EP1287397A2 - Dispositif de mise au point automatique confocale - Google Patents

Dispositif de mise au point automatique confocale

Info

Publication number
EP1287397A2
EP1287397A2 EP01933936A EP01933936A EP1287397A2 EP 1287397 A2 EP1287397 A2 EP 1287397A2 EP 01933936 A EP01933936 A EP 01933936A EP 01933936 A EP01933936 A EP 01933936A EP 1287397 A2 EP1287397 A2 EP 1287397A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
beam path
branch
confocal
image
observation object
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP01933936A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Norbert Czarnetzki
Thomas SCHERÜBL
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Jenoptik AG
Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
Original Assignee
VEB Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by VEB Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH, Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH filed Critical VEB Carl Zeiss Jena GmbH
Publication of EP1287397A2 publication Critical patent/EP1287397A2/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G02B21/24—Base structure
    • G02B21/241—Devices for focusing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G02B21/0004—Microscopes specially adapted for specific applications
    • G02B21/002—Scanning microscopes
    • G02B21/0024—Confocal scanning microscopes (CSOMs) or confocal "macroscopes"; Accessories which are not restricted to use with CSOMs, e.g. sample holders
    • G02B21/0052—Optical details of the image generation
    • G02B21/006—Optical details of the image generation focusing arrangements; selection of the plane to be imaged
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B21/00—Microscopes
    • G02B21/0004—Microscopes specially adapted for specific applications
    • G02B21/002—Scanning microscopes
    • G02B21/0024—Confocal scanning microscopes (CSOMs) or confocal "macroscopes"; Accessories which are not restricted to use with CSOMs, e.g. sample holders

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an arrangement for confocal autofocusing of optical devices, preferably microscopes, in which an illuminating beam path is directed at an observation object, from which light reflected from the observation object into an objective, both image information from the surface of the observation object and information about the focus position is obtained and a correction of the focus position is initiated on the basis of this information by means of an evaluation and setting unit.
  • the main optical transmission system is often used for focusing or “sharpening”, that is to say the image beam information becomes the image information about what is to be observed
  • the object as well as the information for the evaluation of the focus position are obtained.
  • the latter are used especially in continuously running manufacturing processes, in which the product or its surface has to be checked, for the focus adjustment if the focus position emigrates for some reason or the image is “blurred”. becomes.
  • Point scanning or confocal systems are used in microscopy to achieve both good depth resolution and good contrasting.
  • high-resolution autofocus systems are required in this context.
  • the scanning image structure using hole arrays is described, for example, in the magazine "Material Institute" vol. 39/1997, number 6, pages 264 ff.
  • the object of the invention is to further develop an arrangement for confocal auto focusing of the type described in the introduction in such a way that rapid and reliable monitoring of the focusing on structured surfaces, edges and thin-film systems is ensured.
  • the image information and the information about the focus position run in different, locally separate optical branches within the objective beam path.
  • the overall transmissible image bundle is used both for the transmission of a main image field and an autofocus image field, and a wide capture range for autofocusing is also achieved.
  • the image transmission branch runs in the center and the auto focusing branch on the periphery of the objective beam path, the image transmission branch and the auto focusing branch running parallel, at least in sections. Both branches are fed with light from a common lighting source.
  • the decoupling of the autofocusing branch can be carried out in the illuminating beam path before an intermediate image plane beam splitter take place, which for this purpose has a layer which is transparent to the illuminating light directed onto the surface of the observation object and for the light coming from the surface of the observation object in the auto-focusing branch.
  • means are provided for forming and evaluating three optical channels running within the autofocusing branch, of which a first provides an extrafocal, a second an intrafocal and a third a signal conjugated in the direction of the optical axis for each autofocusing image plane.
  • the optical channels are advantageously arranged next to one another, and each channel has a confocal and a non-confocal area in its beam cross section.
  • the confocal cross-sectional areas of the individual channels are formed by means of pinholes which are arranged in rows and / or columns and are introduced into the relevant cross-sectional area of the respective channel.
  • the pinholes are preferably provided on areas with a columnar or narrow rectangular outline, which are arranged in the illumination beam path to form the channels.
  • the resulting column-shaped channels each correspond to a receiver line of the evaluation and setting unit, with each channel preferably having a maps the surface region of the observation object to the assigned receiver line.
  • the receiver lines must be individually offset according to the position of the respective assigned channel with respect to the optical axis.
  • the outputs of the receiver lines are connected to the signal inputs of the evaluation and setting unit.
  • the columnar design of the channels, the object regions and the receiver also has the advantage that in addition to Main image field a manageable autofocus image field is visible.
  • the lateral offset of the autofocus measurement scene in the X and Y directions perpendicular to the direction of the main optical axis Z which occurs when an unevenness in the object under observation leads to a different image sharpness in the autofocus and main image field, can be achieved by dynamic control parameters via the evaluation and setting unit to be compensated.
  • a further preferred embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention consists in that a spectral apparatus is arranged in the imaging plane of the optical channel, which transmits the conjugate signal, and a chromatic lens for the defined introduction of a longitudinal color error is also located in the objective beam path between the tube lens and the objective located.
  • the evaluation of a false color spectrum with the spectral apparatus is an additional criterion for determining the focal plane.
  • the evaluation is carried out by comparing the currently recorded color information with the stored color information for an ideal height profile. This known method is described for example in DE 197 13 362 AI and DE 196 12 846 AI.
  • a further advantageous embodiment which is particularly suitable for confocal autofocusing in a microscope, provides a polarizer as the main image splitter, a ⁇ / 4 plate also being arranged between the objective and the tube lens and that of the observation object reflected portion of the polarized light now passing through the polarizer is directed onto a reflection surface lying in the observation image plane.
  • the portion of light reflected on this surface reaches the surface of the observation object again and then after double passage through the ⁇ / 4 plate and the polarizer and finally, after a corresponding polarization rotation, reflected by the dividing layer of the polarizer, into the autofocusing branch.
  • the use of polarized light advantageously enables a very good separation of false light and a light output in the receiver planes that is theoretically improved by a factor of 2.
  • 6 shows the representation of a non-confocal line contrast on a height-structured wafer surface
  • 7 shows the representation of a confocal line contrast on a height-structured wafer surface
  • Fig.l shows an example of the principle of confocal autofocusing according to the invention using a beam path for confocal microscopy.
  • the illumination beam path 2 emanating from an illumination source 1 is directed at an observation object 7 via the partially reflecting layer 3 of a main image splitter 4, a tube lens 5 and a focusing lens 6.
  • the light reflected or scattered by the observation object 7 returns to the partially reflecting layer 3 and through it into an observation image plane 8, where the observation of the observed surface section of the observation object 7 is carried out. At the same time there is partial reflection on the partially reflecting layer 3 in an intermediate image plane 9.
  • an autofocusing divider prism 10 is located between the illumination source 1 and the intermediate image plane 9, the illuminating light for the autofocusing branch penetrating the autofocusing divider prism 10 before the intermediate image plane 9 and then running on the periphery of the beam path 2.
  • the auto-focusing branch runs parallel between the observation object 7 or the object plane and the partially reflecting layer 3 next to the image bundle 11 and from there returns to the illumination beam path on the way back.
  • Level 18 is in optical conjunction with the light field diaphragm of the main beam path.
  • FIG. 2 shows in a section AA from FIG. 1 the division of the illuminating beam path 2 with the arrangement of the optical channels 13, 14, 15 within the overall transmitted light beam.
  • Each of the optical channels 13, 14, 15 has a confocal and a non-confocal beam cross-sectional area, the confocal beam cross-sectional area of the channels 13, 14, 15 being arranged in the planes 16, 17, 18 Apertures with rows and / or columns are formed from pinholes.
  • the three optical channels 13, 14 and 15, which reproduce column-like sections of the observation object 7 lying closely next to one another, are imaged via the sensor branch 19 by means of a transmission optics 20 onto receiver-shaped columns which are arranged offset from one another and whose receiving surfaces are shown in FIG. l shown autofocusing image planes 21, 22 and 23 are positioned.
  • 3 and 4 serve for the following explanation of the evaluation and conversion of the signals into positioning commands for a focus adjustment.
  • the intensity functions 24, 25 and 26 are bell-curve-like functions that are shifted in the z direction and are used to generate a focus direction signal, with a value Ie (zl) for the intrafocal channel for an assumed focus location zl for the extrafocal channel 13 14 a value Ii (zl) and a value Ik (zl) is measured for the conjugate channel 15.
  • a necessary focus correction is determined as follows:
  • Ie (zl) is greater than Ii (zl), focusing takes place in the intrafocal direction; 3. If Ie (zl) is equal to Ii (zl) there is no focusing;
  • the boundary condition here is that Ik (zl) is greater than Ie (zl) and Ii (zl).
  • the confocal areas in channels 13, 14 and 15 are evaluated for fine focusing with a high resolution.
  • Ke (zl) is equal to Ki (zl), there is no focusing.
  • Kk (zl) is greater than Ke (zl) and Ki (zl) and Ke (zl) is approximately Ki (zl).
  • 5 shows the arrangement according to the invention further developed in that a spectral apparatus 30 is arranged in the autofocusing image plane of the conjugate channel 15 (see FIG. 1), while a columnar receiver 31 is located in the autofocusing image plane of the extrafocal channel 13 and the autofocusing image plane of the intrafocal one Channel 14 is a columnar receiver 32.
  • a chromate objective 35 is arranged in the objective beam path between the tube lens 5 and the objective 6.
  • the use of the spectral apparatus 30 in conjunction with the chromate objective 35 provides additional information for fine adjustment of the focal plane by evaluating a false color spectrum of the conjugated optical channel 15, the evaluation in the evaluation unit being correct by comparing the currently determined color information with the stored color information focused height profile.
  • an ambiguous contrast function 34 arises in the main image as a function of the focus value z.
  • observation object 7 shows the characteristic in the case of strongly confocal imaging, that is to say in the case of observation objects with a depth character and several reflecting observation planes of the observation object 7. that of the observation object 7 via the focus value z in accordance with the properties of the observation object 7, such as height profile and reflection properties, generated in different object planes.
  • the conjugate channel 15 is generated completely confocal and illuminates the entrance slit of the spectral apparatus 30.
  • the focusing is carried out analogously to the procedure already described above. The same applies to the evaluation of the optical signals in the extra- and intrafocal channels 13 and 14 with respect to the non-confocal beam cross-sectional areas.
  • Various contrast functions are shown in Fig. 6, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.
  • the false color spectrum of the conjugate channel 15 is additionally evaluated.
  • this spectrum has a fixed distance between the color maxima.
  • a reflection plane is selected by focusing the observation object 7 and subsequent observation of the spectrum in such a way that the associated maximum is set to the shortest-wavelength color of the illumination spectrum.
  • FIG. 9 An additional embodiment of the arrangement according to the invention is shown in FIG. 9. Instead of the main image divider 4 (Fig.l and Fig.5), a polarizer 36 is used. Furthermore, there is a ⁇ / 4 plate 37 between the objective 6 and the tube lens 5.
  • a portion of the polarized light reflected by the observation object 7 and passing through the polarizer reaches the observation object 7 again and is then arranged by the arrangement of the ⁇ / 4 plate 37 over the partially reflecting layer 3 of the polarizer 36 distracted into the autofocusing branch.
  • the object regions defined by the channels 13, 14, 15 are imaged on only one receiver 33 via the transmission optics 20.
  • the receiver 33 enables simultaneous evaluation of the extrafocal, the intrafocal and the conjugate signal. As already described, the resulting differences in the image scales are irrelevant for determining the focus position.
  • Illumination source beam path partially reflecting layer main image splitter tube lens lens observation object observation image plane intermediate image plane autofocusing splitter prism image bundle optical axis extrafocal channel intrafocal channel conjugate channel extrafocal plane intrafocal plane conjugate plane sensor branch transmission optics, 22,23 autofocusing image plane intensity intensity function

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Automatic Focus Adjustment (AREA)
  • Microscoopes, Condenser (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un dispositif destiné à la mise au point automatique confocale d'appareils optiques, de préférence à la mise au point fine de microscopes dans lesquels la trajectoire du faisceau d'éclairage (2) est dirigée sur un objet à examiner (7), des informations d'image de la surface de l'objet à examiner (7) et des informations concernant la position du foyer étant déterminées à partir de la lumière que l'objet à examiner (7) renvoie vers un objectif (6), et une unité d'exploitation et de réglage corrigeant la position du foyer en fonction des informations déterminées. Dans le cas d'un appareil tel que décrit plus haut, les informations d'image et les informations concernant la position du foyer sont transportées dans des branches optiques différentes séparées spatialement. Un faisceau de lumière (11) s'étend en tant que branche de transmission d'image au centre de la trajectoire du faisceau de l'objectif, et une branche de mise au point automatique s'étend à la périphérie de la trajectoire du faisceau de l'objectif. Cette branche de mise au point automatique comporte trois canaux optiques (13, 14, 15), un premier canal fournissant un signal extrafocal, un deuxième canal fournissant un signal intrafocal, et un troisième canal fournissant un signal conjugué dans des plans d'image de mise au point automatique correspondants (21, 22, 23).
EP01933936A 2000-05-18 2001-05-05 Dispositif de mise au point automatique confocale Withdrawn EP1287397A2 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE10024685A DE10024685A1 (de) 2000-05-18 2000-05-18 Anordnung zur konfokalen Autofokussierung
DE10024685 2000-05-18
PCT/EP2001/005080 WO2001088590A1 (fr) 2000-05-18 2001-05-05 Dispositif de mise au point automatique confocale

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1287397A2 true EP1287397A2 (fr) 2003-03-05

Family

ID=7642722

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP01933936A Withdrawn EP1287397A2 (fr) 2000-05-18 2001-05-05 Dispositif de mise au point automatique confocale

Country Status (5)

Country Link
US (1) US20030112504A1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1287397A2 (fr)
JP (1) JP2004509360A (fr)
DE (1) DE10024685A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2001088590A1 (fr)

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DE10204367B4 (de) 2002-02-02 2006-05-11 Leica Microsystems Cms Gmbh Autofokusmodul für mikroskopbasierte Systeme und Autofokusverfahren für ein mikroskopbasiertes System
WO2004081549A1 (fr) 2003-03-11 2004-09-23 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Appareil et procede d'analyse spectroscopique avec systeme d'excitation et systeme de surveillance de la focalisation
EP1639350A1 (fr) * 2003-06-19 2006-03-29 Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. Appareil et procede d'analyse comportant des moyens de focalisation automatique
DE10331906B4 (de) * 2003-07-15 2005-06-16 Leica Microsystems Heidelberg Gmbh Lichtquelle mit einem Mikrostruktuierten optischen Element und Mikroskop mit Lichtquelle
JP2007536053A (ja) * 2004-05-06 2007-12-13 コーニンクレッカ フィリップス エレクトロニクス エヌ ヴィ 生物学的細胞組織の分光分析用保護機構
DE102005050338A1 (de) 2005-10-20 2007-05-03 Siemens Ag Verfahren zum Überprüfen eines Ventils
GB2451442B (en) * 2007-07-30 2013-03-06 Lein Applied Diagnostics Ltd Optical measurement apparatus and method therefor
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US8304704B2 (en) * 2009-07-27 2012-11-06 Sensovation Ag Method and apparatus for autofocus using a light source pattern and means for masking the light source pattern
GB201113071D0 (en) * 2011-07-29 2011-09-14 Ffei Ltd Method and apparatus for image scanning
TWI434022B (zh) * 2011-11-29 2014-04-11 Univ Nat Taipei Technology 彩色共焦顯微系統及其訊號處理方法
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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2001088590B1 (fr) 2002-03-28
DE10024685A1 (de) 2001-11-22
JP2004509360A (ja) 2004-03-25
US20030112504A1 (en) 2003-06-19
WO2001088590A1 (fr) 2001-11-22

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