Multimodal miniature microscope

Abstract

Apparatus for receiving and positioning optical components. The apparatus includes a substrate, one or more mounting slots, and one or more springs. The one or more mounting slots are formed in the substrate, and each mounting slot includes a mounting slot wall. At least one of the mounting slots is adapted to receive an optical component. At least one of the mounting slots is coupled to one of the springs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for receiving and positioning optical components, the apparatus comprising: 
 a substrate;    one or more mounting slots formed in the substrate, each mounting slot comprising a mounting slot wall, and at least one of the mounting slots adapted to receive an optical component; and    one or more springs, wherein at least one of the mounting slots is coupled to one of the springs.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate has a length of less than about 10 mm, a width of less than about 5 mm, and a thickness of less than about 3 mm.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is silicon.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is metal.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the mounting slots further comprise one or more grooves formed in the mounting slot wall.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein each groove is adapted to receive a protrusion formed on the optical component.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the springs are configured to secure at least one of protrusions formed on the optical component in at least one of the grooves formed in the mounting slot wall.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the springs are silicon.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each spring comprises a first elongated portion and a second elongated portion, the second elongated portion coupled to the first elongated portion such that an angle defined by the first elongated portion and the second elongated portion is acute.  
     
     
         10 . A microscope for generating images of tissue, comprising: 
 a substrate;    a plurality of springs;    a plurality of mounting slots formed in the substrate, each of the plurality of mounting slots adapted to receive an optical component, each of the plurality of mounting slots comprising a mounting slot wall, and each mounting slot having one of the plurality of springs coupled to the mounting slot wall;    a plurality of optical components;    wherein one or more of the plurality of optical components are adapted to be partially contained in one or more of the plurality of mounting slots.    
     
     
         11 . The microscope of  claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of mounting slots further comprise one or more grooves formed in the mounting slot wall.  
     
     
         12 . The microscope of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of optical components adapted to be at least partially contained in the plurality of mounting slots further comprise one or more protrusions that are adapted to be received in the one or more grooves.  
     
     
         13 . The microscope of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of optical components comprise: 
 an illumination source configured to illuminate the tissue with radiation;    a detector configured to collect radiation from the tissue;    a beam splitter in operative relation with the illumination source and the detector, the beam splitter configured to select a first wavelength to be directed from the illumination source to the tissue and configured to select a second wavelength to be directed from the tissue to the detector; and    a lens in operative relation with the beam splitter.    
     
     
         14 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination source, detector, and beam splitter are adapted to be at least partially contained in one of the plurality of mounting slots.  
     
     
         15 . The microscope of  claim 14 , wherein the illumination source, detector, and beam splitter each further comprise one or more protrusions that are adapted to be received in the one or more grooves.  
     
     
         16 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination source is located externally to the substrate.  
     
     
         17 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of optical components further comprise: 
 a collector mirror in operative relation with the light source, the collector mirror;    one or more refractive lenses in operative relation with the beam splitter, the one or more refractive lenses;    a scanning grating in operative relation with the beam splitter, the scanning configured to be used for optical sectioning; and    a CMOS active-pixel image sensor.    
     
     
         18 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the collector mirror, the one or more refractive lenses, and the scanning grating are adapted to be at least partially contained in one of the plurality of mounting slots.  
     
     
         19 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the scanning grating is a double-pass scanning grating.  
     
     
         20 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the scanning grating is integral with the substrate.  
     
     
         21 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination source emits wavelengths from between 350 nm to 500 nm.  
     
     
         22 . The microscope of  claim 13 , wherein the illumination source emits wavelengths from between 600 nm to 1100 nm.  
     
     
         23 . The microscope of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate has a length of less than about 10 mm, a width of less than about 5 mm, and a thickness of less than about 2.5 mm.  
     
     
         24 . The microscope of  claim 10 , further comprising a low-magnification imaging system.  
     
     
         25 . A method for imaging tissue, comprising: 
 obtaining a microscope comprising: 
 a substrate,  
 a plurality of springs,  
 a plurality of mounting slots formed in the substrate, each of the plurality of mounting slots adapted to receive an optical component, each of the plurality of mounting slots comprising a mounting slot wall, and each mounting slot having one of the plurality of springs coupled to the mounting slot wall,  
 a plurality of optical components,  
 wherein one or more of the plurality of optical components are adapted to be partially contained in one or more of the plurality of mounting slots;  
   imaging the tissue with the microscope.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the imaging comprises confocal imaging.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , where the confocal imaging comprises confocal reflectance imaging and confocal fluorescence imaging.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the imaging comprises fluorescence imaging.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the imaging comprises reflectance imaging.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the imaging comprises confocal imaging, fluorescence imaging, and reflectance imaging.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the imaging comprises imaging a tumor in the tissue.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the imaging comprises confocal imaging.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , where the confocal imaging comprises confocal reflectance imaging and confocal fluorescence imaging.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the imaging comprises fluorescence imaging.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the imaging comprises reflectance imaging.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the imaging comprises confocal imaging, fluorescence imaging, and reflectance imaging.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising marking the tumors with a dye.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the dye is conjugated to an antibody.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the dye is conjugated to an antibody for cytokeratins.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the dye is Nile Blue A.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the dye is Texas Red.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising marking the tumors with a reflective nanoparticle.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , the nanoparticle comprising gold.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising marking the tumors with a quantum dot.