Reflected fluorescence microscope with multiple laser and excitation light sources

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, to carry out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• a first reflected illumination optical system light path provided in a direction which crosses an observation optical system light path to said sample at a point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path provided in a direction which crosses said observation optical system light path at the same point of intersection as that between said observation optical system light path and said first reflected illumination optical system light path;
• a first movable member having a cube including a first dichroic mirror and a cube including a second dichroic mirror, for providing a desired one of said cubes to be inserted or detached at said point of intersection between said observation optical system light path and said first or second reflected illumination optical system light path;
• a third reflected illumination optical system light path provided in a direction which crosses said observation optical system light path at a different point of intersection from that between said first or second reflected illumination optical system light path;
• a second movable member having a cube including a third dichroic mirror, for providing said cube with said third dichroic mirror to be inserted or detached at said point of intersection between said observation optical system light path and said third reflected illumination optical system light path;
• and
• a fourth reflected illumination optical system light path provided in a direction which crosses said third reflected illumination optical system light path at a point of intersection.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, to carry and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample:
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which crosses said observation optical system light oath path at a point of intersection;
• and
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which crosses said observation optical system light path at the same said point of intersection as that between said observation optical system light path and in a different direction from said first reflected illumination optical system light path,
• wherein said first reflected illumination optical system light path and said second reflected illumination optical system light path transmit illumination light beams differing in spectral distributions.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein a wavelength of a light beam from the first light source of said first reflected illumination optical system light path is longer than a wavelength of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination optical system.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein said means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source comprises a cube which includes a dichroic mirror and which is capable of being inserted to and detached from said observation optical system light path at the second point of intersection.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical sample light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein said means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source comprises a plurality of cubes, each of which is capable of being inserted to and detached from said observation optical system light path at the second point of intersection.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a section reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• and
• a slider having a cube including a dichroic mirror, and wherein said slider is adapted to insert and remove said cube from said observation optical system light path at the first point of intersection.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein said second light source includes at least one of a laser light source and a mercury light source which forms said first reflected illumination optical system light path;
• and
• wherein said second light source produces an N2 laser having a wavelength at 337 nm.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein a wavelength of a light beam from the first light source of said first reflected illumination optical system light path is different from a wavelength of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination optical system.

A reflected fluorescence microscope for allowing a plurality of reflected illumination light beams to be selectively irradiated onto a sample, and carrying out optical operations of said sample and its fluorescence observation simultaneously, said microscope comprising:

• an observation optical system light path which passes through an objective lens from the sample to an image forming element for forming an image of the sample;
• a first reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a first light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a first point of intersection;
• a second reflected illumination optical system light path which is formed by a second light source and which crosses said observation optical system light path at a second point of intersection different from the first point of intersection, the second point of intersection being located between said objective lens and the first point of intersection;
• and
• means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source of said second reflected illumination to said observation optical system light path;
• wherein said means for inhibiting and allowing transmission of a light beam from the second light source comprises a cube which includes a dichroic mirror and which is capable of being inserted to and detached from said observation optical system light path at the second point of intersection.