Laser illumination for microscope system

Inventors: Anton Viljami Autere (Jarvenpaa, FI); Simo Kaarlo Tapani Tammela (Espoo, FI); Esa Tapani Raikkonen (Espoo, FI)

Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

G02B21/14 G02B21/36 G02B6/06

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12710636
App. No.: 18/464,016
Granted: Aug 18, 2026
Kind: B2

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

A microscope system includes a laser light source to emit illumination light toward an observation sample. A plurality of optical fibers are disposed along an optical path between the laser light source and the observation sample, such that each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers propagates illumination light toward the observation sample. Each optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers is longer than a coherence length of the illumination light. A first optical fiber of the plurality of optical fibers has a first length that differs from a second length of a second optical fiber by at least the coherence length.

Claims (35)

1 . A microscope system, comprising:

a laser light source to emit illumination light;

a first plurality of optical fibers including at least two optical fibers disposed along an optical path between the laser light source and an observation sample, such that each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers propagates the illumination light toward the observation sample, wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers has a length greater than a coherence length of the illumination light, and wherein a first optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers has a first length that differs from a second length of a second optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers by at least the coherence length; and

a second plurality of optical fibers including at least two optical fibers disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the observation sample along the optical path;

wherein the first plurality of optical fibers and the second plurality of optical fibers collectively define a plurality of light paths of the illumination light along the optical path in which each light path includes one optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers and one optical fiber of the second plurality of optical fibers;

wherein each light path of the plurality of light paths has a total length that differs from the total length of one or more other light paths of the plurality of light paths.

2 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers differs in length from each other optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers by at least the coherence length.

3 . The microscope system of claim 1 , further comprising a lens along the optical path, the lens disposed between the laser light source and the first plurality of optical fibers, such that the lens focuses the illumination light toward the first plurality of optical fibers.

4 . The microscope system of claim 1 , further comprising a condenser lens along the optical path, the condenser lens disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the observation sample, such that the condenser lens directs the illumination light toward the observation sample.

5 . The microscope system of claim 1 , further comprising a mode mixing optical element along the optical path, the mode mixing optical element disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the second plurality of optical fibers.

6 . The microscope system of claim 1 , further comprising a camera to capture and output images of the observation sample as illuminated by the illumination light.

7 . The microscope system of claim 1 , wherein the microscope system is a phase contrast microscope.

8 . The microscope system of claim 7 , wherein the first plurality of optical fibers are arranged together as a fiber bundle, and wherein a source-side cross-sectional profile of the fiber bundle has a different shape from a sample-side cross-sectional profile of the fiber bundle.

9 . The microscope system of claim 8 , wherein the sample-side cross-sectional profile is a ring and the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed along an edge of the ring, and wherein the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed throughout the source-side cross sectional profile to in-couple illumination light from the laser light source.

10 . A method for microscopic imaging, the method comprising:

at a laser light source of a microscope system, emitting illumination light along an optical path toward an observation sample; and

at a camera of the microscope system, capturing an image of the observation sample as illuminated by the illumination light, wherein:

the illumination light is propagated toward the observation sample by a first plurality of optical fibers disposed along the optical path, such that each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers propagates illumination light toward the observation sample, wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers is longer than a coherence length of the illumination light, and wherein a first optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers has a first length that differs from a second length of a second optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers by at least the coherence length;

the illumination light is propagated toward the observation sample by a second plurality of optical fibers including at least two optical fibers disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the observation sample along the optical path;

the first plurality of optical fibers and the second plurality of optical fibers collectively define a plurality of light paths of the illumination light along the optical path in which each light path includes one optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers and one optical fiber of the second plurality of optical fibers; and

each light path of the plurality of light paths has a total length that differs from the total length of one or more other light paths of the plurality of light paths.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers differs in length from each other optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers by at least the coherence length.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the microscope system further comprises a mode mixing optical element along the optical path, the mode mixing optical element disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the second plurality of optical fibers.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the microscope system includes a phase contrast microscope.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first plurality of optical fibers are arranged together as a fiber bundle, and wherein a source-side cross-sectional profile of the fiber bundle has a different shape from a sample-side cross-sectional profile of the fiber bundle.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the sample-side cross-sectional profile is a ring and the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed along an edge of the ring, and wherein the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed throughout the source-side cross sectional profile to in-couple illumination light from the laser light source.

16 . A phase contrast microscope system, comprising:

a laser light source to emit illumination light;

a first plurality of optical fibers disposed along an optical path between the laser light source and an observation sample, such that each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers propagates illumination light toward the observation sample, and a source-side cross-sectional profile of the first plurality of optical fibers has a different shape from a sample-side cross-sectional profile of the first plurality of optical fibers, wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers is longer than a coherence length of the illumination light, and wherein each optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers differs in length from each other optical fiber of the first plurality of optical fibers by at least the coherence length; and

a second plurality of optical fibers including at least two optical fibers disposed between the first plurality of optical fibers and the observation sample along the optical path;

wherein each light path of the plurality of light paths has a total length that differs from the total length of one or more other light paths of the plurality of light paths; and

a camera to capture and output images of the observation sample as illuminated by the illumination light.

17 . The phase contrast microscope system of claim 16 , wherein the sample-side cross-sectional profile is a ring and the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed along an edge of the ring, and wherein the first plurality of optical fibers are distributed throughout the source-side cross sectional profile to in-couple illumination light from the laser light source.

18 . The phase contrast microscope system of claim 16 , further comprising a mode mixing optical element disposed along the optical path between the first plurality of optical fibers and the second plurality of optical fibers.