Full Text Searchable PDF User Manual
Desktop Microscope User Guide
Version 1.1.0
4Deep inwater imaging
6589 Chebucto Road
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3L 1L9
Canada
tel: (902) 444-4449
info@4-deep.com
www.4-deep.com
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Contents
1 Introduction
3
2 General Safety Information
3
3 What’s in the Box
3
4 The Microscope and its Components
3
4.1 Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
4.2 Sample Stage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
4.3 Point Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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5 Microscope Setup
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5.1 Step 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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5.2 Step 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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5.3 Step 3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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6 Principle of Operation
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7 Software
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8 Tips for Optimal Hologram Acquisition
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9 Care and Maintenance
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10 Troubleshooting
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11 Specifications
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1
Introduction
Congratulations on your purchase of the Desktop Microscope. Your microscope comes from a
line of instruments that all operate under proprietary digital inline holography technology plat-
form, developed by 4Deep. With its new and unique method of data acquisition and analysis,
this system is designed to optimize your research of the microscopic world.
2
General Safety Information
This instrument is of safety class 1 and has been built and tested according to EN 61010
1/IEC 1010-1/VDE 0411-1 safety standards for electrical measurement, control and laboratory
equipment.
Attention!
This microscope contains a class IIIB Laser. Up to 100 mW at 405 nm is emitted from the laser
housing itself. If properly assembled, the light emitted from the pinhole should not pose any
threat of long term damage to an exposed eye. There are no user serviceable parts inside the
light source. If problems are encountered regarding the light source, please return it imme-
diately for service. Allow only a qualified technician to disassemble the point source.
Do not
attempt to remedy any problems with the light source on your own!
Attention!
Always make sure that the proper 12 VDC power supply is used with the microscope. Failure
to do so could result in critical damage to the microscope.
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What’s in the Box
The following is the list of parts shipped as part of the Desktop microscope.
1. Desktop microscope, pre-assembled. See the microscope description in the “Microscope
and its Components” section. Follow the cable connection instructions in the “Microscope
Setup” section.
2. Power supply (12 VDC).
3. Ethernet cable.
4. Sample holder.
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The Microscope and its Components
The Desktop microscope consists of 3 primary components:
1. Camera: Housed within the top portion of the microscope.
2. Sample Stage: An x-y-z translation stage
3. Point Source: A laser and pinhole, located in the bottom portion of the microscope.
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Figure 1: Main view of the Desktop microscope
4.1
Camera
(a) SSD scale on the
opposite side
Figure 2: The camera vertical control knob
The the digital camera included with the microscope is capable of 15 fps at full (2048x2048)
resolution. It is mounted to a translation stage which is controlled by the camera vertical control
knob shown in Fig. 2. This alters the Source to Screen Distance (SSD), which changes the
magnification and resolution of the microscope:
Increase SSD
Magnification
Increases
Resolution
Decreases
Decrease SSD
Magnification
Decreases
Resolution
Increases
Figure 3: Microscope connectors
The power supply for the camera is located
below the Ethernet port of the microscope
(see Fig. 3). Camera software controls can
be found in the Octopus software package.
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4.2
Sample Stage
The sample stage has two separate control
knobs, one located next to the laser power
switch which controls the vertical (z) transla-
tion stage shown in Fig. 4, and a second set
of vertically aligned knobs on the other side of
the microscope which control the x-y transla-
tions of the stage, in Fig. 4(a).
The sample stage has several custom sample holders available, which are designed to hold
standard microscope slides or sample dishes. The magnification of the microscope is depen-
dent on the Source to Object Distance (SOD), and the vertical position of the sample stage
controls this.
Warning
: Be careful of the point source when moving the vertical sample stage
position;
DO NOT
touch the point source.
(a) The x-y controls
Figure 4: The z control knob for the sample stage
Increase SOD
Magnification
Decreases
Decrease SOD
Magnification
Increases
4.3
Point Source
Located in the lower portion of the microscope (Fig. 5), the point source is made of an IIIB
405 nm laser, a 60x objective and a pinhole a similar size to the wavelength of the laser. The
pinhole is on the exposed platinum foil shown, and is
extremely fragile
. Please refer to the
“General Safety Information” at the start of this manual.
Figure 5: Point source assembly
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5
Microscope Setup
The Desktop microscope system is completely assembled and requires only the supplied power
cable and CAT5E communication cable to operate immediately.
5.1
Step 1
Plug the 12 VDC camera power cable into the outlet shown in Fig. 3 on page 4. Some models
of the Desktop microscope will have a separate 6 VDC power cable for the laser; this is to
be connected to the outlet located just below the switch for the laser, shown in Fig. 4 on the
previous page.
5.2
Step 2
Connect the microscope to the computer with Octopus software installed, with a CAT5 or 6
Ethernet cable, to the port located just above the power connection, shown in Fig. 3 on page 4.
Turn the laser on with the switch shown in Fig. 4 on the previous page.
5.3
Step 3
Open the Octopus program, and go to the camera tab. The program connects to the camera
automatically and holograms can be saved or reconstructed in real time.
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Principle of Operation
The Desktop microscope operates on the principles of holography to image a volume in magni-
fication. A 405 nm laser is focused on a 500 nm pinhole of the same order of magnitude as the
wavelength of the light, which produces a spatially coherent light source as a reference wave.
Light scattering from the objects within the media (water) will interfere with the reference wave
to produce an interference pattern which contains spatial and phase information of the objects
within the volume. This interference pattern, the hologram, is recorded by a CCD camera, and
reconstructed mathematically to build images of the objects within the volume.
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The basic principle of digital in-line holographic imaging
The reconstructed images can be further analyzed, saved, or assembled into the volume re-
constructions based on the application.
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Software
The holograms acquired by the Desktop microscope camera need to be properly processed in
order to reconstruct the image.
4Deep provides 2 standard software packages,
Swordfish
,
Octopus
, and
Stingray
, which incor-
porate our patented fast hologram reconstruction algorithm as well as additional functionality.
Swordfish
is a particle counting software capable of detecting, counting and measuring parti-
cles in real time with the speed of up to 15 frames per second.
Octopus
is a general purpose research-grade software package that can reconstruct holograms
acquired by the microscope camera at the rate of up to 15 frames per second. Octopus provides
advanced 3D visualization and particle detection capabilities.
Stingray
is an automated particle recognition and morphology classification software platform.
It develops a user defined database from which it learns the type of objects to be detected.
Please refer to the Swordfish, Stingray and Octopus brochures and manuals available at www.4-
deep.com for the additional details on software installation and use.
Custom software solutions can be developed by 4Deep based on customer specifications. Con-
tact us for details.
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Tips for Optimal Hologram Acquisition
Image resolution is dependent on the SOD (Source to Object Distance). As this distance
decreases, the resolution and the magnification increase. Maximum resolution is obtained
by placing the sample/object as close as possible to the Point Source (PS). However, keep in
mind that as the SOD distance decreases, the field of view becomes smaller.
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The distance between the camera sensor and the point source - Source to Screen Distance
(SSD) of the Desktop microscope is adjustable. Contact 4Deep for the development of custom
configurations for special applications.
In order to achieve accurate images, inline holography requires that a reasonable amount of
the reference wave (unscattered light) reaches the camera sensor. Too many objects between
the PS and the camera can reduce the amount of reference wave reaching the camera and will
therefore result in poor reconstructions.
For moving objects, keep the exposure time of the camera as short as possible while still
maintaining a visible image. Long exposure times will result in blurry or smeared images. The
exposure can be adjusted in the camera control of the Octopus software.
The PS does not produce a large amount of light; therefore background light from external
sources must be reduced in order to obtain optimal images. Excessive background light can
wash out the images and produce low contrast reconstructions.
If possible, always obtain a background image (a hologram containing only the light from the PS,
without a sample/object causing scatter). A good background image will allow for background
subtraction when reconstructing holograms, producing higher contrast reconstructions while
reducing noise.
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Care and Maintenance
Your Desktop microscope requires very little maintenance. Keeping the microscope casing
clean and free of lint or dust is recommended. Storing the microscope protected from dirt, dust
and moisture will ensure a long operational life.
Take all measures to prevent contact with
the point source, as any dust or liquids on the pinhole may prevent the proper operation
of the microscope.
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Troubleshooting
Problem: Camera is not detected by the software.
Solution: Make sure the power supply connector is properly connected to the microscope.
Make sure the microscope is connected to the Ethernet port on your computer, and that the
power button is on and indicating a current with the light.
Problem: No light from the point source.
Solution: If there is no light coming from the point source and it is properly connected there may
be an alignment problem with the laser, there may be direct damage to the pinhole, or the laser
diode may have burned out. Send the microscope or point source back to the manufacturer for
re-alignment.
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11
Specifications
Resolution
0.5 micron
Power
5 Watts
Footprint
36 cm x 15 cm
Weight
4 kg
Data transfer
Gigabit Ethernet
Computer operating system
Windows XP or later
Communication & power
Ethhernet & 12 VDC
Hologram size
from 2048x2048 to 512x512
Frame rate
from 16 to 50 fps
List of Figures
1
Main view of the Desktop microscope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
2
The camera vertical control knob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
3
Microscope connectors
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
4
The z control knob for the sample stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
5
Point source assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
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