Abstract: To increase the speed of aberration correction, provided is an aberration correction method, including: a step of selecting a first polarized component of reflected light obtained by irradiating an object to be inspected with measuring light; a step of measuring an aberration of the first polarized component; a step of correcting the aberration of the first polarized component by controlling a first aberration correction unit in accordance with a measured value of the aberration of the first polarized component; and a step of correcting, in a case where a value of the aberration corrected in the first aberration correcting step is smaller than a predetermined value, an aberration of a second polarized component of the reflected light, which is different from the first polarized component, by controlling a second aberration correction unit based on a control for the first aberration correction unit in the case.

Abstract: Provided is an imaging method for correcting aberration generated when imaging an object to be inspected. The imaging method includes: irradiating an imaging area with a first light beam which is scanned by a scan unit and taking an image of the object to be inspected based on return light of the first light beam; detecting a moving amount of the object to be inspected; comparing the detected moving amount with a predetermined threshold value; and adjusting the imaging area to be irradiated with the first light beam. The adjusting includes determining in accordance with a result of the comparison to change the imaging area by at least one of: using the scan unit, and using an aberration correcting unit.

Abstract: Aberration is measured as phase information at each of a plurality of aberration measurement points, and at the time of correcting the aberration with correction pixels of an aberration correction unit of which the number is greater than the number of the plurality of aberration measurement points, correction pixels corresponding to each aberration measurement point are driven based on the phase information. Regarding correction pixels not positionally corresponding to the aberration measurement points, the aberration correction unit is driven based on phase information in the vicinity of this correction pixel.

Abstract: A compensation optical apparatus for obtaining and image of an object without reduction in image quality irrespective of aberration compensation, includes: a division unit for dividing a return beam from a measured object; an aberration measurement unit for measuring an aberration caused by the measured object, with a divided beam from the division unit; an aberration compensation unit for performing aberration compensation based on the aberration measured by the aberration measurement unit; a projection unit for projecting a beam obtained by the aberration compensation in the aberration compensation unit to the measured object; an acquirement unit for acquiring a value exhibiting a state of the measured object based on the return beam from the measured object, which is obtained by the beam projected from the projection unit; and a control unit for retreating the division unit from an optical path based on the value acquired by the acquirement unit.

Abstract: A compensation optical apparatus for obtaining and image of an object without reduction in image quality irrespective of aberration compensation, includes: a division unit for dividing a return beam from a measured object; an aberration measurement unit for measuring an aberration caused by the measured object, with a divided beam from the division unit; an aberration compensation unit for performing aberration compensation based on the aberration measured by the aberration measurement unit; a projection unit for projecting a beam obtained by the aberration compensation in the aberration compensation unit to the measured object; an acquirement unit for acquiring a value exhibiting a state of the measured object based on the return beam from the measured object, which is obtained by the beam projected from the projection unit; and a control unit for retreating the division unit from an optical path based on the value acquired by the acquirement unit.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus comprises: aberration correction unit arranged to correct aberration of at least one of irradiating light directed to an eye to be examined and return light from the eye; light-receiving unit arranged to receive, as return light from the eye, the light whose aberration is corrected by the aberration correction unit and then which irradiates the eye; measurement unit arranged to measure the aberration of the return light; and control unit arranged to control the aberration correction unit based on a measurement result obtained by the measurement unit and a light reception result obtained by the light-receiving unit.

Abstract: An imaging device includes an illuminating unit configured to illuminate a measurement object with light from a light source; an aberration correcting unit configured to correct aberration of the measurement object occurring in light returning from the measurement object, the returning light being provided by light illuminating the measurement object through an area differing from a center axis of the illuminating unit; and an image obtaining unit configured to obtain an image of the measurement object on the basis of light returning from the measurement object, the returning light being provided by light that is provided after the aberration is corrected by the aberration correcting unit and that illuminates the measurement object through the center axis of the illuminating unit.

Abstract: To promptly take a high quality image of an object to be inspected, provided is an imaging method for taking an image of the object to be inspected by irradiating the object to be inspected with measuring light, in which an aberration generated in the object to be inspected is corrected by an aberration correction unit. The method includes the repeatedly performed steps of measuring the aberration generated in the object to be inspected, correcting the aberration by controlling the aberration correction unit in accordance with the measured aberration, and storing, in a storage unit, a control state of the aberration correction unit in association with the measured aberration. The aberration correction unit is controlled in a predetermined control state stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: An image forming method uses an optical coherence tomography as to an optical axis direction of plural pieces of image information of an object. First image information of an object is obtained at a first focus with respect to an optical axis direction to then object. A focusing position is changed by dynamic focusing from the first focus to a second focus along the optical axis. The second image information of the object is obtained at the second focus. A third image information, tomography image information of the object and including a tomography image of the first focus or the second focus, is obtained by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. A tomography image or a three-dimensional image of the object is formed in positional relation, in the optical axis direction, between the first image information and the second image information using the third image information.

Abstract: A target nucleic acid contained in a sample solution is hybridized with a probe nucleic acid capable of binding specifically to the target nucleic acid and immobilized on a substrate. The process includes hybridizing the target nucleic acid with the probe nucleic acid, collecting the sample solution that has undergone the hybridization, amplifying the target nucleic acid contained in the collected sample solution, and hybridizing the amplified nucleic acid with the probe nucleic acid.

Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging method is provided in which light from a light source is split into a measuring beam and a reference beam, the measuring beam being moved by a scanning optical system and guided to an object to be examined, the reference beam being guided to a reference mirror, and in which a tomogram of the object is generated from a return beam of the measuring beam reflected or scattered by the object and the reference beam reflected by the reference mirror. The method includes acquiring longitudinal sectional information on the object, calculating depth-position information on the object from the longitudinal sectional information, and acquiring a three-dimensional surface image of the object by controlling a reference-path length defined by the reference mirror and a scanning operation of the scanning optical system in accordance with the depth-position information on the object.

Abstract: A compensation optical apparatus for obtaining and image of an object without reduction in image quality irrespective of aberration compensation, includes: a division unit for dividing a return beam from a measured object; an aberration measurement unit for measuring an aberration caused by the measured object, with a divided beam from the division unit; an aberration compensation unit for performing aberration compensation based on the aberration measured by the aberration measurement unit; a projection unit for projecting a beam obtained by the aberration compensation in the aberration compensation unit to the measured object; an acquirement unit for acquiring a value exhibiting a state of the measured object based on the return beam from the measured object, which is obtained by the beam projected from the projection unit; and a control unit for retreating the division unit from an optical path based on the value acquired by the acquirement unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical-image pickup apparatus including a setting unit configured to set the effective region or the resolution of a correction unit configured to correct the aberration of a subject; an aberration measuring unit configured to measure an aberration generated at the subject; and a control unit configured to control the correction unit on the basis of the measured aberration and the set effective region or the measured aberration and the set resolution.

Abstract: A method for hybridizing a target nucleic acid and a probe nucleic acid that can specifically bind to the target nucleic acid and that is immobilized on a substrate includes a first reaction step of allowing the target nucleic acid contained in a sample solution to react with the probe nucleic acid, a recovery step of recovering the sample solution after the first reaction step, a heating step of heating the recovered sample solution to the denaturation temperature of the target nucleic acid or a higher temperature, and a second reaction step of allowing the target nucleic acid contained in the sample solution after the heating step to react with the probe nucleic acid.

Abstract: An image forming method uses an optical coherence tomography as to an optical axis direction of plural pieces of image information of an object. First image information of an object is obtained at a first focus with respect to an optical axis direction to then object. A focusing position is changed by dynamic focusing from the first focus to a second focus along the optical axis. The second image information of the object is obtained at the second focus. A third image information, tomography image information of the object and including a tomography image of the first focus or the second focus, is obtained by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. A tomography image or a three-dimensional image of the object is formed in positional relation, in the optical axis direction, between the first image information and the second image information using the third image information.

Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus that uses optical coherence tomography includes a scanning unit provided within a light path that guides signal light to be incident on an examination object towards the examination object and configured to scan the signal light in a main scanning direction; and a control unit configured to control the scanning unit such that an integration time of an optical interference signal per pixel in at least one predetermined area other than opposite ends, in the main scanning direction, of an image acquisition region scanned by a plurality of main scan lines is increased relative to that of an area other than the predetermined area.

Abstract: A fundus imaging apparatus includes an aberration measurement unit adapted to measure an aberration of reflected light obtained by irradiating an object to be examined with measurement light; an aberration correction unit adapted to correct an aberration of light in accordance with the measured aberration; a control unit adapted to repeatedly control processing of the aberration measurement unit and the aberration correction unit; and a changing unit adapted to change a first function of a predetermined order representing the aberration to a second function including an order higher than the predetermined order in accordance with at least one of a measurement result obtained by the aberration measurement unit and a control result obtained by the control unit. The aberration correction unit corrects an aberration expressed by the second function.

Abstract: An image forming method uses an optical coherence tomography as to an optical axis direction of plural pieces of image information of an object. First image information of an object is obtained at a first focus with respect to an optical axis direction to then object. A focusing position is changed by dynamic focusing from the first focus to a second focus along the optical axis. The second image information of the object is obtained at the second focus. A third image information, tomography image information of the object and including a tomography image of the first focus or the second focus, is obtained by Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. A tomography image or a three-dimensional image of the object is formed in positional relation, in the optical axis direction, between the first image information and the second image information using the third image information.

Abstract: An ophthalmic apparatus comprises: aberration correction unit arranged to correct aberration of at least one of irradiating light directed to an eye to be examined and return light from the eye; light-receiving unit arranged to receive, as return light from the eye, the light whose aberration is corrected by the aberration correction unit and then which irradiates the eye; measurement unit arranged to measure the aberration of the return light; and control unit arranged to control the aberration correction unit based on a measurement result obtained by the measurement unit and a light reception result obtained by the light-receiving unit.

Abstract: An optical tomographic imaging method is provided in which light from a light source is split into a measuring beam and a reference beam, the measuring beam being moved by a scanning optical system and guided to an object to be examined, the reference beam being guided to a reference mirror, and in which a tomogram of the object is generated from a return beam of the measuring beam reflected or scattered by the object and the reference beam reflected by the reference mirror. The method includes acquiring longitudinal sectional information on the object, calculating depth-position information on the object from the longitudinal sectional information, and acquiring a three-dimensional surface image of the object by controlling a reference-path length defined by the reference mirror and a scanning operation of the scanning optical system in accordance with the depth-position information on the object.