US 5,691,839 A · Laser scanning optical microscope

Abstract

A laser scanning optical microscope comprises a laser light source which focuses a laser beam to a small spot through an objective optical system, and the laser beam is projected along a light path onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally. A first scanning device scans the specimen in a first direction with a first scanning frequency. A second scanning device scans the specimen in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction with a second scanning frequency lower than the first frequency. A third scanning device scans the specimen in third direction parallel to the first direction at a third frequency lower than the first and second frequencies. A light receiving element receives light reflected or transmitted by the scanned specimen and produces a photoelectric signal. A signal processing device converts the photoelectric signal to a signal capable of being monitored on a monitor having a television scanning line system with predetermined horizontal and vertical scanning frequencies corresponding to the second and third scanning directions.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

three or more optical scanning means having different scanning frequencies for two-dimensionally scanning the laser beam in a zig-zag pattern by scanning the laser beam in a first scanning direction perpendicular to a second scanning direction while the laser beam makes small oscillations along the first scanning direction, and scanning the laser beam in a third scanning direction parallel to the first scanning direction;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the three or more optical scanning means.

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain image information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

first optical scanning means for scanning a laser beam in a first scanning direction at a first frequency;
second optical scanning means for scanning the laser beam in a second scanning direction perpendicular to the first scanning direction at a second frequency lower than the first frequency;
third optical scanning means for scanning the laser beam in a third scanning direction parallel to the first scanning direction at a third frequency lower than both of the first and second frequencies;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the first, second, and third optical scanning means.

2 more elements

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain image information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

an acousto-optical deflector for scanning a laser beam in a first scanning direction at a first frequency;
a vibration mirror galvanometer for scanning the laser beam in a second scanning direction perpendicular to the first scanning direction at a second frequency lower than the first frequency;
a mirror galvanometer for scanning the laser beam in a third scanning direction parallel to the first scanning direction at a third frequency lower than both of the first and second frequencies;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the acousto-optical deflector the vibration mirror galvanometer and the mirror galvanometer.

2 more elements

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain image information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

non-mechanical optical scanning means for scanning a laser beam in a first scanning direction at a first frequency;
a vibration mirror galvanometer for scanning the laser beam in a second scanning direction perpendicular to the first scanning direction at a second frequency lower than the first frequency;
synchronous detection means for synchronously detecting a scanning position of the vibration mirror galvanometer;
a mirror galvanometer for scanning the laser beam in a third scanning direction parallel to the first scanning direction at a frequency lower than both of the first and second frequencies;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning line signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the non-mechanical optical scanning means, vibration mirror galvanometer and mirror galvanometer and in accordance with a control signal from the synchronous detection means.

3 more elements

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain image information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

three or more optical scanning means each having different scanning frequencies for two-dimensionally scanning a laser beam;
control means for correcting raster distortion arising from sine wave oscillation in one of the optical scanning means by adjusting a deflection angle of one of the optical scanning means having a scanning frequency higher than sine wave oscillation frequency;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning line signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the three or more optical scanning means.

1 more element

A laser scanning optical microscope in which a laser beam from a laser light source is focussed to a small spot by an objective optical system and projected onto a specimen while also being scanned two-dimensionally, and light reflected or transmitted by the specimen is detected and photoelectrically converted by light receiving means to thereby obtain image information on the specimen, the laser scanning optical microscope comprising:

non-mechanical optical scanning means for scanning a laser beam in one direction at a prescribed frequency;
two mirror galvanometers for scanning the laser beam perpendicularly and parallel to the scanning direction of the non-mechanical optical scanning means at two frequencies lower than the prescribed frequency;
control means for magnifying or reducing an observation field of view of the specimen by changing a deflection angle of the laser beam scanned by the non-mechanical optical scanning means and the two mirror galvanometers;
and
signal processing means for converting a detection signal obtained from the light receiving means to a standard television scanning line signal corresponding to a laser beam scanning pattern obtained with the non-mechanical optical scanning means and the two mirror galvanometers;
wherein the laser beam scanning pattern formed by the non-mechanical optical scanning means and the two mirror galvanometers is a two-dimensionally moving zig-zag pattern formed by scanning the laser beam in a first direction perpendicular to a second scanning direction while the beam makes small oscillations along the first scanning direction, and scanning the laser beam in a third direction parallel to the first scanning direction.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Laser scanning optical microscope

Life of this patent

Laser scanning optical microscope

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42