Simple, cost effective, and electronically-controlled condensers to increase the resolution and contrast of near-infrared microscopes

简单、经济高效的电子控制聚光镜，可提高近红外显微镜的分辨率和对比度

• 批准号: 1404394
• 负责人: Luis Grave de Peralta
• 金额: $ 34.67万
• 依托单位: Texas Tech University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-01 至 2018-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404394&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Simple; cost; effective; electronically; controlled

Title: Simple, cost effective, and electronically-controlled condensers to increase the resolution and contrast of near-infrared microscopesAbstractNon-technical: When a condenser is incorporated into an optical microscope, it produces a cone of inclined illumination incident on the sample under study resulting in improved imaging resolution. However, existing condensers typically comprises multiple lenses (or mirrors) and diaphragms that should be mechanically adjusted. In order to simplify the use of microscopes and further improve imaging resolution a novel optical condenser, which does not require moving parts, lenses, or mirrors, is proposed. The new optical condenser is formed by a hollow hemisphere containing a large number of near-infrared light emitting diodes (LEDs) in its internal surface. This approach, named as Electronic-Controlled Condenser (ECC), allows for multiple inclined illumination angles and doubles the resolution of the microscope. The proposed ECC is simple and cost-effective and will be particularly important for near-infrared imaging microscopy. Infrared microscopy has broad applications in inspection, metrology, and reliability analysis which are invaluable diagnostic assessments for the semiconductor, optoelectronic, and photonic industries. The research activities proposed in this effort will provide excellent interdisciplinary training for graduate and undergraduate students in the areas of simulation, optics, advanced microscopy, and nano- and micro-fabrication. Results obtained under this effort will be disseminated through journal publications and conference presentations. Technical: Independent electronic control of each near-infrared LED in an ECC will allow the implementation of a large variety of illumination configurations, which includes but are not limited to, bright and dark field microscopy, omni-directional, inclined, and circular illumination, infrared tomography, and direct Fourier optics filtering techniques. In addition, the availability of LEDs emitting at different wavelengths in the near-infrared will enable the realization of ECCs emitting quasi-monochromatic or polychromatic illumination where the wavelength selection is determined by specific near-infrared microscopy applications. Other important attributes of the proposed next generation condensers for far-field near-infrared microscopy include real-time and raster-free images, it dispenses the need of imaging post-processing reconstruction, and it is simple to use and cost effective. This effort encompasses research on simulations, fabrication, spatial and temporal electronic control of a large array of LEDs, and transformative imaging concepts to achieve simple wide-field near-infrared subwavelength resolution. Research under this proposal spans a broad range of technical and educational issues in science and engineering, and addresses important applications. Four major research thrusts were identified in this proposal: 1. Simulations: simulations will be performed to determine optimum spatial light intensity distribution and resolution limit corresponding to various illumination configurations. 2. Spatial and temporal filtering: a comprehensive study will be carried out on image resolution and contrast under a variety of spatial and temporal illumination schemes implemented by direct electronic control of individual or groups of LEDs in an ECC. 3. Fabrication: control nanostructures will be fabricated to verify the resolution limit for the various illumination arrangements. 4. Imaging procedures: the optimum imaging illumination procedures for a variety of samples commonly used in the semiconductor and photonic industries will be investigated. When integrated, these studies will result in a simple and practical subwavelength resolution technique in the near-infrared. ECCs with multiple spatial and temporal illumination configurations represents a transformative technology in the area of near-infrared microscopy. The proposed research will further the understanding on the resolution limits and will significantly advance the state of the art of near-infrared microscopy imaging.

职务名称：简单，成本效益，和电子控制的聚光器，以增加近红外显微镜的分辨率和对比度摘要非技术性：当聚光器被纳入光学显微镜，它产生一个锥形的倾斜照明入射在研究中的样品，从而提高成像分辨率。然而，现有的聚光器通常包括多个透镜（或反射镜）和应该机械调节的光阑。为了简化显微镜的使用并进一步提高成像分辨率，提出了一种不需要移动部件、透镜或反射镜的新型光学聚光器。这种新型光学聚光器由一个中空的半球体构成，半球体内表面装有大量的近红外发光二极管（LED）。这种方法被称为电子控制聚光镜（ECC），允许多个倾斜的照明角度，并使显微镜的分辨率加倍。建议ECC是简单和成本效益，将是特别重要的近红外成像显微镜。红外显微镜在检测、计量和可靠性分析中有着广泛的应用，这些都是半导体、光电和光子行业非常宝贵的诊断评估。在这项工作中提出的研究活动将为研究生和本科生在模拟，光学，先进显微镜，纳米和微制造领域提供优秀的跨学科培训。在这一努力下取得的成果将通过期刊出版物和会议介绍加以传播。技术支持：ECC中的每个近红外LED的独立电子控制将允许实现各种各样的照明配置，其包括但不限于亮场和暗场显微镜、全向、倾斜和圆形照明、红外断层扫描和直接傅立叶光学滤波技术。此外，在近红外中以不同波长发射的LED的可用性将使得能够实现发射准单色或多色照明的ECC，其中波长选择由特定的近红外显微镜应用确定。所提出的用于远场近红外显微镜的下一代聚光器的其他重要属性包括实时和无光栅图像，它免除了成像后处理重建的需要，并且使用简单且具有成本效益。这项工作包括对大型LED阵列的模拟，制造，空间和时间电子控制以及变革性成像概念的研究，以实现简单的宽场近红外亚波长分辨率。根据这项建议进行的研究涵盖了科学和工程领域的广泛技术和教育问题，并解决了重要的应用问题。在这项建议中确定了四个主要的研究重点：1。模拟：将执行模拟以确定对应于各种照明配置的最佳空间光强度分布和分辨率极限。2.空间和时间滤波：将对通过直接电子控制ECC中的单个或多组LED而实现的各种空间和时间照明方案下的图像分辨率和对比度进行全面研究。3.制造：将制造对照纳米结构以验证各种照明布置的分辨率极限。4.成像程序：将研究半导体和光子工业中常用的各种样品的最佳成像照明过程。这些研究成果的综合应用将为近红外波段亚波长分辨技术的发展提供一种简单实用的方法。具有多个空间和时间照明配置的ECC代表了近红外显微镜领域的变革性技术。拟议的研究将进一步了解的分辨率限制，并将显着推进近红外显微成像的艺术状态。