Claims
- 1. A solid immersion lens structure comprising:a solid immersion lens portion of a generally spherical shape and having a minimum transverse diameter not exceeding a maximum depth and a boundary margin less than said minimum transverse diameter defining undercut margins for forming a lens having a numerical aperture greater than unity and a body portion integral with the solid immersion lens portion from which the solid immersion lens portion extends, the solid immersion lens portion being formed of a molded material in a mold, wherein said solid immersion lens portion can be separated from said mold without damaging either said solid immersion lens portion or said mold.
- 2. A solid immersion lens structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said solid immersion lens portion and said mold is sufficiently pliant such that the solid immersion lens portion can be removed from said mold.
- 3. A solid immersion lens structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein said diameter of the solid immersion lens portion does not exceed 4.5 mm.
- 4. A solid immersion lens structure as claimed in claim 3; wherein the solid immersion lens portion and the body portion are a silicone elastomer.
- 5. A solid immersion lens structure as claimed in claim 4, wherein the solid immersion lens portion is frusto-spherical in shape.
- 6. A solid immersion lens structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion defines a passage extending therethrough, the passage defining a position in optical alignment with the solid immersion lens portion for receiving a sample in fixed juxtaposition to the solid immersion lens portion.
- 7. An imaging system comprising:a microscope arrangement; and a solid immersion lens structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.
- 8. An imaging system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the microscope arrangement comprises a laser microscope.
- 9. A photon collection system comprising:a photon counter; optics for directing emitted photons to said photon counter; and, a solid immersion lens structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/640,907 filed Aug. 16, 2000, now, U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,055, the entirety of herein incorporated by reference.
STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
The US Government has certain rights in this invention pursuant to Grant No. HG 01642 awarded by the National Institute of Health and under Contract No. PHY-9722417 of the National Science Foundation.
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