IP Library Granted Patent US 6,989,925
Granted Patent B2
US 6,989,925 · App. 10/861,813 · Granted Jan 24, 2006

Dark field illumination device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,989,925
App. No.
10/861,813
Granted
Jan 24, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dark field illumination device comprises an illumination light source, which emits illumination light rays, a light shielding plate, which is located between the sample and the illumination light source, and selectively shields the illumination light rays directly entering the observation optical system among the illumination light rays emitted from the illumination light source, an optical member, which directs, toward the sample, the illumination light rays passing outside the illumination light rays shielded by the light shielding plate, and a background member, which is disposed between the sample and the light shielding plate, and has a smooth surface on a side of the sample.

Claims (14)

1. A dark field illumination device to provide dark field illumination to a sample that is located on a stage glass and is to be observed by an observation optical system, the device comprising:

an illumination light source which emits illumination light rays;

a light shielding plate which is located between the sample and the illumination light source, and which selectively shields the illumination light rays that would directly enter the observation optical system among the illumination light rays emitted from the illumination light source;

an optical member which directs toward the sample the illumination light rays passing outside the illumination light rays shielded by the light shielding plate; and

a background member which is disposed between the sample and the light shielding plate, and which comprises a smooth surface on a side thereof facing the sample;

wherein the illumination light rays that are directed toward the sample by the optical member illuminate the sample through the stage glass, and the background member attenuates light rays that are reflected by the stage glass among the illumination light rays directed toward the sample.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the smooth surface of the background member is a mirror surface.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the background member attenuates the illumination light rays reflected by the stage glass by absorption.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the background member further comprises an anti-reflection film provided on the smooth surface.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the background member attenuates the illumination light rays reflected by the stage glass by interference.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the background member further comprises an anti-reflection film provided on the smooth surface.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the optical member comprises a cylindrical mirror including a reflective surface on an inner surface thereof, and wherein a central axis of the cylindrical mirror is substantially coincident with an optical axis of the observation optical system.

8. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a dustproof waterproof glass provided between the sample and the background member.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the dustproof waterproof glass comprises an anti-reflection film provided on a surface thereof.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 8, 2022
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: EVIDENT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 060741/0576 →
CHANGE OF ADDRESS Recorded Jun 27, 2016
From: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039344/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2004
From: KARASAWA, MASAYOSHI
To: OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015443/0345 →