Optical device for scanning a beam in two axes that are substantially perpendicular to each other
AssigneeLeica Microsystems Heidelberg GmbH
InventorsJohann Engelhardt, Heinrich Ulrich
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Abstract
The invention relates to an optical device for scanning a beam in two axes that are substantially perpendicular to each other, for use in particular in confocal laser scan microscopes, and aims to avoid serious image defects. The invention is characterized in that it has three mirrors (1, 2; 3) of which two mirrors (1, 2) are fixedly positioned at an angle to each other so that they rotate together around the y-axis and in so doing rotate the beam (4) around a pivot point located on the axis of rotation (x-axis) of the third mirror (3) which rotates by itself.
Claims48
An optical configuration for scanning a beam in two axes that are fundamentally perpendicular to each other, said optical configuration comprising:
- a y-axis;
- an x-axis substantially perpendicular to said y-axis;
- a first mirror and a second mirror for reflecting said beam, said first and second mirrors being fixedly positioned at a predetermined angle relative to one another;
- a first drive for jointly rotating said first and second mirrors about said y-axis such that said beam pivots about a point on said x-axis as said first and second mirrors rotate jointly about said y-axis;
- a third mirror for reflecting said beam;
- and
- a second drive for rotating said third mirror in isolation about said x-axis.
The optical configuration according 21, wherein said range is about sixty degrees.
An optical configuration for scanning a beam in two axes that are fundamentally perpendicular to each other, said optical configuration comprising:
- a y-axis;
- an x-axis substantially perpendicular to said y-axis;
- a first mirror and a second mirror for reflecting said beam, said first and second mirrors being fixedly positioned at a predetermined angle relative to one another;
- a first drive for jointly rotating said first and second mirrors about said y-axis such that said beam pivots about a point on said x-axis as said first and second mirrors rotate jointly about said y-axis;
- a third mirror for reflecting said beam;
- a second drive for rotating said third mirror in isolation about said x-axis;
- and
- a fourth mirror and a fifth mirror for reflecting said beam, said fourth and fifth mirrors being fixedly positioned at a predetermined angle relative to one another and jointly rotatable about said y-axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.