Patents by Inventor Florian Fahrbach

Florian Fahrbach has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20220113523
    Abstract: A microscope includes a wide-field illuminator configured to illuminate at least one selected region of a sample, and a beam splitter configured to generate a first detection beam path and a second detection beam path. A camera detector is arranged within the first detection beam path and is configured to record images of the selected region of the sample. A point detector is arranged within the second detection beam path and is configured to acquire a predetermined subregion of the sample lying within the selected region. A detection objective, which is arranged within the first and second detection beam paths on an object side of the beam splitter. The detection objective is a common detection objective for the camera detector and the point detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Patent number: 11287624
    Abstract: A lightsheet microscope includes a detection objective for imaging a target region of a sample located in a focal plane, and an illumination objective for focusing an illumination light beam. The illumination objective and the detection objective define a sample chamber, in which a sample holder having a carrier surface is arranged. A light deflection device has a deflection surface arranged laterally offset in relation to the optical axis of the detection objective in the sample chamber which deflects the illumination light beam through the illumination objective in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis such that the deflected illumination light beam forms a lightsheet-type illumination light distribution. The light deflection device has a collision section facing toward the carrier surface. The carrier surface is inclined relative to the focal plane at a predetermined angle such that a part of the carrier surface is arranged in the focal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Publication number: 20220051373
    Abstract: A method for determining a neural network for correcting optical aberrations includes determining one or more images that are at least partly related to an optical system or the design of an optical system. A neural network is determined on the basis of the determined one or more images in such a way that the determined neural network when applied to an image captured by the optical system outputs an image which has been corrected in relation to one or more optical aberrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: February 17, 2022
    Inventors: Constantin Kappel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Publication number: 20220043248
    Abstract: A method for high-resolution imaging includes illuminating a target region of a specimen by first and second illumination light beams during respective holding durations to transfer respective subsets of fluorophores from a first into a second state. The fluorophores emit fluorescence photons upon transition from the second back into the first state, which are used to produce respective raw images. The illumination light beams have different power and/or beam profiles. A high-resolution image is produced from the raw images. The respective holding durations are shorter than a lifetime of a third state of the fluorophores, into which a third subset of the fluorophores is transferred by the illumination of the target region by the first and/or second illumination light beam, and the lifetime of the third state is longer by a factor of at least 2 than a lifetime of the second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel, Ulf Schwarz
  • Patent number: 11215804
    Abstract: A microscope for imaging a sample includes an illumination unit for emitting illumination light to the sample; a detector for capturing a detection light originating from the sample; an optical system for focusing the illumination light onto the sample and focusing the detection light onto the detector; and a scanning unit for scanning the sample using the illumination light. The illumination unit emits the illumination light as separate illumination light beams which can be focused on spatially mutually separated, strip-like sample regions simultaneously. The detector captures the detection light in the form of separate detection light beams originating from the sample regions simultaneously and in a spatially mutually separated manner. The sample regions are in sample planes, and the detector having sub-detectors, which are each assigned to a sample plane and capture a detection light beam that originates from a respective sample plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Patent number: 11194149
    Abstract: A method for examining a sample by light sheet microscopy includes illuminating a sample surface located in an illumination plane by a light sheet propagating in the illumination plane. A position of a light sheet focal point of the light sheet in the illumination plane is moved by changing an optical length of a light path of illumination light forming the light sheet. Detection light emanating from the illumination plane is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Publication number: 20210341718
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope includes an object slide, and optical illumination and detection systems. The optical illumination system includes an illumination objective configured to illuminate a first object plane that is oblique relative to a slide plane with a light sheet. The optical detection system includes a detection objective and an image sensor device. The image sensor device is configured to define a first image plane which is orthogonal to an optical axis of the detection objective and to define a second image plane which is tilted relative to the first image plane. The detection objective is configured to image a focal plane onto the first image plane and to image a second object plane of the object onto the second image plane, the focal plane being coincident with the first object plane, and the second object plane being parallel to or coincident with the slide plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventor: Florian FAHRBACH
  • Patent number: 11137587
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope includes a specimen-side objective having an illumination device configured to provide a first illumination beam which is focused for forming a first light sheet for illuminating a specimen from a first direction, the first light sheet being inclined obliquely in relation to an optical axis of the objective and being guided through the objective. A detector is configured to detect light passing through the objective. The illumination device is further configured to provide at least one second illumination beam which is focused for forming at least one second light sheet for illuminating the specimen from at least one second direction that differs from the first direction, the at least one second light sheet being inclined obliquely in relation to the optical axis of the objective and being guided through the objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Sebastian Tille, Florian Fahrbach
  • Publication number: 20210278651
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope includes: a detection objective configured to image a target region of a sample located in a focal plane of the detection objective; an illumination objective configured to focus an illumination light beam in the sample, the detection objective and the illumination objective being opposite to one another, and the optical axis of the detection objective and the optical axis of the illumination objective being parallel to one another; a first light deflection device having at least one first deflection surface and one second deflection surface, which are each arranged offset to the optical axis of the detection objective and are configured to deflect the illumination light beam focused by the illumination objective in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis of the detection objective such that a deflected illumination light beam forms a light-sheet-like illumination light distribution focused in the focal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Applicant: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Florian FAHRBACH, Christof FRANKE, Dirk-Oliver FEHRER
  • Patent number: 11092792
    Abstract: A method for examining a sample in light sheet fluorescence microscopy includes generating an illumination light beam using a light source. The illumination light beam is spatially split into at least two partial illumination light beams using a splitter. The partial illumination light beams are guided through an illumination objective shared by the partial illumination light beams. After the partial illumination light beams have passed through the illumination objective, at least one of the partial illumination light beams is deflected using at least one deflector such that the partial illumination light beams interfere with one another in an illumination plane so as to generate an illumination pattern in the illumination plane. An image of a sample region illuminated by the illumination pattern is produced, wherein detection light that emanates from the sample region reaches a position-sensitive detector through a detection objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Publication number: 20210223529
    Abstract: In a method for the examination of a sample the sample is illuminated in a sample plane along a sample line with an illuminating light beam. The sample is acted upon by a depletion or switching light beam, which overlaps in the sample plane in an overlap region at least partially spatially with the illuminating light beam and which has at least one wavelength suitable for depletion of the sample. Part of fluorescent light emanating from the sample plane is detected as detection light. The fluorescent light originating from outside a first subregion and a second subregion is at least partially suppressed and not detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Patent number: 11067781
    Abstract: A microscope includes illumination optics for fluorescence excitation of point light sources of a sample, detection optics and a camera having a sensor. A density of the point light sources is kept low so as to minimize a crossover of point light sources that are behind or close to one another in each image captured by the camera. A means for subdividing a detection aperture into individual sub-apertures is provided in a beam path of the detection optics such that images generated by the individual sub-apertures on the sensor of the camera depict an object volume from different spatial directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Frank Sieckmann, Christian Schumann, Oliver Schlicker
  • Patent number: 11048078
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope or a confocal microscope includes illumination optics configured to transmit light of at least two wavelengths from at least one light source, along respective wavelength-dependent beam paths, from an illumination side of the illumination optics to a specimen side of the illumination optics. A lateral chromatic correction system comprising at least one optical lateral chromatic correction element is configured such that the beam paths of the at least two different wavelengths have, at a specimen-side output of the lateral chromatic correction element, an offset parallel to each other and/or are inclined relative to each other in relation to the illumination side, which, on the specimen side of the illumination optics, results in an offset of the foci of the at least two wavelengths transverse to an optical axis of the illumination optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Publication number: 20210172876
    Abstract: A light sheet fluorescence microscope includes a light source configured to emit excitation light suitable for inducing fluorescent light emitted from a specimen, a detector configured to detect the fluorescent light from the specimen, and an optical system configured to illuminate the specimen with a light sheet formed from the excitation light, and to guide the fluorescent light from the illuminated specimen to the detector. The optical system comprises an objective facing the specimen, the objective being configured to collect the fluorescent light emitted from the specimen. The light source is further configured to emit manipulation light suitable for photomanipulating the specimen. The optical system is further configured to direct the manipulation light through a spatially limited sub-area of an entrance pupil of the objective onto the specimen along a light propagation direction which is different from a light propagation direction of the light sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventor: Florian FAHRBACH
  • Patent number: 11022788
    Abstract: An illumination apparatus for a microscope, for producing a de-excitation or switching light distribution, includes a light source configured to produce a primary illumination light beam and a beam splitter configured to divide the primary illumination light beam into two partial illumination light beams. An illumination objective is configured to focus the partial illumination light beams onto and/or into a sample such that the partial illumination light beams extend, spatially separated from one another, through an entry pupil of the illumination objective and are spatially superposed on and/or in the sample after passing through the illumination objective. A phase influencer is configured to cause a relative phase offset of the partial illumination light beams with respect to one another in such a way that the partial illumination light beams in the entry pupil of the illumination objective have a phase offset of ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Lars Friedrich, Werner Knebel
  • Patent number: 11016277
    Abstract: A device is configured to carry out a method for examining a sample comprising: illuminating the sample in an illumination plane along an illumination strip by an illuminating light beam which propagates along the illumination strip, wherein the illuminating light beam is formed as a light sheet; projecting the illumination strip into a detection plane by detection light originating from the illumination strip being focused in the detection plane; and detecting the detection light by a detector. The detector is formed as a slit detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Patent number: 10983327
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope includes an illuminator having a beam source which is designed to direct an illuminating beam propagating along an illumination axis onto a sample. A light-sheet generator is designed to generate a light-sheet-type illuminating light distribution illuminating the sample in one partial region. A detection unit has a detector that is designed to capture detection light originating from the section of the sample that is illuminated by the illuminating light distribution. An objective is provided for both the illuminator and the detection unit such that the objective is to be penetrated by the illuminating beam and the detection light. The illuminator has a beam modulator designed to modulate the illuminating beam perpendicular to the illumination axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventor: Florian Fahrbach
  • Patent number: 10983321
    Abstract: A method for the examination of a sample includes illuminating the sample in a sample plane along a sample line with an illuminating light beam. The sample is acted upon by a depletion or switching light beam, which overlaps in the sample plane in an overlap region with the illuminating light beam. Part of fluorescent light emanating from the sample plane is detected as detection light originating from a first subregion of the overlap region, in which the probability of an interaction of the sample molecules with the depletion or switching light beam is greater than 90%, and/or originating from a second subregion which is at least partially surrounded by the first sub-region and/or in which the depletion or switching light beam has a zero point, while at the same time the fluorescent light originating from outside the first subregion and the second subregion is suppressed and not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Publication number: 20210088767
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope, such as an oblique plane microscope or a swept confocally-aligned planar excitation (SCAPE) microscope, includes an optical system with a first optical element, a second optical element and a mirror assembly. In a first operational state of the microscope, the optical system is configured to transmit illumination light along a first illumination light path through the first optical element into a first sample volume, and configured to transmit observation light along a first observation light path from the first sample volume to a detector device. In a second operational state of the microscope, the optical system is configured to transmit the illumination light along a second illumination light path via the mirror assembly through the second optical element into a second sample volume, and configured to transmit observation light along a second observation light path from the second sample volume to the detector device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventor: Florian FAHRBACH
  • Publication number: 20210072524
    Abstract: The invention relates to an optical system (1) comprising an illumination device (7) for generating illumination light (13), orientation optics (17) and a scanning device (49) for generating a temporal sequence of at least two tilted illumination planes (29) for illuminating a stationary sample volume (33). The invention further relates to a method for illuminating a sample volume (33). Optical systems (1) and methods in prior art have the disadvantage of a complex beam path and said systems and methods achieve a non-uniform illumination of the sample. The optical system (1) according to the invention improves on the solutions in prior art in that the at least two tilted illumination planes (29) are parallel to one another. In the method according to the invention, temporally successive illumination planes (29) are offset parallel to one another by a scanning device (49).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2019
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventor: Florian FAHRBACH