# US 2026/0029328 A1 · Microscope and microscope control method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0029328 A1 - Document ID: US20260029328A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/341,789 - Filed: 2025-09-26 - Published: 2026-01-29 - Earliest claimed: 2023-03-31 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Applicants: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Yutaka SASAKI; Toru MURAYAMA - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260029328A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/01: Arrangements or apparatus for facilitating the optical investigation - G02B 21/0032: {Optical details of illumination, e.g. light-sources, pinholes, beam splitters, slits, fibers (G02B21/0036 - G02B21/008; means for illumination of specimens in general G02B21/06)} - G02B 21/0048: {scanning mirrors, e.g. rotating or galvanomirrors, MEMS mirrors} - G02B 21/008: {Details of detection or image processing, including general computer control} - G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens - G01N 2021/0175: {for selecting operating means} - G02B 21/0076: {arrangements using fluorescence or luminescence} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract The microscope includes: a light source which can be directly controlled between ON and OFF; an illumination optical system which radiates the light to form an illumination region on a sample; an optical path change member which changes an optical path of the light; and a control unit which controls the light source and the optical path change member, wherein the control unit controls the optical path change member, and performs a control to switch between first and second states and to set the light source to be ON in the second state, the first state being one in which the illumination region is formed when the light source is ON, and the illumination region is not formed when the light source is OFF, and the second state being one in which the illumination region is not formed when the light source is either ON or OFF. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A microscope comprising: a light source which is able to be directly controlled between an ON state in which coherent light is emitted and an OFF state in which the light is not emitted; an illumination optical system which radiates the light to form an illumination region on a sample; an optical path change member which changes an optical path of the light; and a control unit which controls the light source and the optical path change member, wherein the control unit controls the optical path change member, and performs a control to be able to switch between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the light forms the illumination region on the sample when the light source is in the ON state, and does not form the illumination region when the light source is in the OFF state, and the second state being a state in which the light does not form the illumination region on the sample when the light source is either in the ON state or in the OFF state, and set the light source to be in the ON state in the second state, before the light forms the illumination region on the sample to start acquiring an image with the light source being in the ON state, in the first state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the light source such that the ON state and the OFF state are repeated at predetermined timing, in the second state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the light source to be in the OFF state during at least one of switching from the first state to the second state, or switching from the second state to the first state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the illumination optical system further has a condensing lens, and in the first state, the light passes through the condensing lens, and in the second state, the light is incident on a predetermined standby position without passing through the condensing lens. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The microscope according to claim 4, further comprising: a holding member which holds the condensing lens, wherein the standby position is a part of the holding member. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The microscope according to claim 5, wherein a light blocking member is provided in the part. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The microscope according to claim 4, further comprising: a reflective member which is provided at the standby position, and which reflects the light; and an absorbing member which absorbs at least a part of the light that is reflected from the reflective member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the optical path change member is a galvanometer mirror or a spatial light modulator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The microscope according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs a control to set the light source to be in the ON state, in the second state, and switch the light to be in the first state after a standby for a predetermined time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The microscope according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined time is a time for an output value from the light source to become stable. ### Claim 11 A method of controlling a microscope which includes: a light source which is able to be directly controlled between an ON state in which coherent light is emitted and an OFF state in which the light is not emitted; an illumination optical system which radiates the light to form an illumination region on a sample; an optical path change member which changes an optical path of the light; and a control unit which controls the light source and the optical path change member, the method of controlling the microscope comprising: controlling the optical path change member, and performing a control to be able to switch between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the light forms the illumination region on the sample when the light source is in the ON state, and does not form the illumination region when the light source is in the OFF state, and the second state being a state in which the light does not form the illumination region on the sample when the light source is either in the ON state or in the OFF state, and set the light source to be in the ON state in the second state, before the light forms the illumination region on the sample to start acquiring an image with the light source being in the ON state, in the first state.