LED Microscope

Abstract

Disclosed is an LED fluorescence microscope without a need for light filters or dichroic mirrors and a method for using the same. The light source for this microscope is made of one or more LEDs directly illuminating the specimen 306 being observed without the use of any light filters or dichroic mirrors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A florescence microscope assembly for observing a specimen comprising:
 an objective lens assembly having an optical axis; and   a light source, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED), the light source with the objective lens assembly opposing the specimen, the light source being positioned off the optical axis of the objective lens assembly, and the light source illuminating the specimen when the specimen is located on the optical axis of the objective lens assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the objective lens assembly has a working distance of at least 2 mm. 
     
     
         3 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1  wherein the objective lens assembly comprises
 an amplification device with an amplification power of 40 and a working distance of 3.5 t0 3.7 mm. 
 
     
     
         4 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising two anti-reflective transparent sheets spaced apart whereby they contain the specimen. 
     
     
         5 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the anti-reflective transparent sheets are formed of fused silica. 
     
     
         6 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a camera located on the optical axis of the objective lens assembly and optically coupled thereto.   
     
     
         7 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 6 , further comprising
 a computer, wherein the camera is attached to the computer for data processing and analysis.   
     
     
         8 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the light emitting diode further comprises
 an LED array of a plurality of LEDs having differing frequencies.   
     
     
         9 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 8  further comprising
 a microcontroller coupled to the LED array, wherein the LED array is controlled by the microcontroller. 
 
     
     
         10 . The florescence microscope assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a light path without any light filters or dichroic mirrors.   
     
     
         11 . A method for performing florescence microscopy with an objective lens assembly comprising:
 exciting a specimen located with narrow band of light having a specific peak within an optical axis of a lens assembly using a light source, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED); the light source is off the optical axis; the light source and objective lens assembly oppose the specimen; and the light source illuminates the specimen when the specimen is located on the optical axis;   fluorescing light from the specimen to the objective lens in response to the excitation by the light source;   passing light fluoresced from the specimen through the objective lens assembly; and   observing the light passed through the objective lens.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , where passing light fluoresced from the specimen through the objective lens assembly comprises passing the light to the objective lens assembly across a working distance of at least 2 mm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , where passing light fluoresced from the specimen through the objective lens assembly comprises passing the light through an objective lens assembly having an amplification power of 40 and a working distance of 3.5-3.7 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising
 placing the specimen between anti-reflective transparent sheets.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , where placing the specimen between anti-reflective transparent sheets comprises placing the specimen on anti-reflective transparent sheets formed of fused silica. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , where observing the light passed through the objective lens assembly comprises detecting the light passed through the objective lens assembly with a camera wherein the camera is connected to a computer for data processing and analysis. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 exciting the specimen again with a narrow band of light having a new and different specific peak;   fluorescing light from the specimen to the objective lens in response to the new and different excitation wavelength;   passing this new light light fluoresced from the specimen through the objective lens assembly; and   observing this new light passed through the objective lens.   
     
     
         18 . A fluorescence microscope light source comprising
 a light emitting diode (LED) comprising:
 a light emitting diode circuit; and 
 an LED housing wherein the LED housing holds the light emitting diode circuit; 
   an LED mount comprising:
 an LED mount tube wherein the tube has a gap along its length, the internal diameter of the tube is sized to fit over a microscope objective, and the length of the tube is approximately the length of the microscope objective; and 
 a flange attached to the tube at each side of the gap; and 
   an LED receptacle attached to the tube specially sized to correspond to the LED housing wherein the LED housing is held in the LED receptacle.   
     
     
         19 . The fluorescence microscope light source of  claim 18 , the LED further comprising
 a lens wherein the lens is held in front of the light emitting diode circuit by the LED housing to focus emission of LED light from the light emitting diode circuit.   
     
     
         20 . The fluorescence microscope light source of  claim 18  wherein the LED receptacle is adjustable such that the angle with respect to the axis of the tube can be adjusted such that the area of focus of the light produced by the light emitting diode circuit is changed.