The invention discloses a non-fluorescent imaging optical sectioning method and device based on annular off-axis illumination focal plane conjugation. In an infinity-corrected optical system constituted by an objective lens with a large numerical aperture and a tube lens, off-axis light beams are used for bright-field microscopic imaging of a non-fluorescent sample; light beams emitted by M sub-sources which form an annularly distributed light source illuminate the sample off-axis at a large inclination angle; all sub-sources are lit to illuminate the sample at the same time, forming a superposed image of the sample illuminated by the M sub-sources individually on an image focal plane of the tube lens, and the camera shoots the image to obtain an optical-section image of a layer in the sample; and under the control of a translation mechanism, a sample stage allows different layers in the sample to coincide with an object focal plane of the objective lens to obtain optical-section images of multiple layers in the sample.

A lighting device includes a light source generating a beam of illumination light, a ring-shaped aperture shielding a central portion of the illumination light and transforming the beam of illumination light into ring-shaped illumination light, and an object lens focusing the ring-shaped illumination light such that a specimen can be illuminated with the ring-shaped illumination light. An inspection apparatus including the light device also has a beam splitter and an image sensor picking up light reflected and/or diffracted from the specimen through the beam splitter. Because a central portion of the illumination light is shielded, lens flare of light transmitted by the beam splitter and the object lens is prevented thereby preventing speckles in the image produced by the image sensor.

An observation device including: an imaging element that captures images of cells contained in a culture vessel; an oblique illumination device that performs oblique illumination to the cells from a plurality of illumination directions, out of the optical axis of the imaging element; a controller that detects the relationship between the position of the culture vessel and the position of the imaging element and that selects the illumination directions of the oblique illumination device on the basis of the detected relationship between the position of the culture vessel and the position of the imaging element; and an image processor that applies, on the basis of the illumination direction of the oblique illumination device, processing for reducing shadows on the cells caused by the oblique illumination, to an image of the cells acquired by the imaging element.

An optical inspection apparatus includes a dichroic mirror, a first light source, and a first image capturing device. The dichroic mirror has a first side and a second side opposite to the first side. The dichroic mirror transmits a first light beam and reflects a second light beam. The wavelength of the second light beam is different from the wavelength of the first light beam. The first light source is disposed at the first side of the dichroic mirror and is configured to provide the first light beam to pass through the dichroic mirror. The first image capturing device is disposed at the second side of the dichroic mirror and is configured to detect the second light beam reflected from the dichroic mirror.

A confocal inspection system can optically characterize a sample. An objective lens, which can be a single lens or a combination of separate illumination and collection lenses, can have a pupil. The objective lens can deliver incident light to the sample through an annular illumination region of the pupil, and can collect scattered light returning from the sample to form collected light. Confocal optics can be positioned to receive the collected light. A detector can be configured with the confocal optics so that the detector generates signals from light received from a specified depth at or below a surface of the sample and rejects signals from light received from depths away from the specified depth. An optical element, such as a mask, a reconfigurable panel, or the detector, can define the annular collection region to be non-overlapping with the annular illumination region in the pupil.

The disclosed technology relates to an inspection apparatus that includes a stage configured to retain a specimen for inspection, an imaging device having a field of view encompassing at least a portion of the stage to view a specimen retained on the stage, a lens having a view encompassing the specimen retained on the stage, and a plurality of lights disposed on a moveable platform. The inspection apparatus can further include a control module configured to control a position of the stage, an elevation of the moveable platform, and a focus of the lens. In some implementations, the inspection apparatus includes an image processing system configured for receiving image data from the imaging device, analyzing the image data to determine a specimen classification, and automatically selecting an illumination profile based on the specimen classification. Methods and machine-readable media are also contemplated.

A process is provided for imaging a surface of a specimen with an imaging system that employs a BD objective having a darkfield channel and a bright field channel, the BD objective having a circumference. The specimen is obliquely illuminated through the darkfield channel with a first arced illuminating light that obliquely illuminates the specimen through a first arc of the circumference. The first arced illuminating light reflecting off of the surface of the specimen is recorded as a first image of the specimen from the first arced illuminating light reflecting off the surface of the specimen, and a processor generates a 3D topography of the specimen by processing the first image through a topographical imaging technique. Imaging apparatus is also provided as are further process steps for other embodiments.

A device for deposition of particles on a target from a transparent slide having a film formed by a fluid containing suspended particles, by locally exciting the film using a laser, includes means for observing the local excitation region. The observation means comprise a sensor and a light source, the optical axes of which are substantially shared in a space between an optical splitter and that the film. The optical beam of the imaging system and the optical beam of the laser are coaxially arranged in the space between the controlled optical deflection means and the film. The device comprises a first focusing optical unit arranged between the controlled optical deflection means and the film. The device comprises a second image-combining optical unit positioned between the sensor and the splitter, the sensor being positioned in the focal plane of the second optical unit.

Humidified sample preparation station for serial crystallography according to one embodiment is a humidified enclosure that delivers relative humidities above 95% and preferably above 97% in standard operation, and that can allow microscope observation of samples within. Humidified sample preparation station for serial crystallography can be used for preparation of protein crystal samples for examination using X-rays and for protein structure determination by X-ray crystallography, involving addition of liquid to the sample and removal of liquid from the sample using vacuum or suction.

A testing system (10) for an infectious disease, such as Covod-19, has a specimen collector (11) with a housing (12) receiving a specimen of bodily fluids discharged from a cough of a test subject through a specimen inlet (15). After specimen collection, the specimen inlet (15) is closed, and the collector (11) is brough to a mating electronic testing device (13). A seal (55) is removed to expose a transparent specimen tray (43) upon which the specimen has fallen and installed into a collector receptacle (14). A microscope (15) is focused on the specimen, Photographs of the specimen are taken through a microscope (15) and then compared to photographs of specimens known to have indications of infection (26). Based on the comparison, a test result and level of confidence is obtained. The collector (11) is then removed from the testing device (13), and discarded.