# US 7,746,552 B2 · Illumination module for evanescent illumination and microscope

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- Number: US 7,746,552 B2
- Document ID: US7746552B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/435,208
- Filed: 2009-05-04
- Published: 2009-08-27
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2003-09-25
- Assignees: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
- Inventors: Andreas Hecker; Werner Knebel; Kyra Moellmann; Heinrich Ulrich
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7746552B2

## CPC

- G02B 21/06: Means for illuminating specimens
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

A microscope with a light source that produces an illumination light beam for evanescently illuminating a sample includes an adjustment mechanism with which the polarization of the illumination light beam may be changed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A microscope using a sample, comprising:
an objective comprising an objective pupil,
a light source generating an illumination light beam having a focus within the objective pupil and directed into the objective to produce evanescent illumination of the sample,
a beam splitter in the illumination light beam splitting off a measuring beam from the illumination light beam, and
a control mechanism controlling a depth of penetration of the evanescent illumination into the sample, comprising
a polarization analyzer in the measuring beam determining polarization of the measuring beam and
an adjustment mechanism changing polarization of the illumination light beam.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, further comprising an adjustable beam deflector adjusting position of the focus within the objective pupil.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a phase plate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a Faraday rotator or a Pockels cell or double-refractive material or a liquid crystal cell.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, wherein the polarization analyzer comprises a polarization beam splitter.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The microscope of claim 5, wherein the polarization beam splitter splits the measuring beam into an s-polarized measuring beam and a p-polarized measuring beam.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The microscope of claim 6, wherein a first detector receives the s-polarized measuring beam and a second detector receives the p-polarized measuring beam.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, further comprising an illumination module comprising the light source and the adjustment mechanism.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The microscope of claim 8, further comprising a microscope stand, wherein the illumination module is releasably coupled to the microscope stand.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, further comprising a camera or a charge-coupled device (CCD) element or an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) element for recording images.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, further comprising a power-adjustment mechanism changing the light power of the illumination light beam.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The microscope of claim 1, further comprising a scanning microscope.

### Claim 13

An illumination module for coupling to a microscope using a sample, the microscope having an objective pupil plane, the illumination module comprising;
a light source generating an illuminating light beam having a focus in the objective pupil plane and producing evanescent illumination of the sample and
a beam splitter in the illumination light beam splitting off a measuring beam from the illumination light beam, and
a control mechanism controlling a depth of penetration of the evanescent illumination into the sample, comprising
a polarization analyzer in the measuring beam determining polarization of the measuring beam and
an adjustment mechanism changing polarization of the illumination light beam.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, further comprising an adjustable beam deflector adjusting position of the focus within the objective pupil.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a phase plate.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, wherein the adjustment mechanism comprises a Faraday rotator or a Pockels cell or double-refractive material or a liquid crystal cell.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, wherein the polarization analyzer comprises a polarization beam splitter.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The illumination module of claim 17, wherein the polarization beam splitter splits the measuring beam into an s-polarized measuring beam and a p-polarized measuring beam.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The illumination module of claim 18, wherein a first detector receives the s-polarized measuring beam and a second detector receives the p-polarized measuring beam.

### Claim 20 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13 releasably coupled to a microscope stand of the microscope.

### Claim 21 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, further comprising a camera or a charge-coupled device (CCD) element or an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) element for recording images.

### Claim 22 (depends on 13)

The illumination module of claim 13, further comprising a power-adjustment mechanism changing the light power of the illumination light beam.

### Claim 23 (depends on 13)

The microscope of claim 13, wherein the microscope comprises a scanning microscope.