Methods and apparatus for analysis of nano-objects using wide-field bright field transmission techniques are described. Such methods may comprise acquiring a plurality of images of a sample (124) comprising a plurality of nano-objects using bright field illumination via a continuously variable spectral filter (114), and identifying a nano-object within the sample in the plurality of images, wherein the position of the nano-object changes between images. Using data extracted from the plurality of images, an extinction cross-section of the identified nano-object may be quantitatively determined.

A system that includes an interference device including a reference arm on which a reflective surface is arranged, where the interference device produces, at each point of an imaging field when the sample is placed on a target arm of the interference device, interference between a reference wave and a target wave obtained by backscattering of incident light waves by means of a voxel of a slice of the sample at a given depth; an acquisition device suitable for acquiring, at a fixed path length difference between the target arm and the reference arm, a temporal series of N two-dimensional interferometric signals resulting from the interference produced at each point of the imaging field; and a processing unit that calculates an image representing temporal variations in intensity between said N two-dimensional interferometric signals.

Certain aspects pertain to Fourier ptychographic imaging systems, devices, and methods such as, for example, high NA Fourier ptychographic imaging systems and reflective-mode NA Fourier ptychographic imaging systems.

A structured illumination microscope includes: a first illumination optical system configured to irradiate, from a first direction, a sample with activating light for activating a fluorescent substance included in the sample; a second illumination optical system configured to irradiate, from a second direction that is different from the first direction, the sample with interference fringes of exciting light for exciting the fluorescent substance; a control unit configured to control a direction and a phase of the interference fringes; an imaging optical system configured to form an image of the sample irradiated with the interference fringes; an imaging element configured to take the image formed by the imaging optical system to generate a first image; and a demodulation unit configured to generate a second image by using a plurality of the first images generated by the imaging element.

The invention relates to a system (20) for full-field interference microscopy imaging of a three-dimensional diffusing sample (206). Said system includes: an interference device (200) including a reference arm on which a reflective surface (205) is arranged, the interference device being suitable for producing, at each point of an imaging field when the sample is placed on a target arm of the interference device, interference between a reference wave, obtained by reflection of incident light waves onto a basic surface of the reflective surface (205) corresponding to said point of the imaging field, and a target wave obtained by backscattering of incident light waves by means of a voxel of a slice of the sample at a given depth, said voxel corresponding to said point of the imaging field; an acquisition device (208) suitable for acquiring, at a fixed path length difference between the target arm and the reference arm, a temporal series of N two-dimensional interferometric signals resulting from the interference produced at each point of the imaging field; and a processing unit (220) configured to calculate an image (IB, IC) representing temporal variations in intensity between said N two-dimensional interferometric signals.

Methods, devices, systems, and apparatuses are provided for the image analysis of measurement of biological samples.

The invention relates to a transmitted light illumination apparatus (2) for a microscope (1), said transmitted light illumination apparatus (2) comprising, a planar light source (20), a mirror (23) having a concave mirror surface (24) arranged in the direction of light emitted from the planar light source (20), and at least one diaphragm element (22) being at least partially opaque and being arranged between the planar light source (20) and the concave mirror surface (24) such that by moving the at least one diaphragm element (22) in at least one direction parallel to a plane defined by the planar light source (20), the planar light source (20) is at least partially covered by the at least one diaphragm element (22).

A method for generating and analyzing an overview contrast image of a specimen carrier and/or of specimens situated on a specimen carrier. A specimen carrier arranged at least partially in the focus of a detection optical unit is illuminated in transmitted light using a two-dimensional, array-like illumination pattern. At least two overview raw images are detected using different illuminations of the specimen carrier, and, according to information to be extracted from the overview contrast image, a combination algorithm is selected by means of which the at least two overview raw images are combined to form the overview contrast image. According to information to be extracted from the overview contrast image, an image evaluation algorithm is selected by means of which the information is extracted.

A defect observation apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store defect information about defects detected by an external inspection apparatus; a first imaging unit configured to capture an image of a defect using a first imaging condition and a second imaging condition; a control unit configured to correct positional information on the defect using the image captured with the first imaging unit; and a second imaging unit configured to capture an image of the defect based on the corrected positional information.

A fluorescence microscopy inspection system includes light sources able to emit light that causes a specimen to fluoresce and light that does not cause a specimen to fluoresce. The emitted light is directed through one or more filters and objective channels towards a specimen. A ring of lights projects light at the specimen at an oblique angle through a darkfield channel. One of the filters may modify the light to match a predetermined bandgap energy associated with the specimen and another filter may filter wavelengths of light reflected from the specimen and to a camera. The camera may produce an image from the received light and specimen classification and feature analysis may be performed on the image.