A microscope objective for imaging a specimen using a microscope, the microscope objective being designed as an air objective for microscopy without an immersion medium or as an oil immersion objective for microscopy with an oil-based immersion medium or as a water immersion objective for microscopy with a water-based immersion medium. The front lens of the microscope objective is provided with a coating which repels an immersion medium and is lipophobic and hydrophobic if the objective is an air objective, only lipophobic if the objective is a water immersion objective, and only hydrophobic if the objective is an oil immersion objective.

An optical lens for use in a media feed device, having a first lens surface and a second lens surface, wherein the first lens is provided to be facing an object to be observed and the second lens surface is provided to be facing away from the object to be observed. At least one channel opening onto the first lens surface is present, wherein the at least one channel runs through the optical lens and at least one section of a media line is formed in the at least one, channel or, if a plurality of channels are formed, at least one of the plurality of channels opens up outside a highest point in alignment with a line that is vertical with respect to the first lens surface and to the surface of the earth.

An interference image acquisition apparatus includes a light source, a beam splitter, a second reflection mirror, an imager, and a first reflection mirror. A cell is placed on one side of a transparent material, and the first reflection mirror is placed on the other side of the transparent material. In a two-beam interferometer, an optical path difference between an optical path length of a first light beam reflected by the first reflection mirror and an optical path length of a second light beam reflected by the second reflection mirror is set to a coherence length of light output from the light source or less. The imager acquires an interference image in a state in which the cell is placed at a position conjugate to an imaging plane in a first optical system between the imaging plane and the first reflection mirror.

A microscopic optical imaging system for a living cell, relating to the technical field of living cell culture, observation and detection equipment. The microscopic optical imaging system for a living cell includes a sample stage device, a microscopic optical imaging device, a first linear motion device, a second linear motion device, a third linear motion device, and a worktable device. The microscopic optical imaging device is driven by the first linear motion device to move, the sample stage device is driven by the third linear motion device to move, and the microscopic optical imaging device is driven by the second linear motion device to adjust the resolution for imaging, so that the imaging of living cell samples in regions is realized in a non-contact manner and the resolution for imaging is adjusted; meanwhile, the volume of the microscopic optical imaging system for a living cell is reduced.

The present invention provides a technology whereby relative positioning in the horizontal direction between a specimen observation area in a specimen container and an imaging field of view can be reliably performed, even prior to adjusting the focal position in the vertical direction using an auto-focus system. This specimen observation apparatus: obtains a luminance value for an image at a plurality of locations in the specimen container, prior to performing auto-focus; and uses the number of high-luminance regions and the width of those regions and identifies a central position, in the horizontal direction, in the specimen container or uses the number of low-luminance regions and the width of those regions and identifies the central position, in the horizontal direction, in the specimen container.

A fluid immersion control system may use a common electrode along with a plurality of sensor electrodes at a planar surface associated with a distal end of an immersion microscope objective to monitor electrical resistance of a fluid as an indication of presence of a fluid layer having a meniscus greater than a diameter of an optical axis used for immersion microscopy. The fluid immersion control system may activate replenishment of the fluid when the resistance indicates that the diameter is not immersed in the fluid.

An axially swept light sheet fluorescence microscope has illumination optics capable scanning the focus region of a line beam along an illumination optical axis to illuminate a light sheet in a sample plane, and detection optics capable of collecting fluorescence light from the sample plane and imaging the collected light on a light detector with a rolling shutter. A microcontroller synchronizes the rolling shutter with the scanning of the focus region. The illumination optics performs the axial scanning using a linear phased array of independently controllable electrostatically driven optical elements controlled by the microcontroller.

An apparatus includes a bottom panel with a transparent region and ceramic sidewalls affixed to the bottom panel to form a container. Electrodes are disposed on the outer surface of the sidewalls at positions selected so that when a sample is positioned in the container, applying a voltage between the electrodes induces an electric field through the sample. Electrical conductors provide contact with the electrodes. All the components are sized and shaped to facilitate positioning of the container on the stage of an inverted microscope so that when the sample is positioned in the container, light emanating from a light source is free to travel along an optical path that passes through the sample, through the transparent region, and into the objective of the inverted microscope. The electrodes and conductors are positioned with respect to the transparent region so as not to interfere with the optical path.

Disclosed is an optical arrangement providing selective plane illumination, including an inverted illumination objective mounted below a sample support in use providing a line or plane of light at the sample support, and at least one image collection objective mounted above the support, said inverted illumination objective having an illumination objective optic axis, and said image collection objective having an image collection objective optical axis, wherein illumination light is arranged to propagate toward the illumination objective lateral offset to the illumination objective optical axis such that the illumination light leaving the illumination objective propagates toward the sample support at an oblique angle relative to the illumination objective optical axis, and wherein the image objective optical axis has an angle α which is obtuse to the illumination objective optical axis and generally perpendicular to light propagating at the sample support.

An image capturing device for observing a sample housed in a container to which identification information is attached, from below the container, includes: an image capturing unit including an image pickup element; a light guide unit that guides light from an identification surface to the image capturing unit, the identification surface being a surface of the container which differs from a bottom surface of the container and to which identification information is attached; and a mobile unit that changes a relative position of the image capturing unit with respect to the container. After the mobile unit changes the relative position to a first relative position in which the optical axis of the image capturing unit deviates from the container, the image capturing unit images the identification surface via the light guide unit, and, after the mobile unit changes the relative position to a second relative position in which the optical axis of the image capturing unit intersects the container, the image capturing unit images the sample via the bottom surface.