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Design and experimental validation of novel enhanced-performance autofocusing microscope

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Abstract

Autofocusing is a critical operation in automated microscopy applications in the automated vision inspection, measurement and manufacturing fields. The present group recently developed a novel optics-based autofocusing microscope incorporating two achromatic lenses, which provided a large linear autofocusing range, a rapid response, and a high focusing accuracy (Liu et al. in Appl Phys B 109:259–268, 2012). In the present study, the focusing accuracy of the microscope is further improved by replacing the two achromatic lenses with two cylindrical lens assemblies. The autofocusing performance of the modified microscope is characterized numerically by means of ZEMAX simulations and is then verified experimentally using a laboratory-built prototype. The experimental results confirm that compared with the original microscope with achromatic lenses, the modified microscope achieves a greater focusing accuracy (focusing accuracy of ≤1 μm, repeatability of ±1 μm).

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided to this study by the National Science Council of Taiwan under Grant No. NSC 102-2221-E-194-023 and the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under Grant No. MOST 103-2221-E-194-006-MY3. The authors would also like to express their appreciation to Mr. Pin Hao Hu of the Additive Manufacturing and Laser Application Center, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Taiwan, for the technological assistance provided throughout the course of this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Institute of Manufacturing with High-Tech Innovations, National Chung Cheng University, No. 168, University Road, Minhsiung Township, 62102, Chiayi County, Taiwan

    Chien-Sheng Liu

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, No. 300, Jhongda Road, Jhongli City, 32001, Taoyuan County, Taiwan

    Sheng-Hong Jiang

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  1. Chien-Sheng Liu
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  2. Sheng-Hong Jiang
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Correspondence to Chien-Sheng Liu.

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Liu, CS., Jiang, SH. Design and experimental validation of novel enhanced-performance autofocusing microscope. Appl. Phys. B 117, 1161–1171 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-014-5940-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-014-5940-9

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