US 12,436,500 B2
Imaging system for imaging in a controlled environment
Etienne Cuche, Lausanne (CH); and Yves Emery, Lausanne (CH)
Assigned to LYNCEE TEC SA, Lausanne (CH)
Appl. No. 17/434,652
Filed by LYNCEE TEC SA, Lausanne (CH)
PCT Filed Feb. 28, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/051600
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 27, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/174266, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 3, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0171332 A1, Jun. 2, 2022
Int. Cl. H04N 5/225 (2006.01); F21V 8/00 (2006.01); G02B 21/02 (2006.01); G03H 1/00 (2006.01); G03H 1/04 (2006.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01)
CPC G03H 1/0402 (2013.01) [G02B 6/0008 (2013.01); G02B 21/02 (2013.01); G03H 1/0005 (2013.01); G03H 1/0443 (2013.01); G03H 1/0465 (2013.01); H04N 23/51 (2023.01); H04N 23/56 (2023.01); G03H 2001/005 (2013.01); G03H 2001/0445 (2013.01); G03H 2223/16 (2013.01); G03H 2227/00 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An imaging system for imaging a sample immersed in a controlled environment, the imaging system comprising:
at least one enclosure holding at least one imaging sensor or camera inside the at least one enclosure, the at least one enclosure including at least one opening through which the at least one imaging sensor or camera is inserted inside the at least one enclosure and at least one transparent window for imaging the sample;
a vacuum chamber configured to define or confine said controlled environment, wherein the at least one enclosure is contained inside the vacuum chamber,
a flexible channel comprising a first extremity and a second extremity, the first extremity being connected to the at least one enclosure at said at least one opening from which the flexible channel extends towards the vacuum chamber, and the second extremity of the flexible channel being configured to be connected to a wall of the vacuum chamber, the flexible channel defining or enclosing a passage extending through the flexible channel and to or into the at least one enclosure, and the second extremity of the flexible channel is connected to the vacuum chamber;
at least one light source located outside said vacuum chamber and configured to provide radiation; and at least one flexible light guide to guide light radiation from the at least one light source;
wherein the at least one enclosure contains a plurality of optical elements arranged to carry out microscopy imaging, interferometric imaging or holographic imaging of the sample, and
the at least one flexible light guide is configured to guide light radiation from the at least one light source to the plurality of optical elements arranged to carry out microscopy imaging or interferometric imaging or holographic imaging of the sample,
and the imaging system further includes a microscope objective lens located between (i) said plurality of optical elements arranged to carry out microscopy imaging or interferometric imaging or holographic imaging and (ii) the sample to collect reflected light radiation from the sample to produce a magnified image of the sample on the at least one imaging sensor or camera during microscopy imaging, interferometric imaging or holographic imaging of the sample, and
the microscope objective lens is located inside said vacuum chamber and outside the at least one enclosure between the sample and the at least one transparent window for imaging the sample, and the enclosure includes a tube lens to receive light from the microscope objective lens to produce a magnified image of the sample on the at least one imaging sensor or camera during microscopy imaging, interferometric imaging or holographic imaging of the sample, the tube lens being located inside said enclosure and between the microscope objective lens and the at least one imaging sensor or camera.