We describe in this application systems and methods for autofocusing in imaging mass spectrometry. The present application describes improvements over current IMS and IMC apparatus and methods through an autofocus component including a plurality of apertures in the autofocus system, such as a plurality of apertures arranged in 2 dimensions. As a plurality of apertures is used, the autofocus system provides redundancy in the event that measurement of focus on the sample from the illuminating radiation passed through one or more of the apertures fails so as to reduce the number of unsuccessful autofocus attempts.

The present disclosure relates to a method for evaluating the quality of graphene, and may provide a method capable of evaluating in real time the quality of graphene, which is being continuously formed, by using a confocal laser scanning microscope.

Described herein are apparatuses for dental scanning and components of apparatuses for dental scanning. A component of a dental scanning apparatus may include a beam splitter, a transparency and an image sensor. The component may have a first surface and a second surface. The transparency may be affixed to the first surface of the beam splitter, and may comprise a spatial pattern disposed thereon and be configured to be illuminated by a light source of the dental scanning apparatus. The image sensor may be affixed to the second surface of the beam splitter, wherein as a result of the transparency being affixed to the first surface of the beam splitter and the image sensor being affixed to the second surface of the beam splitter, the image sensor maintains a stable relative position to the spatial pattern of the transparency.

A compact single-axis confocal endomicroscope is provided, capable of complying within 2.8 mm diameter endoscope space requirements. The single-axis confocal endomicroscope uses a folded path design achieved between a fixed mirror and a lateral plane scanning mirror thereby producing a high numerical aperture that allows for diffraction-limited resolution with sub-surface depths. The scanning mirror is formed on a fixed-position, scanning MEMS assembly and has a central aperture that allows for illumination beam expansion in the folded path design. A series of spacers are used to retain beam focusing optical elements in fixed positioned relative to the scanning MEMS assembly for coupling with a single mode fiber.

Disclosed are multimodal microscopic systems (1). In a first aspect, the system (1) comprises at least a first base unit (2) comprising at least one electrical and/or optical base component (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19), at least one scan unit (4) comprising at least one scan component (20, 21, 22) and at least one detection unit (5) comprising at least one detection component (7, 8, 9, 10, 11). The at least one base component (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19), the at least one scan component (20, 21, 22) and the at least one detection component (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) are operatively coupled to each other such that at least one base components (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) and/or at least one scan components (20, 21, 22) and/or at least one detection components (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) is jointly useable for more than one modality. In further aspects, the system (1) comprises a beam combiner (26) which is arranged to superimpose the electromagnetic waves emitted by the electromagnetic wave sources (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19) and/or a beam splitter (27) which is arranged to split the electromagnetic waves emitted by a probe (50) into a plurality of partial electromagnetic waves.

A confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope (cSLO) includes an illumination module, an acquisition module, a scanning element and an imaging lens group. With the scanning element at the nominal position and the illumination beam passing through the centers of the lenses, by controlling the deviation angle between the incident marginal rays and the reflected rays on each surface of the lenses in the illumination path to no less than 0.5 degree.

A sensor head is provided and achieves improved measurement accuracy while reducing measurement time. The sensor head includes: a case including a first case section having a lens therein, a second case section having an objective lens therein, and a third case section providing connection between the first case section and the second case section. Inside the third case section, a mirror member for folding light incident thereon from the lens toward the objective lens is disposed, and a hollow tube providing communication between through holes respectively formed in the mirror member and the objective lens is provided.

A compact single-axis confocal endomicroscope is provided, capable of complying with 2.8 mm diameter endoscope space requirements. The single-axis confocal endomicroscope uses a folded path design achieved between a fixed mirror and a lateral plane scanning mirror thereby producing high numerical apertures that allow for diffraction-limited resolution in sub-surface scanning. The scanning mirror has a central aperture that allows for illumination beam expansion in the folded path design.

The positional deviation of an imaging target due to the switching of image capture methods is suppressed. An image capture system includes a first image capture apparatus of an optical interference type and a second image capture apparatus of an optical sheet microscope type, wherein the first image capture apparatus includes a light source unit provided so as to be shared by the second image capture apparatus, a light concentrating unit provided so as to be shared by the second image capture apparatus, a reflecting unit, a branching unit, a synthesizing unit, a first detection unit configured to detect a spectral distribution of a synthetic light, and a calculation unit configured to calculate a boundary surface position in the imaging target, and the second image capture apparatus includes the light source unit, the light concentrating unit, and a second detection unit configured to detect fluorescence.

The invention relates to a medical inspection apparatus (1), such as a microscope or endoscope, and to a medical inspection method such as microscopy or endoscopy. Visible image data (11) representing a visible-light image (49) and fluorescence image data (12) representing a fluorescent-light image (51) and a pseudocolor (70, 71) are merged to give an improved visual rendition of an object (2) which comprises at least one fluorophore (6) to mark special features of the object (2). This is accomplished in that an image processing unit (18) of the microscope (1) or endoscope is configured to compute a color (r.sub.o, g.sub.o, b.sub.o) of an output pixel (54) in the pseudocolor image (53) from at least one pseudocolor (r.sub.p, g.sub.p, b.sub.p), a color (r.sub.i, g.sub.i, b.sub.i) of a first input pixel (50) in the visible-light image (49) and an intensity (f) of a second input pixel (52) in the fluorescent-light image (51). In particular, the color (r.sub.o, g.sub.o, b.sub.o) may result from a linear interpolation in a color space (RGB) between the pseudocolor and the color of the first input pixel (50) of the visible-light image (49) depending on the intensity (f) of the second input pixel (52) in the fluorescent-light image.