A system for characterizing at least one particle from a fluid sample is disclosed. The system includes a filter disposed upstream of an outlet, and a luminaire configured to illuminate the at least one particle at an oblique angle. An imaging device is configured to capture and process images of the illuminated at least one particle as it rests on the filter for characterizing the at least one particle. A system for characterizing at least one particle using bright field illumination is also disclosed. A method for characterizing particulates in a fluid sample using at least one of oblique angle and bright field illumination is also disclosed.

Disclosed is a technology for illuminating a specimen in a desired uniform illumination pattern and capturing an image of a wide field of view in a low background illumination environment. Provided, for example, is a fluorescence microscope apparatus including a first illumination optics, a second illumination optics, and an imaging optics. The first illumination optics includes a first light source for exciting fluorescence in a specimen, a spatial light modulation element, and a first illumination optical member for uniformly illuminating the spatial light modulation element. The second illumination optics includes a second illumination optical member for forming an image of a light beam from the spatial light modulation element on a specimen surface. The imaging optics includes an imaging optical member and an imaging element. The imaging optical member captures an image of the specimen surface.

Disclosed is a technology for illuminating a specimen in a desired uniform illumination pattern and capturing an image of a wide field of view in a low background illumination environment. Provided, for example, is a fluorescence microscope apparatus including a first illumination optics, a second illumination optics, and an imaging optics. The first illumination optics includes a first light source for exciting fluorescence in a specimen, a spatial light modulation element, and a first illumination optical member for uniformly illuminating the spatial light modulation element. The second illumination optics includes a second illumination optical member for forming an image of a light beam from the spatial light modulation element on a specimen surface. The imaging optics includes an imaging optical member and an imaging element. The imaging optical member captures an image of the specimen surface.

A vibration damping structure (60), a detection system and a sequencing system. The vibration damping structure (60) is used in the detection system. The vibration damping structure (60) comprises a main body (62) and a support body (64), the main body (62) is connected to the detection system by means of the support body (64), the main body (62) comprises an imaging module (10), an upper layer structure (66), a lower layer structure (68) and an intermediate structure (70), the imaging module (10) is mounted on the upper layer structure (66), the lower layer structure (68) bears the upper layer structure (66) by means of the intermediate structure (70), and the natural frequency of the main body (62) is greater than or equal to √{square root over (2)} times the internal excitation frequency.

A control system for automatedly determining an illumination intensity of at least one light source of a fluorescence microscope is provided. The control system is configured to automatedly determine, after a change in a light path, a control value for the illumination intensity of the at least one light source in order to achieve a desired value of an inspection parameter characterizing sample inspection. The light path comprises at least one of: an illumination path from the at least one light source to the sample and an imaging path from the sample to at least one detector. Determining the control value is based on: (i) a value of the illumination intensity that was set before the change in the light path, (ii) a value of the inspection parameter used before the change in the light path, and (iii) a physical model of the light path.

A control system for automatedly determining an illumination intensity of at least one light source of a fluorescence microscope is provided. The control system is configured to automatedly determine, after a change in a light path, a control value for the illumination intensity of the at least one light source in order to achieve a desired value of an inspection parameter characterizing sample inspection. The light path comprises at least one of: an illumination path from the at least one light source to the sample and an imaging path from the sample to at least one detector. Determining the control value is based on: (i) a value of the illumination intensity that was set before the change in the light path, (ii) a value of the inspection parameter used before the change in the light path, and (iii) a physical model of the light path.

An image acquisition system includes: a first narrowband light source that emits first narrowband light for exciting a luminescent agent that exists in an observation target and emits light having a wavelength belonging to a visible light wavelength band; a second narrowband light source that emits second narrowband light in a wavelength band of ±30 nm of a peak light emission wavelength of the luminescent agent; a broadband light source that emits broadband light for illuminating the observation target; a first image sensor on which an image of light in a light emission wavelength band including a wavelength corresponding to light emitted from the luminescent agent is formed; and a second image sensor including one or more image sensors on which an image of light in a wavelength band other than the light emission wavelength band is formed.

Examples relate to a microscope, and to an apparatus, method and computer program for a microscope. The microscope comprises a light emission module for providing illumination for a sample of organic tissue in a plurality of wavelength bands. The microscope comprises one or more imaging sensor modules configured to independently sense light in a plurality of mutually separated wavelength bands of the plurality of wavelength bands. The microscope comprises a processing module configured to control the light emission module such, that in a first operating mode light in a first subset of the plurality of wavelength bands is emitted towards the sample of organic tissue, and that in a second operating mode light in a second subset of the plurality of wavelength bands is emitted towards the sample of organic tissue. The first and second subset of wavelength bands are at least partially different. The processing module is configured to use the one or more imaging sensor modules to perform reflectance imaging and fluorescence imaging in each of the plurality of mutually separated wavelength bands based on the light emitted in the first and second operating modes.

Examples relate to a microscope, and to an apparatus, method and computer program for a microscope. The microscope comprises a light emission module for providing illumination for a sample of organic tissue in a plurality of wavelength bands. The microscope comprises one or more imaging sensor modules configured to independently sense light in a plurality of mutually separated wavelength bands of the plurality of wavelength bands. The microscope comprises a processing module configured to control the light emission module such, that in a first operating mode light in a first subset of the plurality of wavelength bands is emitted towards the sample of organic tissue, and that in a second operating mode light in a second subset of the plurality of wavelength bands is emitted towards the sample of organic tissue. The first and second subset of wavelength bands are at least partially different. The processing module is configured to use the one or more imaging sensor modules to perform reflectance imaging and fluorescence imaging in each of the plurality of mutually separated wavelength bands based on the light emitted in the first and second operating modes.

The disclosure may relate to a method for the characterization of the 3D orientation of an emitting dipole within a specimen. The method comprises splitting a light beam emitted by the emitting dipole and exiting an objective lens into a first and a second beams; spatially filtering said first beam by using a spatial frequency filter; splitting each of said filtered first beam and said second beam into two beams linearly polarized using polarizing beam splitters; detecting with an optical detection unit four beams linearly polarized in a detection plane optically conjugated with the front focal plane of said microscope objective lens; determining, from four intensity images, in a predefined frame of the specimen, the mean orientation and the angular aperture of the distribution of the 3D orientation of the emitting dipole, during an acquisition time of said four intensity images.