PFS

PFS >

PFS On and Focus

Turns the Perfect Focus System (PFS) on and tries to find the PFS focal plane. Make sure the Z drive focal plane is not too far from the PFS focal plane otherwise the task may fail.

Use this task in long-term live-cell experiments (timelapses) to solve the axial focus fluctuations in real time.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System

If you check On fail, do the following, more actions can be done when PFS fails. Auto focusing can be done using a selected Autofocus + Focus Surface > Autofocus Settings task or Z stage can be moved up/down by a specified value.

PFS >

PFS Off

This task switches the PFS Off.

Use this task in the job to turn the PFS off whenever it is not needed.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System.

PFS >

PFS DM In

Puts the Dichromatic Mirror (DM) in the optical path of the Perfect Focus System (PFS).

Use this task for conducting experiments that require the exclusion and then returning the dichromatic mirror back in the optical path of the PFS.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System.

PFS >

PFS DM Out

Puts the Dichromatic Mirror (DM) out of the optical path of the PFS.

Use this task for conducting experiments that require the exclusion of the dichromatic mirror.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System.

PFS >

PFS Offset from the current z position

Finds a PFS offset for the current Z position and sets it as the current offset.

Use this task to ensure that exactly the same Z level will be kept when PFS is switched on.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System

PFS >

Auto PFS Focus Setup

Defines settings to be used by the PFS > Auto PFS Focus task. Select the optical configuration to be used. Similarly to auto-focus, range can be defined in the automatic mode, range and step for single-pass or two-passes can be defined for the Manual mode.

Use this task to set up the Auto PFS offset.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System

Stage Z

Select the focus criterion based on the nature of your specimen.

PFS >

Auto PFS Focus

The PFS system searches for the most in-focus plane and sets the PFS offset accordingly. This task uses settings defined by the PFS > Auto PFS Focus Setup task.

Use this task for creating a PFS surface.

Requires:

Task:

PFS > Auto PFS Focus Setup

Device:

Perfect Focus System, Stage Z

See Creating PFS Surface for a sample use case.

PFS >

Assign PFS to Point/Well

Uses the current Z position to specify PFS offset for the selected XY position (e.g. a well).

Use this task inside a loop over XY points after PFS > Auto PFS Focus .

Requires:

Task:

Well Plates > Loop over Wells or Stage XY Points > Loop over Points

Device:

Perfect Focus System

Redefine PFS on

Select one of your sample holder positions.

See Creating PFS Surface for a sample use case.

PFS >

Create PFS Surface

Calculates the global PFS surface from an existing set of PFS positions. To XY positions without the PFS position defined, the PFS position of the closest XY point (which includes PFS position) is copied.

Use this task for creating a global PFS surface.

Requires:

Task:

Well Plates > Loop over Wells or Stage XY Points > Loop over Points

Device:

Perfect Focus System, Motorized Stage

See Creating PFS Surface for a sample use case.

Compute PFS values from

Smooth Interpolation Surface

Any position on the resulting surface is a result of interpolation.

Nearest Control Point PFS Value

Value of the nearest control point position is taken.

PFS >

Move to PFS Surface

Changes the current PFS offset value to match the calculated PFS surface.

Use this task in the job whenever it is needed to move to the PFS surface.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System, Motorized Stage

PFS >

Offset PFS Surface

Modifies an existing PFS surface by adding / subtracting an offset distance.

Use this task to modify the current PFS surface by a specified value.

Requires:

Device:

Perfect Focus System, Motorized Stage

PFS🔗

PFS