Laser scanning microscope

• US 6,631,226 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 10/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: CARL Zeiss JENA GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Simon, Ulrich, Wilhelm, Stefan, Schoeppe, Guenter, Groebler, Bernhard, Heinz, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): ULLAH, AKM E
• Application Number:
  US09/677,685
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 600/476, 600/477, 600/478, 436/20, 436/63, 436/171, 436/172, 356/326, 356/51, 356/300, 356/308, 356/436, 356/73, 356/301, 250/339, 250/339.11, 250/339.02, 359/308, 385/31, 385/33, 385/39, 385/147
• US Class Current: 385/33
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/002 Scanning microscopes scanning near field optical microscopes G01Q60/18

Abstract

An arrangement and corresponding method are provided for coupling radiation, preferably laser radiation, into a scanning head with a scanning unit in at least two dimensions. The radiation is focussed on an object via a microscope objective via at least one light-conducting fiber which is coupled with the scanning head. A collimator is arranged downstream of the fiber end at the scanning head for collimating the radiation exiting in a divergent manner at the fiber end.

Claims

1. An arrangement for coupling laser radiation, into a scanning head of a laser scanning microscope, the scanning head having a scanning unit scanning in at least two dimensions, comprising:

a microscope objective for focusing the radiation on an object;

at least one light-conducting fiber coupled with the scanning head, the radiation being focused on the object via said at least one light-conducting fiber; and

an AOTF arranged between a UV laser and a light-guide input of said at least one light-conducting fiber.

2. A method for the operation of an arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the UV-radiation is directed to the light-guide input or is directed past this light-guide input by controlling the AOTF.

3. A method of coupling radiation in a laser scanning microscope, the method comprising:

inputting a UV laser radiation from a laser source into an optical fiber wherein the inputted laser radiation is scanned by a scanning head having a scanning unit that can scan in at least two dimensions;

focusing the scanning laser radiation on an object through a microscope objective; and

wherein the laser radiation is directed to the optical fiber or is directed past the optical fiber by controlling an AOTF coupled between the optical fiber and the laser source.

4. An arrangement for coupling laser radiation in a laser scanning microscope, comprising:

an optical fiber operable to receive a laser radiation from a laser source;

an AOTF disposed between the laser source and the optical fiber;

a scanning head coupled to the optical fiber and having a scanning unit operable to scan in at least two dimensions; and

a microscope objective for focusing a scanning laser radiation on an object for imaging the object.

5. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the AOTF controls the wavelength of laser radiation directed to the optical fiber.

6. The arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the AOTF controls the intensity of the laser radiation.

7. The arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising a detection unit operable to detect radiation proceeding from the scanned object to image the object.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising:

at least one splitter mirror; and

wherein the laser source includes at least two different lasers coupled to the at least one splitter mirror to feed radiation from the at least two different lasers into the AOTF.