Lenses and uses, including microscopes

Abstract

A portable single lens microscope that provides structure between the eye and the microscope slide, preferably including a single lens having an aperture optimized to attain the best image resolution, preferably including a focus mechanism, preferably including a slide holding and moving mechanism, and preferably including a slide position locking mechanism, or any combination of these structures and mechanisms. Methods are disclosed for determining an optimum aperture size for a single lens microscope(and other uses) including a lens of any type, and methods are disclosed for designing a single lens microscope lens system that provides superior image quality. A single lens microscope according to the present invention can provide substantial and unexpected imaging benefits over previous single lens microscopes and compound microscopes.

1 - 75 . (canceled)  
   
   
       76 . A process for optimizing diffractive surface parameters of a lens, comprising: 
 (a) making focal distance variable;    (b) stepwise optimizing diffractive coefficients on a first surface, beginning with the lowest order coefficient;    (c) if the period/mm of the diffractive surface does not exceed the tooling limit, the process for the first surface is complete;    (d) if the period/mm of the first diffractive surface exceeds the tooling limit, eliminate the highest order diffractive surface coefficient and optimize the remaining diffractive surface coefficients;    (e) repeating (d) until the period/mm of the first diffractive surface does not exceed the tooling limit.    
   
   
       77 . The process of  claim 76 , further comprising performing (a)-(e) on a second surface.