Apparatuses, systems and methods for solid immersion meniscus lenses
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for solid immersion meniscus lenses (SIMlenses). An optical system may include a sample holder with a first side which supports a sample, and a second side opposite the first side. The second side of the sample holder may be in contact with an immersion fluid. Light passing between the sample and an objective lens may pass through the sample holder, immersion fluid, and a SIMlens positioned between the immersion fluid and objective. The SIMlens may have a first curved surface and a second curved surface, each of which may be shaped to match a wavefront of the light as it passes through the SIMlens. The immersion fluid, SIMlens, and environment containing the objective may all have different refractive indices.
1 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a sample holder having a first side and a second side opposite the first side;
an immersion chamber configured to hold an immersion fluid, the immersion chamber disposed on the second side of the sample holder;
an illumination objective lens positioned outside the immersion chamber;
a collection objective lens positioned outside the immersion chamber, the collection objective lens positioned on a same side of the sample holder as the illumination objective lens;
a first lens positioned along an illumination path; and
a second lens positioned along a collection path,
each of the first lens and the second lens having a first surface and second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface of each of the first lens and the second lens being adjacent to the immersion chamber and in contact with the immersion fluid, the first surface of each of the first lens and the second lens in contact with a gaseous medium, and wherein light directed along the illumination path is sufficiently close to normal to the first lens and light directed along the collection path is sufficiently close to normal to the second lens to produce low or no aberration.
2 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first lens or the second lens includes a solid immersion meniscus lens (SIMlens).
3 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein light directed along the illumination path is sufficiently close to normal to the first surface and the second surface of the first lens.
4 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein light directed along the collection path is sufficiently close to normal to the first surface and the second surface of the second lens.
5 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the first lens has a first curvature, the second surface of the first lens has a second curvature, the first surface of the second lens has a third curvature, and the second surface of the second lens has a fourth curvature, and wherein the first, the second, the third, and the fourth curvatures are not equal to each other.
6 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lens is positioned between the illumination objective lens and the immersion chamber, and the second lens is positioned between the immersion chamber and the collection objective lens.
7 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a source configured to produce illumination light, wherein the illumination objective lens is configured to direct the illumination light as an illumination beam towards a focal region beyond the first side of the sample holder; and
a detector configured to receive collected light, wherein the collection objective lens is configured to receive light from the focal region.
8 . The imaging apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the illumination beam is a light sheet.
9 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the illumination objective lens has a first optical axis and the collection objective lens has a second optical axis, and wherein the first optical axis is approximately orthogonal to the second optical axis.
10 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first lens forms a first portion of the immersion chamber and the second lens forms a second portion of the immersion chamber that is spatially separated from the first portion.
11 . The imaging apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first optical member or the second optical member includes a solid immersion meniscus lens (SIMlens).
12 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a sample holder;
a chamber positioned below the sample holder and configured to hold a fluid;
an illumination objective lens configured to direct an illumination beam towards the sample holder;
a collection objective lens, each of the illumination objective lens and the collection objective lens positioned below the sample holder;
a first optical member including a first surface and a second surface, the first optical member positioned between the illumination objective lens and the chamber such that the second surface of the first optical member contacts the fluid, a gaseous medium disposed between the first surface of the first optical member and the illumination objective lens; and
a second optical member independent of the first optical member, the second optical member including a first surface and a second surface, the second optical member positioned between the collection objective lens and the chamber such that the second surface of the second optical member contacts the fluid, a gaseous medium disposed between the first surface of the second optical member and the collection objective lens.
13 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the fluid has a refractive index matching a refractive index of a material of the sample holder.
14 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:
a source configured to produce illumination light, wherein the illumination objective lens is configured to direct the illumination light as the illumination beam towards a focal region beyond the sample holder; and
a detector configured to receive collected light, wherein the collection objective lens is configured to receive light from the focal region.
15 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the illumination beam is a light sheet.
16 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first optical member includes a first lens and the second optical member includes a second lens.
17 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first surface of the first optical members has a first curvature and the second surface of the first optical member has a second curvature, the first curvature and the second curvature configured to match a wavefront of the illumination beam.
18 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first surface of the second optical member has a third curvature and the second surface of the second optical member has a fourth curvature, the third curvature and the fourth curvature configured to match a wavefront of collected light.
19 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein light directed along an illumination path is sufficiently close to normal to the first optical member and light directed along a collection path is sufficiently close to normal to the second optical member to produce low or no aberration.
20 . The imaging apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the illumination objective lens has a first optical axis and the collection objective lens has a second optical axis, and wherein the first optical axis is approximately orthogonal to the second optical axis.
21 . An imaging apparatus, comprising:
a sample holder;
a chamber positioned below the sample holder and configured to hold a fluid;
an illumination objective lens configured to direct an illumination beam towards the sample holder;
a collection objective lens, each of the illumination objective lens and the collection objective lens positioned below the sample holder;
a first lens positioned between the illumination objective lens and the chamber; and
a second lens positioned between the collection objective lens and the chamber,
the first lens forms a first portion of the chamber and the second lens forms a second portion of the chamber that is spatially separated from the first portion, wherein the first lens and the second lens each separate the fluid from an ambient environment which surrounds the illumination objective lens and the collection objective lens.
22 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the fluid has a refractive index matching a refractive index of a material of the sample holder.
23 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising:
a source configured to produce illumination light, wherein the illumination objective lens is configured to direct the illumination light as an illumination beam towards a focal region beyond the sample holder; and
a detector configured to receive collected light, wherein the collection objective lens is configured to receive light from the focal region.
24 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein at least one of the first lens or the second lens includes a solid immersion meniscus lens (SIMlens).
25 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein a first surface of the first lens has a first curvature and a second surface of the first lens has a second curvature, the first curvature and the second curvature configured to match a wavefront of the illumination beam.
26 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein a first surface of the second lens has a third curvature and a second surface of the second lens has a fourth curvature, the third curvature and the fourth curvature configured to match a wavefront of collected light.
27 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the illumination objective lens has a first optical axis and the collection objective lens has a second optical axis, the first optical axis is approximately orthogonal to the second optical axis.
28 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein light directed along an illumination path is sufficiently close to normal to the first lens and light directed along a collection path is sufficiently close to normal to the second lens to produce low or no aberration.
29 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the first lens includes a first surface and a second surface, the first lens positioned between the illumination objective lens and the chamber such that the second surface of the first lens contacts the fluid, a gaseous medium disposed between the first surface of the first lens and the illumination objective lens.
30 . The imaging apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the second lens includes a first surface and a second surface, the second lens positioned between the collection objective lens and the chamber such that the second surface of the second lens contacts the fluid, a gaseous medium disposed between the first surface of the second lens and the collection objective lens.