Life Science Optics
Diffraction-Limiting Imaging Performance
Get Exactly the Imaging Performance You Need
Microscope objectives are the heart of an imaging system. Objectives not only dictate image formation, but their design is critical for optimizing illumination uniformity and camera selection to maximize resolution and system throughput. Objectives maximize fluorescence signal collection from the sample and minimize wavefront distortions through the optical path, thereby enabling accurate image representation of the samples while maximizing sensitivity and accuracy. However, most off-the-shelf objectives available and in use today limit imaging throughput. This is because objectives are generally optimized for illumination and imaging performance near the center of the field of view (FOV), and color correction may be limited for specific applications.
Another limitation is the difficulty to precisely quantify or model the actual performance of available off-the-shelf objectives that are designed to work with specific tube lenses. Optical modeling of the objective and tube lens combination is needed to achieve optimal optical system design for throughput and cost. Overall, commercial objectives generally exhibit high performance variability and thermal sensitivity, failing to meet today’s demanding instrument repeatability requirements for quantitative imaging applications.
Gain a Competitive Edge with Our Custom Objectives
By specifically addressing your requirements, our custom optical designs reduce your overall system complexity and minimize cost while significantly improving performance compared to off-the-shelf objective solutions.
- High-NA, wide-FOV, diffraction-limited resolution performance
- Customization for your optical and physical requirements, including telecentricity, laser damage threshold, and thermal sensitivity
- Full flexibility and control over your overall system design
- Superior repeatability and guaranteed performance from prototype through high-volume production
- Outstanding wavefront, color and distortion correction over the entire FOV
Custom-Engineered Optical Solutions for Your Application
We combine advanced optical design and manufacturing technology with decades of experience in critical applications, and our global manufacturing and engineering support are ready to take you from first designs to ongoing marketplace success.
Optical Solutions to Meet Your Needs
Optical Assemblies
Multi-element objective and tube lens assemblies, custom-designed, precision-crafted, and tested to meet your exact performance requirements.
Illumination Solutions
Fully integrated illumination engines with custom-engineered beam-shaping and calibrated to deliver the light precisely where and how you need it.
Optomechanical Assemblies
Fully assembled optical units, mounted and calibrated to perform in your product.
Complete Optical Systems
Complete photonic solutions, from the light source to the detector, ready to plug into your instrument.
Imaging Optics with Optimized Price & Performance
At IDEX Health & Science we recognize our customer’s unique needs of each optical system, and we develop custom design and manufacturing solutions that optimize price and performance.
- We have developed a proprietary suite of lens assembly techniques for diffraction-limited imaging performance enabled by Alignment Turning System (ATS) technology, for products popular in life science applications such as Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), spatial transcriptomics, and liquid biopsy.
- For cutting-edge applications, our proprietary “Exact Placement” approach minimizes centration error in optical assembly and sets unprecedented performance standards.
- Price and performance trade-offs are optimized utilizing integrated design and tolerancing methods as well as mounting strategies for each application, from simple drop-in lens assemblies, to complex integrated optomechanical systems with critical alignment and mechanical stability requirements.
- Optical design models enable seamless system integration and performance optimization of sub-components impacting overall instrument’s imaging performance.
We use state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques and processes, along with the most advanced measuring metrology tools and vertically integrated production capabilities. The result is a robust and reliable product, with superior and consistent system-level performance from prototypes to high volume production.
By working closely with our customers, we have routinely completed challenging projects successfully, meeting aggressive timelines and cost constraints, and delivered optimal solutions for the most demanding applications for high-throughput and high-resolution subcellular imaging in life science and medical instrumentation.
Alignment Turning System
A) The optical axis of the mounted lens is determined,
B) The subcell is trimmed to final size with its outer diameter aligned parallel to the optical axis.
Get the Exact Imaging Performance You Need
Custom Project Request
Contact one of our experts to start a conversation about optical systems.
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