Method for beam control in a scanning microscope, arrangement for beam control in a scanning microscope, and scanning microscope

• US 20020041439A1
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Published: 04/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Microsystems Gmbh (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Leica Microsystems Gmbh (Danaher Corporation)
• Inventors: Engelhardt, Johann, Knebel, Werner
• Granted Patent: US 6,580,554 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/368
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/002 Scanning microscopes scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18

Abstract

A method and an arrangement for beam control in a scanning microscope are disclosed. The scanning microscope comprises means for acquiring and displaying (3) a preview image (7) and a microscope optical system (51). Means for marking (5) at least one region of interest (27, 29) in the preview image (7) are provided. A first beam deflection device (43, 67, 68) displaces the scan field (31, 33) onto the region of interest (27, 29); and a second beam deflection device (49, 72, 94) serves for meander-shaped scanning within the scan field (31, 33).

Claims

1. A method for beam control in a scanning microscope, comprising the following steps:

acquiring a preview image;

marking at least one region of interest in the preview image;

displacing a scan field onto the region of interest by means of a first beam deflection device; and

acquiring an image by meander-shaped scanning of the region of interest with a second beam deflection device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, comprising a further step in which the first beam deflection device transfers the meander-shaped scanning of a region of interest into the meander-shaped scanning of a further region of interest.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the meander-shaped scanning of the regions of interest proceeds in accordance with a defined sequence and thereby acquires information from the regions of interest.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the sequence of the meander-shaped scanning of the regions of interest is user-defined.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the sequence of the meander-shaped scanning of the regions of interest is performed automatically on the basis of the information obtained from the regions of interest.

6. An arrangement for beam control comprising:

a scanning microscope defining a scan field;

means for acquiring and displaying a preview image

a microscope optical system;

means for marking at least one region of interest in the preview image;

a first beam deflection device for displacing the scan field onto the region of interest; and

a second beam deflection device for meander-shaped scanning within the scan field.

7. The arrangement for beam control as defined in claim 6, wherein the first beam deflection device transfers the meander-shaped scanning of a region of interest into the meander-shaped scanning of a further region of interest.

8. The arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the second beam deflection device is configured with two beam deflection modules.

9. The arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the first beam deflection device is configured with two beam deflection modules.

10. The arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device consists essentially of a gimbal-mounted mirrors, a micromirror, an acoustooptical deflector, a galvanometer mirror or a resonantly oscillating mirror system.

11. The arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the first beam deflection device is arranged substantially in the vicinity of a plane conjugated with the focal plane of the microscope optical system.

12. The arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the second beam deflection device is arranged substantially in the vicinity of a plane conjugated with the focal plane of the microscope optical system.

13. The arrangement as defined in claim 11, wherein an imaging optical system is provided between the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device.

14. The arrangement as defined in claim 13, wherein a relay optical system is provided between the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device.

16. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the first beam deflection device transfers the meander-shaped scanning of one region of interest into the meander-shaped scanning of a further region of interest.

17. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the second beam deflection device is configured with two beam deflection modules.

18. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the first beam deflection device is configured with two beam deflection modules.

19. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device consists essentially of gimbal-mounted mirrors, a micromirror, an acoustooptical deflector, a galvanometer mirror or a resonantly oscillating mirror system.

20. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the first beam deflection device is arranged substantially in the vicinity of a plane conjugated with the focal plane of the microscope optical system.

21. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 15, wherein the second beam deflection device is arranged substantially in the vicinity of a plane conjugated with the focal plane of the microscope optical system.

22. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 20, wherein an imaging optical system is provided between the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device.

23. The scanning microscope as defined in claim 22, wherein a relay optical system is provided between the first beam deflection device and second beam deflection device.

15. A scanning microscope comprising:

an arrangement for beam control,

means for acquiring and displaying a preview image

a microscope optical system,

means for marking at least one region of interest in the preview image,

a first beam deflection device for displacing the scan field onto the region of interest; and

a second beam deflection device for meander-shaped scanning within the scan field.