or reflected light, etc. A photometric device characterized by comprising means for measuring.