Optical zoom system for a light scanning microscope
AssigneeCarl Zeiss MicroImaging GmbH
InventorsRalf Wolleschensky, Joerg Steinert, Michael Goelles, Kristina Uhlendorf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
For a confocal scanning microscope (1) an optical zoom system (41) with linear scanning is provided, which not only makes a zoom function possible, in that a variable magnification of an image is possible, but rather which additionally produces a pupil image in the illuminating beam path (IB) [BS] and thereby makes a variable image length possible (distance between the original pupil (En.P) [EP] and the imaged/reproduced pupil (Ex.P) [AP]) so that axially varying objective pupil positions can thereby be compensated.
Claims14
An optical zoom system for use in a confocal light scanning microscope with linear scanning and having an illuminating beam path and an objective for capturing an object to be imaged, the illuminating beam path having an illuminating beam path entrance pupil, and the objective having an objective entrance pupil, the optical zoom system being adapted for positioning in the illuminating beam path in front of the objective, the optical zoom system comprising:
- optical zoom entrance and exit pupils defining an image length;
- means for adjusting at least one of the image magnification and the image length;
- means for adjusting the distance between the optical zoom entrance pupil and the optical zoom exit pupil in such a manner that an axially varying pupil position of the entrance pupil of the objective can be compensated for;
- and
- means for maintaining the position of the objective entrance pupil while the means for adjusting at least one of the image magnification and the image length are being adjusted,
- whereby the optical zoom system produces an intermediate image of the object and images the entrance pupil of the illuminating beam path with at least one of a variable magnification and a variable image length into the exit pupil.
A confocal scanning microscope, comprising:
- scanning means for guiding an illumination beam in the form of a line over an object to be imaged,
- an illuminating beam path having an illuminating beam path entrance pupil,
- an objective for capturing the object to be imaged, the objective having an objective entrance pupil, and
- an optical zoom system adapted positioned in the illuminating beam path in front of the objective and including:
- optical zoom entrance and exit pupils defining an image length;
- means for adjusting at least one of the image magnification and the image length;
- means for adjusting the distance between the optical zoom entrance pupil and the optical zoom exit pupil in such a manner that an axially varying pupil position of the entrance pupil of the objective can be compensated for;
- and
- means for maintaining the position of the pupil while the means for adjusting at least one of the image magnification and the image length are being adjusted,
- whereby the optical zoom system produces an intermediate image of the object and images the entrance pupil of the illuminating beam path with at least one of a variable magnification and a variable image length into the exit pupil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.