METHODS FOR MINIMIZING OPTICAL ABERRATIONS
Disclosed herein, inter alia, are imaging systems, devices, and methods of use thereof.
1 . A method of improving focus of an image, said method comprising:
scanning a sample on a sample stage along a scan axis;
detecting with a camera light emissions from the sample; and
automatically adjusting a position or orientation of the camera with an electromechanical component along a polar angle formed between the z axis and the normal vector of the scan axis to increase convergence of the light emissions.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) array, a charge-coupled device (CCD) array, or a CCD-CMOS sensor array.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is mounted on a platform, and the electromechanical component comprises at least one motor attached to the platform.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the electromechanical component comprises an electrically actuated motor.
5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the motor is a stepper motor, piezo motor, brushless motor, hysteresis motor, linear motor, or a servomotor.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the stepper motor includes an integrated ball spline.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical component comprises at least one camera focus and tilt motor configured to positionally adjust the camera so that the camera can focus on imaging a region of interest.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera defines a tip/tilt plane that is coincident with an image plane of the camera.
9 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the platform is independently movable relative to the sample stage.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample stage is capable of translating in an xy plane, and the camera is capable of moving along a polar angle formed between the z axis and the normal vector of the xy plane.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical component automatically moves the camera upward or downward adjust the camera to an optimal focal plane.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical component is configured to automatically rotate the camera.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the electromechanical component rotates the camera to adjust the camera to an optimal focal plane.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is within a flow cell or a multiwell container.
15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera forms part of an imaging system comprising one or more lenses, a beam splitter, one or more pinhole apertures, excitation filter, or combinations thereof.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the electromechanical component moves the one or more lenses upward or downward adjust the camera to an optimal focal plane.
17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is component of a bioanalytical instrument comprising a light source and an integrated fluidic system of one or more interconnected chambers, ports, and channels in fluid communication and configured for carrying out an analytical reaction or processes.
18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises one or more fluorescently labeled biomolecules.
19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the light emissions comprise transmitted light emissions.
20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the light emissions comprise scattered light emissions.