Method for fixing a thin-film material to a slide

Inventors: Thomas Engel (Aalen, DE); Gabriele Hörnig (Fürth, DE); Gaby Marquardt (Hausen, DE); Daniela Seidel (Baiersdorf, DE)

Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Inc.

G01N1/2813 G01N15/00 G01N35/00029 G02B21/34 G01N15/01 G01N2035/00138

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12704442
App. No.: 17/274,158
Granted: Aug 11, 2026
Kind: B2

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method for fixing a thin-film material to a flat surface of a slide for a microscopy apparatus, by means of a liquid. The method comprises: applying a quantity of liquid to the flat surface of the slide; applying the thin-film material to the surface of the slide, which is wetted at least in part, preferably completely with liquid; applying a sample to be microscopically examined to the surface of the thin-film material which faces away from the surface of the slide wetted with liquid; wherein the surface of the thin-film material facing away from the surface of the slide wetted with liquid is hydrophilic.

Claims (32)

1 . A method for fixing a thin-film material on a planar surface of a slide for a high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus in an automated analyzer by means of a liquid, the method comprising the following steps:

applying a quantity of liquid to the planar surface of the slide,

applying the thin-film material to the planar surface of the slide which has been wetted at least in part with the liquid to provide temporary fixation of the thin-film material to the planar surface to enable subsequent removal of the thin-film material from the planar surface, and

applying a specimen to be examined by the high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus to a surface of the thin-film material facing away from the planar surface of the slide wetted with the liquid, wherein the surface of the thin-film material facing away from the planar surface of the slide wetted with the liquid is hydrophilic;

wherein the thin-film material comprises a pliable glass sheet having an ultrathin configuration having a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.17 mm.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further including the following step:

using the high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus to examine the specimen applied to the surface of the thin-film material.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further including the following steps:

removing the thin-film material with the applied specimen from the slide,

cleaning and drying the planar surface of the slide that was wetted with the liquid, and

reusing the slide.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an overall thickness of the slide with applied liquid, the thin-film material, and the specimen is less than 1.4 mm, or wherein an overall thickness of the slide with applied liquid and the thin-film material but without the specimen is 1 mm.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slide consists of shatterproof glass.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid is largely transparent in the spectral range used by the high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the liquid contains water.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the amount of liquid applied to the planar surface of the slide is 3.7 to 11 nanoliters per mm 2 .

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slide is transparent in the visible spectral range.

10 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the slide consists of glass or plastics.

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thin-film material is covered by a second thin-film material having a thickness of 0.1 to 0.17 mm.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the specimen comprises a human or animal bodily fluid or blood.

13 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the planar surface of the slide has been wetted in full with the liquid.

14 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amount of liquid applied to the planar surface of the slide is 4.8 to 9.6 nanoliters per mm 2 .

15 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the amount of liquid applied to the planar surface of the slide is 5.3 nanoliters per mm 2 .

16 . The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the liquid has a viscosity that is less than or equal to the viscosity of water.

17 . A method for fixing a thin-film material on a planar surface of a slide for a high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus in an automated analyzer by means of a liquid, the method comprising:

applying a quantity of liquid to the planar surface of the slide,

applying the thin-film material to the planar surface of the slide which has been wetted at least in part with the liquid, and

applying a specimen to be examined by the high-numerical-aperture microscopy apparatus to a surface of the thin-film material facing away from the planar surface of the slide wetted with the liquid,

wherein the surface of the thin-film material facing away from the planar surface of the slide wetted with the liquid is hydrophilic;

wherein the liquid forms a liquid film layer between the thin-film material and the planar surface of the slide that temporarily fixes the thin-film material to the planar surface of the slide such that the thin film material is removable from the slide after microscopy, and after removing the thin film material, the slide is remnant-free and reusable;

wherein the liquid consists of water; and

wherein the slide consists of a chemically reinforced aluminosilicate glass.