Abstract: A phase object visualization apparatus includes: an illumination optical system 11 that illuminates a phase object; an image formation optical system 12 that forms an image from light from sample S that corresponds to the phase object; and light blocking unit 10 for blocking light, the light blocking unit 10 being disposed between the sample S and an image plane formed by the image formation optical system 12, and including an aperture at a position decentered from the optical axis of the image formation optical system 12. The position of the aperture is such that an area occupied on the aperture by 0-order diffraction light from the sample S illuminated by the illumination optical system 11 becomes smaller than the total area of the aperture.

Abstract: A phase distribution calculation method includes: moving a focal position of an optical system to a plurality of positions within a phase object, the plurality of positions being different from each other in an optical axis direction of the optical system, and acquiring an image via the optical system in each of the plurality of positions; calculating a first phase distribution of a three-dimensional region that corresponds to a plurality of images acquired in the plurality of positions, in accordance with the plurality of images; and correcting the first phase distribution in accordance with a change in the optical axis direction in a region of interest specified in the three-dimensional region.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position information acquiring method includes acquiring an image of a first optical image; thereafter acquiring an image of a second optical image; and performing a computation using image data of the first and second optical images. Acquisition of the image of the first optical image is based on light beams having passed through a first area. Acquisition of the image of the second optical image is based on light beams having passed through a second area. The positions of the centers of the first and second areas are both away from the optical axis of an optical system in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis. The first and second areas respectively include at least portions that do not overlap with each other. Three-dimensional position information about an observed object is acquired by the computation. The first and second areas are formed at rotationally symmetric positions.

Abstract: An operation device includes: a communication unit that receives signals of images of a biological sample and outputs data to a display medium, the images being captured by a microscope that converts a phase distribution into an image intensity distribution; and a calculator that calculates a first phase distribution of the biological sample from the image signals. The calculator extracts a region having a phase amount that is not less than a specified phase amount from the first phase distribution, and generates evaluation information by using the region having a phase amount that is not less than the specified phase amount, that is an indicator used when a user evaluates a state of the biological sample; and the communication unit outputs the evaluation information to the display medium.

Abstract: A phase contrast microscope includes a light source, an illumination optical system configured to irradiate an observation object with the light from the light source, and a magnifying optical system configured to magnify and project the observation object, the illumination optical system includes a ring slit, the magnifying optical system includes an objective provided with a phase film, the ring slit is disposed at a pupil position of the illumination optical system, the phase film is disposed at a position conjugate to the pupil position of the illumination optical system, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: r/I?0.25??(1) where r is a central part radius of the phase film, and I is a radius of a pupil of the objective.

Abstract: A three-dimensional information obtaining apparatus includes an illumination optical system that illuminates a sample with a light sheet, an imaging device that has a two-dimensional imaging element and that captures an image of the sample illuminated by the illumination optical system, an observation optical system that forms, on the two-dimensional imaging element, a plurality of optical images of the sample observed from a plurality of different directions, and an arithmetic device that calculates three-dimensional information of the sample from a plurality of pieces of image data of the sample. A thickness D of the light sheet satisfies D?8·PP/?/NA when PP>?·?/(4·NA) is satisfied, where PP is a pixel pitch of the two-dimensional imaging element, ? is a wavelength of observation light, ? is a magnification of the plurality of optical images, and NA is a numerical aperture on an object side of the observation optical system.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position information acquiring method includes acquiring an image of a first optical image; thereafter acquiring an image of a second optical image; and performing a computation using image data of the first and second optical images. Acquisition of the image of the first optical image is based on light beams having passed through a first area. Acquisition of the image of the second optical image is based on light beams having passed through a second area. The positions of the centers of the first and second areas are both away from the optical axis of an optical system in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis. The first and second areas respectively include at least portions that do not overlap with each other. Three-dimensional position information about an observed object is acquired by the computation. The first and second areas are formed at rotationally symmetric positions.

Abstract: A phase distribution calculation method includes: moving a focal position of an optical system to a plurality of positions within a phase object, the plurality of positions being different from each other in an optical axis direction of the optical system, and acquiring an image via the optical system in each of the plurality of positions; calculating a first phase distribution of a three-dimensional region that corresponds to a plurality of images acquired in the plurality of positions, in accordance with the plurality of images; and correcting the first phase distribution in accordance with a change in the optical axis direction in a region of interest specified in the three-dimensional region.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position information acquiring method includes acquiring a first image of a first optical image, acquiring a second image of a second optical image, and performing a predetermined computation using data of the first image and data of the second image, wherein acquisition of the first image is performed based on light beams having passed through a first area, acquisition of the second image is performed based on light beams having passed through a second area, the position of the center of the first area and the position of the center of the second area are both away from the optical axis in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the first area and the second area respectively include at least portions that do not overlap with each other, and three dimensional position information about an observed object is acquired by the predetermined computation.

Abstract: An operation device includes: a communication unit that receives signals of images of a biological sample and outputs data to a display medium, the images being captured by a microscope that converts a phase distribution into an image intensity distribution; and a calculator that calculates a first phase distribution of the biological sample from the image signals. The calculator extracts a region having a phase amount that is not less than a specified phase amount from the first phase distribution, and generates evaluation information by using the region having a phase amount that is not less than the specified phase amount, that is an indicator used when a user evaluates a state of the biological sample; and the communication unit outputs the evaluation information to the display medium.

Abstract: A phase object visualization apparatus includes: an illumination optical system 11 that illuminates a phase object; an image formation optical system 12 that forms an image from light from sample S that corresponds to the phase object; and light blocking unit 10 for blocking light, the light blocking unit 10 being disposed between the sample S and an image plane formed by the image formation optical system 12, and including an aperture at a position decentered from the optical axis of the image formation optical system 12. The position of the aperture is such that an area occupied on the aperture by 0-order diffraction light from the sample S illuminated by the illumination optical system 11 becomes smaller than the total area of the aperture.

Abstract: A phase distribution measurement method inside a biological sample includes taking in an optical image of the sample formed by a microscope to form a plurality of images with different image contrasts; calculating a component corresponding to phase distribution of the sample and a component corresponding to other than the phase distribution, and dividing the component corresponding to the phase distribution by the component corresponding to other than the phase distribution to forma normalized phase component image; breaking down the phase component image into a plurality of frequency components; performing a deconvolution process to each of the frequency components using an optical response character corresponding to each, and calculating phase distribution of a refraction component and phase distribution of a structure component; and calculating phase distribution of the sample by compounding the phase distribution of the refraction component and the phase distribution of the structure component.

Abstract: A three-dimensional information obtaining apparatus includes an illumination optical system that illuminates a sample with a light sheet, an imaging device that has a two-dimensional imaging element and that captures an image of the sample illuminated by the illumination optical system, an observation optical system that forms, on the two-dimensional imaging element, a plurality of optical images of the sample observed from a plurality of different directions, and an arithmetic device that calculates three-dimensional information of the sample from a plurality of pieces of image data of the sample. A thickness D of the light sheet satisfies D?8·PP/?/NA when PP>?·?/(4·NA) is satisfied, where PP is a pixel pitch of the two-dimensional imaging element, ? is a wavelength of observation light, ? is a magnification of the plurality of optical images, and NA is a numerical aperture on an object side of the observation optical system.

Abstract: A phase contrast microscope includes a light source, an illumination optical system configured to irradiate an observation object with the light from the light source, and a magnifying optical system configured to magnify and project the observation object, the illumination optical system includes a ring slit, the magnifying optical system includes an objective provided with a phase film, the ring slit is disposed at a pupil position of the illumination optical system, the phase film is disposed at a position conjugate to the pupil position of the illumination optical system, and the following conditional expression (1) is satisfied: r/I?0.25??(1) where r is a central part radius of the phase film, and I is a radius of a pupil of the objective.

Abstract: A three-dimensional position information acquiring method includes acquiring a first image of a first optical image, acquiring a second image of a second optical image, and performing a predetermined computation using data of the first image and data of the second image, wherein acquisition of the first image is performed based on light beams having passed through a first area, acquisition of the second image is performed based on light beams having passed through a second area, the position of the center of the first area and the position of the center of the second area are both away from the optical axis in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis, the first area and the second area respectively include at least portions that do not overlap with each other, and three dimensional position information about an observed object is acquired by the predetermined computation.

Abstract: An image forming method for a biological sample includes calculating a component corresponding to a phase distribution of the sample and a component corresponding to a matter other than the phase distribution according to a plurality of pieces of images with different image contrasts, to form a normalized phase component; separating the phase component image into a plurality of frequency components according to spatial frequencies of the image; merging the phase distribution of the refraction component and the phase distribution of the structure component calculated by applying a deconvolution process to each of the frequency components using an optical response characteristic corresponding to each, to calculate the phase distribution, and forming a phase distribution image from the calculated phase distribution; and merging the phase distribution image with an image of the sample in which a biochemical phenomenon and/or a physical phenomenon in the sample are visualized.

Abstract: A visualization apparatus includes a light source, an illumination optical system configured to guide light from the light source to an observation target object, an image forming optical system configured to form an optical image of the observation target object on an image plane, an image pickup element arranged on the image plane, a calculation device configured to calculate a plurality of first electronic images of the observation target object obtained from the image pickup element to generate a second electronic image, and an oblique illumination control section configured to control an illumination direction of oblique illumination provided by the illumination optical system. The plurality of first electronic images include first electronic images of the observation target object illuminated from different illumination directions by the oblique illumination control section.

Abstract: A phase distribution measurement method inside a biological sample includes taking in an optical image of the sample formed by a microscope to form a plurality of images with different image contrasts; calculating a component corresponding to phase distribution of the sample and a component corresponding to other than the phase distribution, and dividing the component corresponding to the phase distribution by the component corresponding to other than the phase distribution to forma normalized phase component image; breaking down the phase component image into a plurality of frequency components; performing a deconvolution process to each of the frequency components using an optical response character corresponding to each, and calculating phase distribution of a refraction component and phase distribution of a structure component; and calculating phase distribution of the sample by compounding the phase distribution of the refraction component and the phase distribution of the structure component.

Abstract: A scattering medium internal observation apparatus according to the present invention includes: a light source; an illuminating apparatus that guides light from the light source to an observation object that is a scattering body; and an observation optical system for observing the observation object illuminated by the illuminating apparatus, wherein the illuminating apparatus has a light-guiding member that guides light from the light source to a surface of the observation object, and a light-shielding member that covers the surface of the observation object and which shields light reflected or scattered in the vicinity of the light-guiding member of the observation object is disposed in the vicinity of an end portion of the light-guiding member on an observation object-side.

Abstract: A focal position determining method determines a focal position of an objective lens focused on an observed target region in a specimen. The focal position determining method includes measuring any one of the focal position of the objective lens at a near point and the focal position of the objective lens at a far point or both so as to determine the focal position of the objective lens focused on the observed target region based on the measured focal position.