Infrared Microscope

A microscope comprising:

• a radiation source that emits temporally coherent infrared radiation that propagates along an optical path of the microscope during operation;
• a sample plane in which a sample is disposed during operation;
• a detector that detects the infrared radiation after the infrared radiation interacts with the sample;
• an objective lens that forms an image of the sample plane on the detector during operation;
• and
• an isolator arrangement disposed in the optical path between the sample plane and the detector, wherein the isolator arrangement permits the infrared radiation to travel in the optical path only in a direction towards the detector.

A microscope comprising:

• a radiation source that emits temporally coherent infrared radiation that propagates along an optical path of the microscope during operation;
• a sample plane in which a sample is disposed during operation;
• a detector that detects the infrared radiation after the infrared radiation interacts with the sample;
• an objective lens that forms an image of the sample plane on the detector;
• and
• a path length modulator that continuously varies an optical path length of the optical path between the sample plane and the detector.

A microscope comprising:

• a radiation source that emits temporally coherent infrared radiation that propagates along an optical path of the microscope during operation;
• a sample plane in which a sample is disposed during operation;
• a detector that detects the infrared radiation after the infrared radiation interacts with the sample;
• an objective lens that forms an image of the sample plane on the detector;
• and
• a mask that is disposed in the optical path between the sample plane and the detector, wherein the mask has a radial mask section that blocks the infrared radiation and a radial mask-free section, and wherein the mask exhibits an inverted point symmetry about an optical axis of the microscope with respect to the radial mask section and the radial mask-free section.