Invention:
This technology is a telecentric microscope design that reconciles the resolution vs. depth of field issues associated with microscope systems. The microscope's design maintains constant system magnification while it performs a depth scan with an electrically controlled vari-focal lens.
Background:
The classic tradeoff between optical resolution and depth of field in microscopy forces a conventional system to take measurements at different depths and then reconstruct three-dimensional data for an extended depth of field (EDOF), a time-consuming process due to the limited speed of mechanical movement and complexity of data extraction.
Applications:
- High-performance freeform optics metrology
- Biomedical imaging
Advantages:
- Achieves high resolution and depth of field information
- Supports multiple imaging modalities
- Addresses the limitations of conventional microdeflectometry and EDOF
Status: issued U.S. patent #10,725,279
