Image detection method and image detecting apparatus

Abstract

An image detection method includes steps of transferring image information in which, information of an object image on a sample (object plane) is transferred to a detection plane (image plane) of an imaging element via an optical system which includes a negative refraction lens formed of a material exhibiting negative refraction, detecting image in which, image-plane image information transferred to the detection plane (image plane) of the imaging device is detected optically, and calculation processing in which, for the image-plane image information which is detected, information of the object image is calculated by performing a calculation processing based on optical characteristics of the optical system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic structure of an image detecting apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a one-dimensional rectangular intensity distribution, as optical information on an object plane;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an intensity distribution in which an amplitude distribution in which a sum of up to j=200 is squared, for the one-dimensional rectangular intensity distribution;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a transfer function of a negative refraction lens;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an intensity distribution on an image plane;

FIG. 6 is a diagram in which a square of an absolute value of f_img is plotted against ξ, for explaining a process of detecting a zero point from image information which is detected;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a restored intensity distribution obtained by compensating calculation (restoring);

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a transfer function in a case in which a specific frequency region is not let to have a resonant enhancement of the transfer function;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a refraction of light in a general optical system;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a refraction of light in a material having a negative refractive index;

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an image forming relationship by a convex lens in which a general optical material is used; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an image forming relationship by a negative refraction lens.

Claims

1. An image detection method comprising steps of: transferring image information in which, information of an object image on an object plane is transferred to an image plane via an optical system which includes an optical element formed by a material exhibiting negative refraction;detecting image in which, image-plane image information transferred to the image plane is detected optically; andcalculation processing in which, for the image-plane image information which is detected, information of the object image is calculated by performing a calculation processing based on optical characteristics of the optical system.

2. The image detection method according to claim 1, wherein the optical characteristics of the optical system are functions peculiar to the optical system, indicating transfer characteristics from the object plane of the information of the object image up to the image plane, andwith the transfer characteristics peculiar to the optical system, in the step of calculation processing, a calculation processing in which a value of a function exhibiting the transfer characteristics is substantially constant, is performed.

3. The image detection method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein in the step of calculation processing, a calculation processing in which a peak value of the function indicating the transfer characteristics is brought closer to a reference value, is performed.

4. The image detection method according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein in the calculation processing step, a calculation processing in which a value of a function indicating the transfer characteristics on a side of a frequency higher than a predetermined spatial frequency is brought closer to a reference value, is performed.

5. The image detection method according to claim 2, wherein the function exhibiting the transfer characteristics is obtained by dividing an amplitude of the image-plane image information on the image plane by an amplitude of the information of the object image on the object plane.

6. The image detection method according to claim 2, wherein the function indicating the transfer characteristics is obtained by dividing an intensity of the image-plane image information on the image plane by an intensity of information of the object image on the object plane.

7. An image detecting apparatus comprising: an optical system which includes an optical element formed by a material exhibiting negative refraction;an imaging section which detects optically image-plane image information on the image plane of the optical system; anda calculation processing section which performs calculation processing of the image-plane image information which is detected by the imaging section, whereinthe optical system transfers information of an object image on an object plane to an image plane, andthe calculation processing section performs steps oftransferring image information in which, information of the object image on the object plane is transferred to the image plane via the optical system which includes the optical element formed by the material exhibiting negative refraction,detecting image in which, the image-plane image information transferred to the image plane is detected optically, andcalculation processing in which, for the image-plane information which is detected, information of the object image is calculated by performing a calculation processing based on optical characteristics of the optical system.