Described herein are methods and systems for the optical imaging of a physical specimen of interest that is in contact with, or in close proximity to, the backplane of a high refractive index solid-immersion lens (SIL), wherein the specimen comprises features of interest that act as a local high-refractive index regions. The SIL lens preferably comprises fiducial markers.

An intraoral scanner comprises a light source, a moveable opto-mechanical module, an axial actuator, and an image sensor. The light source is configured to generate light that is to be output onto an object external to the intraoral scanner. The moveable opto-mechanical module comprises integrated projection/imaging optics and an exit pupil, the projection/imaging optics having an optical axis, wherein the projection/imaging optics are entirely integrated into the moveable opto-mechanical module. The axial actuator is coupled to the projection/imaging optics and configured to move the moveable opto-mechanical module comprising an entirety of the projection/imaging optics in the optical axis to achieve a plurality of focus settings. The image sensor is configured to receive reflected light that has been reflected off of the object external to the intraoral scanner for the plurality of focus settings.

In some embodiments, a method provides a live view mode without scanning a micro optical element array in which successive image(s) are generated, and optionally displayed, that comprise image pixels that represent sample light received from micro optical elements in an array for different, spatially distinct locations in a sample. Images can be of a useful size and resolution to obtain information indicative of a real time sample state. A full image acquisition by scanning a micro optical element array may be initiated when a sample has sufficiently (self-) stabilized. In some embodiments, a method provides images including a stabilization index without scanning a micro optical element array. A stabilization index that represents an empirically derived quantitative assessment of a degree of stabilization may be determined (e.g., calculated) for sample light received from for one or more micro optical elements each represented by one or more image pixels in an image.

Disclosed herein are systems for imaging of samples using an array of micro optical elements and methods of their use. In some embodiments, an optical chip comprising an array of micro optical elements moves relative to an imaging window and a detector in order to scan over a sample to produce an image. A focal plane can reside within a sample or on its surface during imaging. Detecting optics are used to detect back-emitted light collected by an array of micro optical elements that is generated by an illumination beam impinging on a sample. In some embodiments, an imaging system has a large field of view and a large optical chip such that an entire surface of a sample can be imaged quickly. In some embodiments, a sample is accessible by a user during imaging due to the sample being exposed while disposed on or over an imaging window.

The present invention relates to improvement in accuracy of an automatic sample detection technique in spectrometry of a microspectroscope. A microspectroscope 10 comprises: a light source 12 that emits an excitation light to a sample 20; a condensing lens 16 that emits the excitation light to a predetermined position of the sample 20 and condenses a reflected light or a transmitted light from the sample 20; a spectrometer 24 that detects a condensed light; and an analysis control unit 30 for analyzing a signal from the spectrometer 24; the microspectroscope 10 that uses an observation image of the sample 20 to perform spectrometry, wherein the analysis control unit 30 comprises: an image storage part 32 that converts the observation image to an all-in-focus image to store the all-in-focus image; and a control part 34 that makes the microspectroscope 10 to perform measurement, and the control part 34 uses the all-in-focus image and performs a template matching as a matching action of the image to perform position correction to a position deviation of a sample point that is a target of spectrometry in the sample.

An auxiliary apparatus for testing the confocality of a scanning and descanning microscope component group has a connector configured for connecting the auxiliary apparatus in a defined relative position to the scanning and descanning microscope component group, and an optical axis running at a fixed orientation with respect to the connector. Further, the auxiliary apparatus has an auxiliary detector with a plurality of auxiliary detection apertures in a plurality of auxiliary detection aperture positions that are arranged at distances in direction of the optical axis and laterally with respect to the optical axis; and an auxiliary light source providing auxiliary light through a plurality of auxiliary emission apertures in a plurality of auxiliary emission aperture positions arranged at distances in direction of the optical axis and laterally with respect to the optical axis.

The present application discloses a confocal microscope including a light generator configured to simultaneously generate reflection light, which is reflected from a sample, and transmission light, which passes through the sample; a scanner configured to optically scan the sample and define a direction of a first optical path, along which the reflection light propagates; an adjuster configured to angularly adjust a direction of a second optical path, along which the transmission light propagates; a first signal generator configured to generate a first signal based on the reflection light; a second signal generator configured to generate a second signal based on the transmission light; and an image generator configured to generate a synthetic image in which a reflection image represented by the reflection light and a transmission image represented by the transmission light are synthesized in response to the first and second signals.

A system having a macroscopic imager, a microscopic imager, and a stage for moving a substrate supporting ex-vivo tissue with respect to each of the imagers to enable the macroscopic imager to capture macroscopic images, and the microscopic imager to capture optically formed sectional microscopic images on or within the tissue, when presented to the tissue, via the optically transparent material of the substrate. A computer system controls movement of the stage, and receives the macroscopic and microscopic images. A display is provided for displaying the macroscopic and microscopic images when received by the computer system. The tissue is verified as being in an orientation at least substantially flush against the upper surface of the substrate by being in focus in displayed macroscopic images prior to imaging by the microscopic imager, and if needed, any portion of the tissue unfocused is manually positioned until desired tissue orientation is achieved.

A method for evaluating a single-photon detector signal includes duplicating the single-photon detector signal into a first and a second signal. The first signal is processed and the second signal is either not processed or is processed in a manner different from the first signal. A differential signal is formed between the unprocessed or differently processed second signal and the processed first signal. The differential signal is evaluated to determine pulse events.

A Brillouin modality can be supplemented by an auxiliary modality, such as an optical imaging modality or a spectroscopy modality. In some embodiments, the auxiliary modality can be used to guide the Brillouin measurement to a desired region of interest, so that acquisition times for the Brillouin measurement can be reduced as compared to interrogating the entire sample. The auxiliary modality may have an acquisition speed faster than that of the Brillouin modality. In some embodiment, the auxiliary modality determines a composition of materials within a voxel in the sample interrogated by the Brillouin modality. Using the information provided by the auxiliary modality, the Brillouin signatures corresponding to the materials within the voxel can be unmixed, thereby providing a more accurate measurement of the sample.