US 12,442,760 B2
Optical module and multifocal optical device
Katsumasa Fujita, Osaka (JP); Kazuki Bando, Osaka (JP); and Hiroyuki Kawagoe, Osaka (JP)
Assigned to OSAKA UNIVERSITY, Osaka (JP)
Appl. No. 18/268,785
Filed by OSAKA UNIVERSITY, Osaka (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 24, 2021, PCT No. PCT/JP2021/043017
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 21, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/137959, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2020-212034 (JP), filed on Dec. 22, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0053258 A1, Feb. 15, 2024
Int. Cl. G01N 21/31 (2006.01); G02B 3/00 (2006.01); G02B 7/02 (2021.01); G02B 27/10 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 21/31 (2013.01) [G02B 3/0037 (2013.01); G02B 7/021 (2013.01); G02B 27/10 (2013.01); G01N 2201/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An optical module for forming multiple focal points arranged in first and second directions, the optical module comprising:
a first lens array unit in which a plurality of first lenses configured to collect irradiating light are arranged in the first and second directions in order to form the multiple focal points for an observation;
a second lens array unit which includes a plurality of second lenses arranged in the first and second directions and on which signal light from the first lenses is incident;
a plurality of beam splitters which are arranged between the first lens array unit and the second lens array unit and which are configured to reflect irradiating light traveling in the second direction to the first lenses and to transmit the signal light from the first lenses;
a first holder unit arranged between the plurality of beam splitters and the first lens array unit; and
a second holder unit arranged between the plurality of beam splitters and the second lens array unit, wherein
the plurality of beam splitters are dichroic mirrors arranged so that the irradiating light traveling in the second direction is sequentially incident on the plurality of beam splitters,
each of the beam splitters is arranged to be inclined with respect to an optical axis of the irradiating light,
the first holder unit and the second holder unit are configured to hold the plurality of beam splitters,
in a plan view in a plane including the first and second directions, one of the beam splitters overlaps with the first lenses arranged in one column along the first direction,
a wavelength of the signal light is different from that of the irradiating light,
the beam splitter transmits the signal light so that the beam splitter separates optical paths of the irradiation light and the signal light in accordance with the wavelength, and
reflectance of the beam splitter in a wavelength of the irradiating light on a nearest side in a travel direction of the irradiating light is set lowest and the more toward a far side in the travel direction, the higher the reflectance of the beam splitters in the wavelength of the irradiating light,
the first holder unit includes a plurality of first inclined portions having a first inclined surface along the beam splitters,
the second holder unit includes a plurality of second inclined portions having a second inclined surface along the beam splitters,
the beam splitters are held between the first inclined surface and the second inclined surface,
the first holder unit includes a first incident opening formed along the second direction,
the first holder unit includes a first signal light opening arranged between the first lens and the beam splitter,
the second holder unit includes a second incident opening formed along the second direction,
the second holder unit includes a second signal light opening arranged between the second lens and the beam splitter, and
the signal light passes through the first signal light opening and the second signal light opening.