System for dark-field imaging of target areas below an object surface

A monitoring system for dark-field imaging of a target area below a surface of an object, the monitoring system including

• an illumination optical system to emit an illumination beam along an illumination beam path onto the object and
• an imaging system to receive a returning imaging beam from the target area along an imaging beam path, wherein
• the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path subtend an angle and
• the illumination optical system has an illumination focus,
• the imaging system has an imaging focus and
• the illumination focus being displaced from the imaging focus.

An analysis apparatus comprising

• a spectroscopy system that includes
• an excitation system to emit an excitation beam to a target area below a surface of an object and
• the analysis apparatus further comprising a monitoring system to image the target area, the monitoring system including
• a illumination optical system to emit an illumination beam along an illumination beam path onto the object and
• an imaging system to receive a returning imaging beam from the target area along an imaging beam path, wherein
• the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path subtend an angle.