IMAGE CAPTURING APPARATUS AND FOCUSING METHOD THEREOF

摘要

An image capturing apparatus is configured to store the control result of a focus position during scanning of segmented regions and determine an initial focus position in scanning of the (n+1)th segmented region, based on the control result stored during scanning of the nth (n is an integer of 1 or more) or earlier segmented region. The foregoing technique allows this image capturing apparatus to roughly determine the initial focus position in the next-scanned segmented region by making use of the control result of the segmented region the scanning of which has been already completed. This can suppress increase in processing time necessary for imaging, by simplification of pre-focus.

主权项

1. An apparatus for capturing an image of a sample, the apparatus comprising:
a stage configured to support the sample; an objective lens configured to face to the sample; a light dividing unit optically coupled to the objective lens and configured to divide an optical image of at least a portion of the sample through the objective lens into a first optical image and a second optical image; a first imaging unit configured to capture at least a portion of the first optical image; a second imaging unit configured to capture at least a portion of the second optical image and provide an image data; a scan control unit configured to implement a scanning of a plurality of preset segmented regions by moving an imaging position of the sample imaged by the first imaging unit and the second imaging unit along the plurality of the segmented regions; and a focus control unit configured to analyze the image data so as to control a focus position of the objective lens based on the analysis result, wherein the focus control unit stores the control result of the focus position while the scan control unit scans the segmented regions, and the focus control unit determines an initial focus position for the scan control unit to scan the (n+1)th segmented region, based on the control result stored while the scan control unit scans the nth (n is an integer of 1 or more) or earlier segmented region.