Optical system and method of making same

Abstract

An imaging system and methodology is provided to facilitate optical imaging performance. The system includes a sensor and a lens system, including one or more lenses, configured according to sensor characteristics to facilitate scaling parts of the sensor to an object field of view so as to provide desired resolution of an object being viewed.

1 .- 20 . (cancelled)  
     
     
         21 . An imaging system, comprising: 
 a sensor comprising pixels, the pixels having a pixel size; and    a lens network having a smallest resolvable spot size in an object plane, the lens network operative to scale a projected pixel size in the object plane to about the smallest resolvable spot size in the object plane.    
     
     
         22 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the sensor is a charge coupled device sensor, a CMOS sensor, or a charge injection device sensor.  
     
     
         23 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises a numerical aperture functionally related to a ratio of a wavelength of light employed to illuminate an object, the numerical aperture (NA) being computed according to the expression: NA=(0.5×λ)/y, where λ is the wavelength of light and y is the pixel pitch.  
     
     
         24 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises at least one of an objective lens, an aspherical lens, a multiple lens configuration, a fiber optic taper, an image conduit, and a holographic optic element.  
     
     
         23 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network is operative to perform a Fourier transform of an object and an image in k-space.  
     
     
         24 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises a plurality of lenses comprising a first lens positioned toward an object field of view and a second lens positioned toward the sensor, the first lens having a focal length that is smaller than the second lens.  
     
     
         25 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises a k-space filter that makes spectral components of an object and spectral components of an image in k-space to be about the same.  
     
     
         26 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises k-space.  
     
     
         27 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , wherein the lens network comprises a lens having a diameter from about 10 to 100 mm.  
     
     
         28 . The imaging system of  claim 21 , further comprising an illumination source to illuminate an object.  
     
     
         29 . An imaging system, comprising: 
 a sensor comprising pixels, the pixels having a pixel size in an image plane; and    a lens network having an airy disk in an object plane, the lens network operative to scale the airy disk from the object plane to about the pixel size in the image plane.    
     
     
         30 . The imaging system of  claim 29 , wherein the lens network comprises k-space and is operative as an intrinsic spatial filter that makes spectral components of an object and spectral components of an image in the k-space to be about the same.  
     
     
         31 . The imaging system of  claim 29 , wherein the lens network comprises a plurality of lenses comprising a first lens positioned toward an object field of view and a second lens positioned toward the sensor, the first lens having a focal length that is smaller than the second lens.  
     
     
         32 . The imaging system of  claim 29 , wherein the sensor is a charge coupled device sensor or a CMOS sensor.  
     
     
         33 . The imaging system of  claim 29 , further comprising a light emitting diode to illuminate an object.  
     
     
         34 . A method of making an imaging system, comprising: 
 combining a sensor comprising pixels, the pixels having a pixel size with a lens network having a smallest resolvable spot size in an object plane, wherein the smallest resolvable spot size in an object plane and a projected pixel size through the lens network in the object plane are about the same.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising combining the sensor and the lens network with an illumination source.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , further comprising combining the sensor and the lens network with a light emitting diode.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the lens network comprises a plurality of lenses comprising a first lens positioned toward the object plane and a second lens positioned toward the sensor, the first lens having a focal length that is smaller than the second lens.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the lens network comprises an objective lens and secondary lens.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the sensor is a charge coupled device sensor or a CMOS sensor.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the lens network comprises k-space.