Important Design Perspectives
Balancing Resolution and Magnification: An increase in large magnification usually leads to a decrease in resolution. For the 20x objective lens, for instance, Avantier needs to strike a balance between providing sufficient magnification and maintaining high resolution in order to observe tiny cellular structures clearly.In our design process, we implemented a series of effective measurements to enhance the performance of the optical system, ultimately meeting the customer’s requirements successfully. One major improvement involved improving resolution by customizing multiple lenses, not only singlets, but also doublets, in order to reduce achromatic aberration. This strategy allowed us to better control the focusing of light, revealing microscopic details in the images, and enhancing the overall resolution and MTF (Modulation of Transfer Function) of the system.Furthermore, we employed specialized coating techniques in the design of the lenses, including 99.99% AR (anti-reflective) coatings and dielectric coatings. The utilization of these coatings played a pivotal role in enhancing the optical system’s performance. The introduction of AR (anti-reflective) coatings effectively reduced light reflection rate (which means greatly increasing transmission rate) and light scattering. This not only enabled illumination light sources to pass through the objective system, but also achieved high quality imaging while lowering reflection rate, providing end-users with a larger and clearer FOV (Field Of View).Distortion Control: In the design of objective lenses, it is essential to consider various distortions such as spherical aberration, chromatic aberration, coma, etc. to ensure accurate and clear images crossing the entire FOV (field of view).Under the design process, a front stop was added in front of the aspheric lens to reduce distortion at the outer edges or boundary regions of an image. This design decision requires a precise balance between distortion correction and considerations based on Avantier’s 60+ years experience in optical designing and manufacturing, considering the implications for the lens’s dimension outline and optical specifications. With Avantier’s 50+ optical engineers’ countless experiences and efforts, outstanding optical performance, including high N.A. (numerical aperture), large magnifications, long working distance, can be achieved while ensuring and keeping the uniformity of production quality and fast turning lead time. Avantier has served millions of customers worldwide in the past 60+ years, mainly focusing on microscopic objective design and manufacturing in the last 20 years.