METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR TRANSPORT-OF-INTENSITY IMAGING

摘要

A transport-of-intensity imaging system is proposed which incorporates a control element positioned in an optical relay system, such as a 4f optical relay system, between a microscope system for generating an image of a specimen, and an image capturing device. The control element is located with an optical relay system, and is controllable to vary the focal plane without changing the spacing of the specimen and the image capturing device. In one form the control element is an electronically tunable lens (ETL). In another form, the control element is a spatial light modulator (SLM). The arrangement may include a beam splitter arrangement for generating a plurality of beams, which are not all subject to the same control element, such that multiple images with different focal planes are captured from the respective beams.

主权项

1. An apparatus for imaging a sample, the apparatus comprising:
an microscope system for forming a magnified image of a portion of a specimen; an image capture device for capturing an image; and an optical relay system located between the microscope system and the imaging device, the optical relay system comprising a control element for modifying at least one beam of light passing through the optical relay system to vary a plane within the specimen which is in focus in the image captured by the image capture device, whereby the image capture device is operative to capture multiple images in which different respective planes are in focus.