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Laser scanning microscope, and laser scanning microscope control method

  • US 10,642,012 B2
  • Filed: 05/30/2017
  • Issued: 05/05/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A laser scanning microscope comprising:

  • a laser light source that emits a laser beam;

    an objective that irradiates a specimen with the laser beam;

    a detection lens that condenses the laser beam that passes through the specimen, the detection lens being arranged so as to face the objective with the specimen interposed between the detection lens and the objective;

    a light diffusion element that is removably arranged between an image plane on which the detection lens forms an image of the specimen and a first surface that is a lens surface of the detection lens closest to the specimen, the light diffusion element converting the laser beam made incident on the light diffusion element into diffused light;

    a photodetector that detects detection light emitted from the detection lens to the image plane; and

    a controller that controls at least one of (i) an amplification factor of the photodetector so that the amplification factor of the photodetector increases when the light diffusion element is inserted into an optical path and decreases when the light diffusion element is removed from the optical path, and (ii) an output of the laser light source so that the output of the laser light source increases when the light diffusion element is inserted into the optical path and decreases when the light diffusion element is removed from the optical path,wherein the objective is one of a plurality of objectives that are switchable, andwherein the controller controls insertion of the light diffusion element into the optical path when the objective is switched to an objective having a magnification lower than 10 times, and controls removal of the light diffusion element when the objective is switched to an objective having a magnification equal to or higher than 10 times.

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