Claims
- 1. A method for constructing a solid immersion lens structure, the method comprising:
producing a mold so as to define a pliant lens cavity in which a spherical solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure is to be formed, the pliant lens cavity having an orifice having a transverse dimension less than a transverse dimension of the lens cavity for the spherical solid immersion lens portion, wherein the surface tension of the material from which the mold is formed is controlled so that the pliant lens cavity has a predetermined depth; casting a moldable material, from which at least the solid immersion lens portion is to be formed, into at least the lens cavity; permitting the moldable material to set thereby to form the solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure; and removing the solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure from the pliant mold after the moldable material has set.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein producing the mold comprises forming the mold from a thermally-resilient deformable material.
- 3. A method for constructing a solid immersion lens structure, the method comprising:
producing a mold so as to define a pliant lens in which a spherical solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure is to be formed, the pliant lens cavity having an orifice having a transverse dimension less than a transverse dimension of the lens cavity for the spherical solid immersion lens portion; wherein the mold producing step comprises casting a first catalyzed crosslinkable liquid around a mold core in the form of a generally spherical element, the surface tension of the first catalyzed crosslinkable liquid being controlled by a pre-curing process so that the first catalyzed crosslinkable liquid is cast to a height h around the mold core prior to it setting as the mold, thereafter removing mold core from the mold after the first catalyzed crosslinkable has set wherein a region of the mold adjacent the orifice is allowed to temporarily deform thereby to permit the spherical element to be removed with minimal damage to the mold; thereafter casting a second catalyzed crosslinkable liquid into the mold until it has set; and then removing the solid immersion lens portion from the mold after the second catalyzed crosslinkable liquid has set wherein the region of the mold adjacent the orifice is allowed to temporarily deform thereby to permit the solid immersion lens portion to be removed.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the height h is controlled by the relationship: h=r(1+1/ns), where r is the radius of the mold core and ns is the index of refraction of the material from which the solid immersion lens portion is made.
- 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first catalyzed crosslinkable material is pre-cured for a time period sufficient to cause the first catalyzed crosslinkable material to assume height h around the mold core when the mold core is positioned in this material prior to the first catalyzed crosslinkable material setting as the mold.
- 6. A method for constructing a solid immersion lens structure, the method comprising:
producing a mold so as to define a pliant lens cavity in which a spherical solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure is to be formed, the pliant lens cavity having an orifice having a transverse dimension of the lens cavity for the solid immersion lens; wherein the mold producing step comprises casting a first moldable material into a container to form a first layer from which the mold is to be formed and permitting the first layer to set, then positioning a mold core on the first layer, and then casting the first moldable material into the container to at least partially encapsulate the mold core and assume a circumferential wall height h around the mold core, thereby forming a second layer immediately adjacent the first layer, the first moldable material that forms the second layer being pre-cured prior to being cast around the mold core so as to reduce surface tension characteristics of the first moldable material such that the first moldable material assumes height h around the mold core.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the height h is controlled by the relationship: h=r(1+1/ns), where r is the radius of the mold core and ns is the index of refraction of the first moldable material.
- 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the mold core has a generally spherical shape and protrudes from an upper surface of the first layer.
- 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising casting a second moldable material from what at least the solid immersion lens portion of the solid immersion lens structure is to be formed into the container to fill not only the lens cavity, but also to form a layer in the container, the layer defining an upper surface above the lens cavity, such that the layer forms a body portion of the solid immersion lens structure when the second moldable material has set, the body portion then being integrally molded together with the solid immersion lens portion.
- 10. A method for constructing a lens of a meniscus type, the method comprising:
producing a mold so as to define a pliant lens cavity in which a lens portion of the meniscus type lens is to be formed; wherein the mold producing step comprises:
casting a first moldable material into a container to form a first layer from which the mold is to be formed; positioning a mold core on the first layer prior to the first layer setting so that the first moldable material at least partially encapsulates the mold core; casting a second moldable material into the container, thereby forming a second layer immediately adjacent the first layer, the second layer at least partially encapsulating a top portion of the mold core so as to define a first lens cavity in the second layer once the second moldable material sets, the first lens cavity at least partially defining the pliant lens cavity; and removing the second layer from the first layer and then positioning a spacer layer having a predetermined thickness on the first layer, the spacer layer having an opening formed therein for receiving the mold core and a peripheral area of the first layer surrounding the mold core, the spacer layer being formed of a third moldable material.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first, second and third moldable materials are the same.
- 12. The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first, second, and third materials is a thermally-resilient deformable material.
- 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the lens portion of the meniscus type lens is formed by:
casting a fourth moldable material into at least the opening of the spacer layer so as to at least partially encapsulate the mold core and into at least the first lens cavity of the second layer, the second layer being positioned on the spacer layer and then setting the fourth moldable material.
- 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the lens portion of the meniscus type lens has a convex surface defined by the first lens cavity formed in the second layer and an opposing concave surface defined by the mold core protruding above the first layer.
- 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first lens cavity has a generally hemispherical shape.
- 16. A lens system comprising:
a solid immersion lens having a spherical solid immersion lens portion and a body portion from which the solid immersion lens portion extends, at least the solid immersion lens portion being of a molded material; and a meniscus type lens having a meniscus lens portion and a body portion from which the meniscus lens portion extends, at least the meniscus lens portion being of a molded material, the meniscus lens portion being defined by a convex surface and a concave surface, the concave surface being positioned about the spherical solid immersion lens portion in spaced relation thereto, the body portion of the meniscus type lens being supported in fixed position relative to the body portion of the solid immersion lens.
- 17. The lens system of claim 16, wherein each of the body portions of the solid immersion lens and the meniscus type lens is also of a molded material.
- 18. The lens system of claim 16, wherein the solid immersion lens portion and the body portion are of an integrally molded together material, the meniscus lens portion and the body portion being of an integrally molded together material.
- 19. A microscope comprising:
a housing; a plurality of lenses arranged within the housing, the plurality of lenses including:
a solid immersion lens having a spherical solid immersion lens portion and a body portion from which the solid immersion lens portion extends, at least the solid immersion lens portion being of a molded material; and a meniscus type lens having a meniscus lens portion and a body portion from which the meniscus lens portion extends, at least the meniscus lens portion being of a molded material, the meniscus lens portion being defined by a convex surface and a concave surface, the concave surface being positioned about the spherical solid immersion lens portion in spaced relation thereto, the body portion of the meniscus type lens being supported in fixed position relative to the body portion of the solid immersion lens.
- 20. The microscope of claim 19, wherein one or more of the plurality of lenses in addition to the solid immersion lens and the meniscus type lens are formed of a molded material.
- 21. A microfluidic chip comprising:
a substrate having one or more channels formed in a surface thereof; an imaging system including a microscope arrangement including the lens system according to claim 16.
- 22. The microfluidic chip of claim 21, wherein the solid immersion lens is integrally connected to an upper surface of the substrate, the lens portion of the solid immersion lens being aligned with one of the channels for imaging a sample in the one channel.
- 23. The microfluidic chip of claim 21, wherein the microscope arrangement has a height of about 10 cm.
- 24. A photo collection system comprising:
a photocounter; optics for directing emitted photons to the photo counter; and the lens system according to claim 16.
- 25. A method for imaging an object, the method comprising:
guiding the object along a passage defined by an integrally molded together solid immersion lens structure, the solid immersion lens structure defining a body portion, in which the passage is defined, and a solid immersion lens portion, the solid immersion lens portion being optically aligned with a portion in the passage; positioning the object in the passage at the position which is optically aligned with the solid immersion lens so that the object is within a field of view extending through the solid immersion lens portion; and viewing the object in the passage through a lens portion of a meniscus type lens and the solid immersion lens portion, the lens portion of the meniscus type having a convex surface and an opposing concave surface which defines a cavity that receives the solid immersion lens portion, the object being viewed while it is at the position in the passage which is optically aligned with the meniscus type lens portion and the solid immersion lens portion.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60/329,469, filed Oct. 8, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60329469 |
Oct 2001 |
US |