Stage driving apparatus

A stage driving apparatus comprising:

• a stage two-dimensionally movable within a predetermined plane along guides for defining a first rectangular coordinate system, and rotatable about an intersection between the plane and an optical axis of an observation optical system for observing a sample placed on said stage;
• a control device, having a movement operation member for moving said stage, for outputting a drive signal in relation to the first rectangular coordinate system to control said stage in accordance with an operation of said movement operation member;
• a detector for detecting a rotational error quantity between the first rectangular coordinate system and a second rectangular coordinate system defined with respect to said observation optical system in said predetermined plane;
• and
• a converter for converting a drive signal from said control device into a signal in relation to the second rectangular coordinate system, in accordance with the rotational error quantity.

A microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system for observing a sample;
• a stage for mounting the sample and rotatable about an optical axis of said observation optical system;
• two guides, for moving said stage within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of said observation optical system, rotatable together with said stage and orthogonal to each other;
• an input device for inputting a signal representing a moving direction of said stage;
• a converter for converting a signal inputted to said input device based on an observation image of the sample on said stage through said observation optical system into an output signal with a compensated relative rotational deviation between a moving direction defined by the observation image and a moving direction defined by said two guides;
• and
• a driving device for moving said stage along said two guides based on the output signal from said converter.

A microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system for observing a sample;
• a stage for mounting the sample, said stage being two-dimensionally movable within a predetermined plane along two orthogonal guides and rotatable together with said two guides about an optical axis of said observation optical system;
• a control device, having a movement operating member for moving said stage, for outputting a drive signal in relation to the first rectangular coordinate system defined by said guides to control said stage in accordance with an operation of said operation member;
• a detector for detecting a rotational error quantity between the first rectangular coordinate system and a second rectangular coordinate system defined with respect to said observation optical system in said predetermined plane;
• and
• a converter for converting a drive signal from said control device into a signal in relation to the second rectangular coordinate system, in accordance with the rotational error quantity.