Microscope for reflected-light and transmitted-light microscopy
AssigneeCarl Zeiss Jena GmbH
InventorsGerhard J. Mueller, Ralf Wolleschensky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microscope is disclosed in which a specimen is arranged between two objectives and can be observed with reflected light as well as with transmitted light. In a microscope with field transmission, two objectives have substantially identical optical characteristics and at least one of the two objectives is followed by a mirror which reflects the light transmitted through the specimen back into itself exactly. In this way, there is twofold transmission through the specimen with optimum illumination of the solid angle. In a laser scanning microscope, there are likewise two objectives with identical optical characteristics and at least one of the objectives is followed by a phase-conjugating or adaptive mirror.
Claims20
A microscope comprising:
- two objectives between which a light-transmitting specimen is arranged;
- said objectives having at least substantially identical optical characteristics;
- and
- at least one of said two objectives being followed by a mirror for reflecting light transmitted through the specimen back into itself exactly.
A microscope comprising:
- two objectives between which a light-transmitting specimen is arranged;
- said objectives having at least substantially identical optical characteristics;
- and
- at least one of said two objectives being followed by a phase-conjugating mirror for reflecting light transmitted through the specimen back into itself exactly with respect to direction and phase front;
- and
- a detector for receiving reflected specimen fluorescent radiation from the light transmitting specimen.
A confocal laser scanning microscope for examining a light transmitting specimen comprising:
- a laser for providing excitation light to the light transmitting specimen to induce fluorescence in the specimen whereupon the excitation light and the fluorescence is transmitted through the specimen;
- two objectives between which the light-transmitting specimen is arranged;
- a first pinhole diaphragm located between the laser and the objectives;
- said objectives having at least substantially identical optical characteristics;
- at least one of said two objectives being followed by an optically adaptive mirror or phase conjugating mirror for reflecting the excitation light and the fluorescence transmitted through the specimen back into the specimen exactly to improve contrast;
- a detector for receiving specimen fluorescent radiation from the light transmitting specimen;
- a second pinhole diaphragm located between the objectives and the detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.