Optodijital konfokal mikroskopun opto-mekanik tasarım ve geliştirmesi

Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) technique allows for obtaining high resolution, clear images of thin sections in a sample. The power of a LSCM arises from exciting a very small region of the sample at a time and using a spatial filter, usually a pinhole, in front of the detector cancelling the out of focus light. Then, 2D digital images can be constructed by scanning the desired field of view of the sample. Combining these images at the end, high resolution 3D images can be obtained. Although, LSCM systems are widely used in biology, genetics, physics and other sciences, their high cost often requires central research facilities that hinders their wide use. The aim of this thesis was to develop a cost-efficient, compact and computer controlled LSCM using a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) that eliminates the need for a scan lens and galvanometer. DMD chip is composed of micro mirrors, each of them functioning as a pinhole due to their rotation to two positions. High speed parallel scanning can be achieved by applying different patterns on the DMD chip that is located at the plane conjugate to the focal plane of the objective. Subsequently, by using a detector at a confocal point, digital images can be produced. In this thesis, first a galvanometer mirror based LSCM was constructed. A program was developed to control the mirrors and gather data to form the images. Then a DMD-based optodigital LSCM was developed by using sequential patterns to scan the specimen. Optical and mechanical designs of the optical setups, optical alignment, optical simulation with Zemax , 3D CAD design with Solidworks and sampling with the program were accomplished.