Swappable detector module for spectroscope systems

1 . A microscope system, comprising:

a housing, wherein the housing includes an opening;

a microscope plate fix-mounted to the housing;

a swappable detector module removably mounted to the microscope plate and configured to be inserted into and removed from the housing through the opening, the swappable detector module comprising:

a detector base plate;

a detector fix-mounted on the detector base plate; and

an optical element fix-mounted on the detector base plate, wherein the optical element is configured to receive a light and direct the light to the detector; and

a plurality of posts fix-mounted to the microscope plate for aligning the swappable detector module relative to the microscope plate.

2 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the swappable detector module further comprises a detector top plate and a latch coupled to the top plate, wherein the latch is configured to lock the swappable detector module within the microscope.

3 . The microscope system of claim 2 , wherein the latch includes a cam lock.

4 . The microscope system of claim 2 , wherein the swappable detector module is locked within the microscope by engaging the latch with at least one post of the plurality of posts.

5 . The microscope system of claim 2 , wherein the swappable detector module further comprises a side wall surrounding at least a portion of the detector and the optical element, wherein the side wall extends from the detector base plate to the top plate, and wherein the side wall includes an opening for receiving the light.

6 . The microscope system of claim 5 , wherein the side wall includes one or more recesses configured to align the swappable detector module with respect to the plurality of posts.

7 . The microscope system of claim 2 , wherein the top plate includes an opening for receiving a cooling agent.

8 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the swappable detector module further includes a handle for inserting or removing the swappable detector module from the microscope.

9 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the opening is located at a top of the housing.

10 . The microscope system of claim 1 , further comprising a second swappable detector module for detecting light of a different wavelengths range compared to the swappable detector module.

11 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the light received by the optical element is a collimated light.

12 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the optical element focuses the light toward the detector.

13 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the detector base plate includes at least a pin configured to be received by a respective slot in the microscope plate.

14 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the microscope system includes a Raman microscope or an IR microscope.

15 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the detector is one selected from a group consisting of a MCT IR detector and an InGaAs detector.

16 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the posts surround the swappable detector module when the swappable detector module is mounted to the microscope.

17 . A swappable detector module for a microscope system having a microscope housing with an opening at the top and a microscope plate fix-mounted within the microscope housing, the swappable detector module comprising:

a detector housing including a top plate, a bottom plate, and side wall extending from the bottom plate to the top plate, wherein the side wall includes an opening for light to enter the swappable detector module;

a detector fix-mounted to the bottom plate and situated within the detector housing;

an optical element fix-mounted on the bottom plate and situated within the detector housing, the optical element configured to receive the light entering the swappable detector module and direct the light to the detector; and

at least one latch coupled to the top plate for locking the swappable detector module to the microscope plate,

wherein the swappable detector module is configured to be inserted and removed from the microscope system from the opening of the microscope housing.

18 . The swappable detector module of claim 17 , wherein the side wall includes one or more recesses extending along at least a portion of a height of the side wall for guiding the swappable detector module while inserting the swappable detector module into a housing of a microscope.

19 . The swappable detector module of claim 17 , wherein the latch is configured to engage with one or more posts extending from the microscope plate.

20 . A method of operating a microscope with multiple swappable detector modules of claim 17 , comprising:

mounting a first swappable detector module to the microscope plate by engaging the latch with at least one post of a plurality of posts fix-mounted to the microscope plate;

identifying the first swappable detector module;

collecting data from a first sample with the first swappable detector module;

releasing the first swappable detector module from the microscope plate by disengaging the latch and removing the swappable detector module from the opening at the top of the microscope housing;

mounting a second swappable detector module to the microscope plate;

identifying the second swappable detector module by lowering the second swappable detector module into the opening at the top of the microscope housing; and

collecting data from a second sample with the second swappable detector module.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the first and second samples are the same sample.