Systems, devices, and methods including a dark-field reflected-illumination apparatus

摘要

Systems, devices, and methods are described that modulate a specimen-background dark-field micrograph contrast.

主权项

1. A dark-field detection system, comprising:
an illumination angle controller that modulates an angle of incidence of electromagnetic energy delivered by a dark-field illuminator, the dark-field illuminator oriented to focus electromagnetic energy onto at least one focal region of a sample, at one or more angles of incidence relative to an optical axis of an optical assembly; an aperture controller operably coupled to an aperture device, the aperture controller operable to modulate an effective numerical aperture associated with a collection zone of scattered electromagnetic energy from the sample interrogated by the electromagnetic energy delivered by the dark-field illuminator; and an illumination-collection separation controller operably coupled to the illumination angle controller and the aperture controller, the illumination-collection separation controller configured to vary an illumination-collection spacing, bounded in part by the electromagnetic energy delivered by the dark-field illuminator and the collection zone, by actuating at least one of the illumination angle controller or the aperture controller.