Imaging device and imaging method for an imaging device

• Main Authors: Arnz, Michael, Seidel, Dirk, Perlitz, Sascha
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 17.04.2019
• Subjects: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS

There is provided an imaging device comprising an autofocus device (1) and an imaging lens system (9) with a first focal plane (20), an object stage (11) for holding an object (3), a first movement module (30) for the relative movement of object stage (11) and imaging lens system (9), wherein the autofocus device (1) comprises an image-recording module (9) with a second focal plane the position of which relative to the first focal plane is known, a second movement module (30) for the relative movement of object stage (11) and image-recording module (9), a focus module for producing a two-dimensional, intensity-modulated focussing image (19) in a focus module plane which intersects the second focal plane (20) and a control module (24) which controls the image-recording module (9), which then records a first two-dimensional image of the object (3) together with the focussing image (19) during a predetermined first exposure time, and wherein the control module (24), using the first two-dimensional image recorded by means of the image-recording module (9) and taking into account the relative position of the first and second focal plane (20), evaluates the required change in distance between the object stage (11) and the imaging lens system (9) and controls the first movement module (30) such that the evaluated change in distance is carried out for focussing the imaging device, wherein, the control module controls the second movement module such that, during the first exposure time for recording the first two-dimensional image, the object stage is moved relative to the image-recording module in a plane parallel to the second focal plane, and the imaging device, after carrying out the evaluated change in distance, records a second two-dimensional image of the object (3) by means of the imaging lens system (9), wherein the object stage (11) and/or the object (3) is not moved relative to the imaging lens system (9) in a plane parallel to the first focal plane during a second exposure time for recording the second two-dimensional image.