Please refer to the following pages for each technology detail

Tohoku Univ. Technology

Real-time 3D optical imaging
High speed, video-rate 3D imaging with a highspatial resolution like confocal microscopes
Overview

Product Application
 Non-destructive inspection device for high-speed detection ofextremely small defect Biological sample observation
 Observation of fast 3D microstructural deformation, etc.

IP Data：JP6537153, US10816474, DE112017002847.7
JP2019-117233, PCT/JP2021/031166
Admin No. ：T15-198, T17-106, T21-072
IP No.

PerformanceSlowFast3D image acquisition speed

Thistechnology

Confocalmicroscope
X rayCTOCT,3D camera

UltrasonicwaveHighResolution

Various 3D imaging methods including X-ray CT, ultrasonography,
and confocal laser scanning microscopy are employed in industrial
applications, depending on its usage. However, X-ray CT requires
the rotation of a light source or the irradiation area to acquire 3D
images, which makes rapid imaging difficult. Ultrasonography
enables 3D measurement using 2D array elements but suffers fromlimited spatial resolution. In addition, confocal laser scanningmicroscopy requires the sequential acquisition of 2D images whilemoving the observation plane, which makes 3D observation at video
rate impossible.
In recent years, 3D cameras and OCT are known as emerging 3D
image acquisition techniques. However, the camera-based
technique exploiting patterned- or line-illuminations provides limited
spatial resolution, and it cannot visualize the internal information ofsamples. Besides, OCT is, in principle, applicable to reflected lightsignals only and impossible to measure fluorescence signals.
A series of inventions solves the above issues and provides animaging method with a simple implementation that enables theacquisition of precise 3D images in real-time.

To be nice for
CW visible laser
T21-072

Z to X
transformation
T17-106

Basic technology
T15-198

Low

Non-destructive 3D imaging comparison table
Thistechno.

X-ray
*CT

Ultra*
sonic3D*
cameraOCT

Drawing
speed

Fast
60fps

Slow

Slow

Few
10 fpsFew
10 fpsIntrusion
depth

Few
μm

10 cm

Few
cm

No.
0 nm

Fewmm

Resolution

Few
100nm

Fewcm

Fewmm

Few
Mm

Few
μm

Color
coding✓✓✓

Exposed toradiation

No.

No.

No.

Yes.

*No.
* as reference

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Tohoku Univ. Technology

Optical information apparatus andmicroscope system
Rapid obtaining of optical information in thedepth direction to create 3D optical image!
Overview
Laser scanning microscopy, used for observing a sample byscanning a laser focal spot and detecting reflecting, scattering, orfluorescence signals from a target can be increased acquisition
speed of 2D images by high-speed raster scanning of a laser
beam. But the rapid acquisition of 3D images is substantiallyrestricted due to the need of changing the moving observation
plane.
Using the present invention can be possible the optical 3D
imaging acquired at once without moving the optical system ortarget, because optical information along the optical axis obtainedin different lateral position on the detector by separately
concentrating the lights .

Product Application
 Rapid 3D image acquisition required domain Biological, organism-related and medical field such as
bio-function analysis
 Industrial fields where the fine functional materials aredeveloped such as metals and chemicals

IP DataIP No.
： JP6537153, US10816474, DE112017002847.7
Inventor ： KOZAWA Yuichi
Admin No. ： T15-198

 Possible to obtain rapidly optical information of the target
sample from different positions along the optical axis
 Possible to create 3D optical image in real-time

Related Works[1] Y. Kozawa and S. Sato, Sci Rep 9, 11687 (2019)https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-48265-3[2] Tohoku Univ. New Technology Presentation Meeting
2020, JST Seminar Video (Japanese Speaking)ContactTohoku Techno Arch Co., Ltd.
Please visit CONTACT hereTohoku Univ. Technology

Holographic optical element andits manufacturing method

Concept of linear z-xtransformation
Detected signal(reflected light, scatteredlight, fluorescence, etc.)

Detecting surface
Image formation
lens
Object information
converted toplanar direction

Objective lensConversion of depth information linearly
into planar information!

Holographic optical element

Overview
Detection object placedin z direction

Demonstrated
linear shit behavior
Depth direction

In 3D imaging, it is important to effectively encode z information,
which is the image formation displacement of the target object, into
XY information, which is displacement from the optical axis of theimage surface. On the other hand, in single-pixel imaging using
only a single detector, it is important to encode in efficient manner
the XY information of the target into the time information. However,the conventional encoding method has a limit on distanceresolution, imaging distance range, z information decoding
accuracy and encryption uniqueness.
This invention provides a new and improved hologram opticalelement, its manufacturing method and an optical device able tomutually convert Z & XY information with simple configuration. This
invention is able to realize high accuracy and high spatial
resolution for high-speed 3D imaging (patent US10816474) byconverting the object depth direction information of the opticaldetection system into the planar direction information at thedetecting surface.

Video-rate 3D acquisition

20 mm

Lateral direction(detector plane)• The image position in thedetecting surface shifts linearly inthe planar direction according tothe object depth position.
• Axial position is retrieved without
further calibration processes.

Product Application

Related Works

 Optical field such as optical microscope Fast sensing for depth direction in 3D space[1] T. Nakamura et al., Opt. Lett. 43, 5949 (2018).
[2] Y. Kozawa et al., Biomed. Opt. Express 13, 1702 (2022)[3] Press release (Tohoku Univ.)

IP Data
IP No.
： JP7021772
Inventor ： NAKAMURA T., IGARASHI S., KOZAWA Y.
Admin No. ： T17-106

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Tohoku Univ. Technology

Bessel beam undersingle-photon excitation

Spot light generator, optical information
detection device and microscope

Thisinvention

Fast 3D imaging without the need of multiphoton excitation
Side lobes of Bessel beams

OverviewFeatures

High-speed 3D imaging achieved by scanning a non-diffractive,
needle-like spot provides high XYZ resolution. The light-needle-spot
is produced by a Bessel beam with extended side lobes, which is
known to cause artifacts in the acquired images.
To reduce the influence by the side lobes, a multiphoton excitation
process including two-photon excitation is generally used for
fluorescence imaging. Accordingly, a microscope system requires anear-infrared, ultrashort pulsed laser source, which significantly risesin the initial cost. In addition, the need for the multiphoton excitation
process limits observation targets to fluorescence imaging only.
This invention provides a method to generate a needle spot using asimple configuration that can suppress side lobes, without twophoton excitation, using a visible light source available on themarket. This invention can be applied to high-speed 3D imaging forsurface inspection and profiling by detecting reflected or scattered
light signals in addition to the fluorescence signal.

Product Application
 Non-destructive inspection
to detect & remove refined
3D defects, etc.

IP DataIP No.
： PCT/JP2021/031166
Inventor ： KOZAWA Yuichi
Admin No. ： T21-072

Suppression ofside lobes for
single photonexcitation

 Cost-cut
 Simple implementation
 Suitable for mass production

Since the application has not yet been
published, the information can bedisclosed after concluding a fee based
contract including a confidentiality clause.
Related Works Bioimaging
 Surface profiling[1] Japan Society of Applied Physics 82nd autumn meeting
2021 presentation document[2] Patent US10816474 → T15-198

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