Patent ID: 8492693
Filing Date: 2013-07-23
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. An autofocus apparatus, comprising: a light source; an fiber optic circulator having a first port, second port and a third port; wherein the light signal in the fiber optic circulator travels only from the first port to the second port and from the second port to the third port; wherein the fiber optic circulator couples to a light signal output of the light source at the first port; an optical collimator for directing a light output from the second port of the fiber optic circulator onto a sample through a Dichroic mirror and a microscope objective, wherein the sample is placed on an adjustable microscopy stage; a photodiode detector for converting a light signal, reflected off of a substrate that the sample is placed on, into an analog voltage signal, wherein the reflected light signal is captured by the microscope objective and sent to the photodiode detector through the Dichroic mirror, the optical collimator, and into the second port and out of the third port of the fiber optic circulator; and a microprocessor for processing the analog voltage signal from the photodiode detector.