JPS6254156A - Acoustic lens used in ultrasonic microscope equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the observation of a sample with an ultrasonic microscope and an optical microscope by forming an ultrasonic lens part and an optical lens part so that they face the sample and observing the sample in different directions by these lens parts. CONSTITUTION:In an acoustic lens 1, an ultrasonic lens part 3 and an optical lens part 4 are formed to face a sample 2. An air layer 5 is formed in the acoustic lens 1. A piezoelectric transducer 6 is provided on the side face to generate an ultrasonic wave, and it is reflected on the air layer 5 and is converged on the ultrasonic lens part 3. An optical axis X of the optical microscope is allowed to pass the air layer 5 to observe the sample 2. An ultrasonic wave axis Y of the ultrasonic microscope is set from the side face of the acoustic lens 1 and is allowed to coincide with the optical axis X in the air layer 5, and an ultrasonic image in the same part as the optical image is observed by the ultrasonic lens part 3. Thus, comparative observation is performed easily because the ultrasonic image and the optical image of the same part of the sample are observed, and bad influences of the transducer upon the optical image are prevented because the transducer is not placed on the optical axis.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an acoustic lens used in an ultrasonic microscope device.

(Conventional technology) When observing a sample using an ultrasonic microscope, ultrasonic g
It is common practice to compare an ultrasonic image of a sample obtained with an I-microscope and an optical image of the same part obtained with an optical microscope fIkm.

For this reason, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-12172 discloses an ultrasonic microscope device in which an ultrasonic head and an optical am* are fixedly provided on a base, and a sample is moved between them. An objective lens and an ultrasonic head for an ultrasonic microscope having a piezoelectric transducer and an acoustic lens are attached to the revolver of an optical microscope, and the objective lens and ultrasonic head are selectively opposed to the sample by rotating the revolver. An ultrasonic microscopic device has been proposed that allows the use of ultrasonic waves.

Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-74657 discloses that a piezoelectric transducer is made transparent or opaque and small, so that the optical axis of the optical lens system of an optical microscope and the ultrasonic axis of an acoustic lens of an ultrasound microscope are aligned. An ultrasonic microscope apparatus has been proposed in which a sample is observed from the same direction of an acoustic lens, with the two directions substantially aligned.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the ultrasonic microscope device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-12172, the sample cannot be moved between the ultrasonic microscope and the optical microscope. Furthermore, since it is necessary to rotate the revolver, there are problems in that operation is troublesome and switching takes time.

On the other hand, in the ultrasonic microscope device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 67-74657, the optical axis and the ultrasonic axis almost coincide and can be observed from the same direction through an acoustic lens, so the above problem is solved. However, if the piezoelectric transducer is made transparent, there is a problem that a good optical image cannot be obtained because there is a difference in the optical path length between the light rays that pass through it and the light rays that do not pass through it, and if the piezoelectric transducer is made opaque Even if it is made smaller than an acoustic lens, there is a problem in that the light beam is vignetted.

This invention was made by focusing on these conventional problems, and it is an ultrasonic device that is appropriately configured so that observation using ultrasonic gas and an optical microscope can be easily performed, and a good optical image can be obtained. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an acoustic lens for use in an acoustic wave type a [device.

[Means and effects for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, in the acoustic lens of the present invention, an ultrasonic lens portion and an optical lens portion are formed on the side facing the sample, and an ultrasonic lens portion is formed inside. A reflecting portion for reflecting sound waves or light is formed, and the sample is configured to be observed from different directions of the sound jar lens using the ultrasonic lens portion and the optical lens i%.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

In this acoustic lens l, an ultrasonic lens section 8 and an optical lens section 4 are formed on the side facing the sample 2, and
An air layer 5 that reflects ultrasonic waves is formed inside. Also,
A piezoelectric transducer 6 is provided on the side surface, and the ultrasonic waves generated by the piezoelectric transducer 6 are reflected by the air layer 5, focused by the ultrasonic lens section 8, and projected onto the sample 2. That is, in this embodiment, the optical axis X of the optical microscope is set perpendicular to a stage (not shown) on which the sample 2 is placed through an air layer 5, and the optical lens section 4 is used to measure the sample 2. The ultrasonic axis Y of the ultrasonic microscope is set to coincide with the optical axis X from the side of the acoustic lens l through the air layer 5, and the ultrasonic lens unit 8 is used to observe the same part as the optical image. This allows the observation of ultrasound images.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. This acoustic lens 11 has a piezoelectric transducer 6 on the top surface of the acoustic lens 1 shown in FIG. 1, and an air layer 5 inside.
A mirror 12 that reflects light is provided instead, and this mirror 1
2, the ultrasonic axis Y of the ultrasound microscope is set perpendicular to the stage (not shown) so that the ultrasound image of the sample 2 can be observed with the ultrasound lens section 3, and the acoustic lens The optical axis X of the optical microscope is set to coincide with the ultrasonic axis Y through the mirror 12 from the side surface of the optical lens section 4.
This makes it possible to observe an optical image of the same area as the ultrasound image.

〔Effect of the invention〕

By using the acoustic lens of this invention, it is possible to observe the ultrasonic image and the optical image of the same part of the sample from different directions of the acoustic lens, making it easy to compare and observe them. Since it is not located above, there is no adverse effect on the optical image due to it, and a good optical image can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment. l...Acoustic lens 2...Sample 8...Ultrasonic lens section 4...Optical lens section 5...Air layer 6...Piezoelectric transducer

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic lens section and an optical lens section are formed on the side facing the sample, and a reflection section that reflects ultrasonic waves or light is formed inside, and the sample can be differentiated by the ultrasonic lens section and the optical lens section. An acoustic lens for use in an ultrasonic microscope device, characterized in that it is configured to allow observation from any direction.