OPTICAL SYSTEM HAVING UNLIMITED DEPTH OF FOCUS

摘要

An optical system for use in a microscope and other optical systems has an unlimited depth of focus. The optical system comprises at least one lens, rotating mechanisms for continuously oscillating the focal length of the lens, and opaque elements for momentarily preventing light to pass through the lens. The rapid (i.e., greater than about 16 images a second) and sequential replacement of images in a plane parallel to and a fixed distance will provide an unlimited depth of focus to elicit in the observer a sense of sharp focus of the entire observed object.