Patent ID: 8194247
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A microscope assembly for optical imaging of biological tissue, the assembly comprising: an optical excitation source for irradiating a scan area of a biological tissue sample and generating optical emissions to be emitted from the sample, wherein the sample comprises first and second faces and wherein in use the sample is disposed such that the first face faces away from the excitation source and the second face faces the excitation source; a two dimensional scanning element for scanning the light from the excitation source over the scan area of the sample; a focussing element having a numerical aperture NA a first optical condenser disposed to collect collected light from the first face of the sample, the collected light comprising transmitted light from the excitation source and a first optical emission generated in the sample in response to light from the excitation source, the first optical condenser having a numerical aperture NA a first optical band-pass filter disposed to block the transmitted light from the excitation source; an aperture with an aperture size corresponding to the irradiated area of the sample, the aperture being located for background suppression with respect to the first optical emission at the conjugate image position of the sample generated by the first condenser; and a first optical detector disposed to collect collected light from the first face of the sample for detecting the first optical emission from the scan area of the sample; wherein the numerical aperture of the first optical condenser is in the range of about 0.5 to about 0.8.