Optical scan device, optical scan type microscope, observation method, control device, and control program

• US 7,715,078 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Okugawa, Hisashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pritchett; Joshua L
• Application Number:
  US12/145,996
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316561A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: 359/368, 359/381, 359/385, 359/388, 359/201.2, 359/202.1, 359/203.1, 359/212.1, 359/212.2, 359/213.1
• US Class Current: 359/212.1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 21/0048 scanning mirrors, e.g. rotating or galvanomirrors, MEMS mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/105 with one or more pivoting mirrors or galvano-mirrors G02B26/101 takes precedence

Abstract

It is an object to realize smooth switching between free scanning and high speed scanning in a light scanning apparatus and a light scanning microscope. To attain the object, a light scanning apparatus includes at least three mirror scanners disposed at predetermined positions of a light path for light scanning, and a light path switching unit switching the light path between a light path in which a highest-speed mirror scanner among the mirror scanners is valid and a light path in which the highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid. Therefore, the switching between a free scanning mode and a high speed scanning mode is performed by the driving of the light switching unit and involves no movement of galvanometer scanners. In addition, since the resonant galvanometer scanner is invalid during the free scanning mode, it is possible to make the resonant galvanometer scanner on standby.

Claims

1. A light scanning apparatus comprising:

at least three mirror scanners disposed at predetermined positions for light scanning; and

a light path switching unit switching between a first light path, in which a highest-speed mirror scanner among said mirror scanners is valid and a second light path in which said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid, wherein

the light switching unit is separated from and structurally independent of the scanners, and

said first light path and said second light path are different from one another.

2. The light scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said light path switching is performed by insertion or rotation of said light switching unit.

3. The light scanning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

said highest-speed mirror scanner is one resonant galvanometer scanner for main scanning; and

other scanners are a pair of controllable galvanometer scanners for main scanning and vertical scanning.

4. The light scanning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

a collecting lens collecting light directed toward a plane to be scanned is disposed between said highest-speed mirror scanner and the other scanners, and the plane to be scanned; and

the disposition position of said highest-speed mirror scanner and the disposition positions of said other scanners are both set substantially conjugate with a pupil of said collecting lens.

5. A light scanning microscope comprising:

the light scanning apparatus according to claim 4 scanning a plane of a specimen by light from a light source; and

a detecting unit detecting light generated on said plane of the specimen.

6. The light scanning microscope according to claim 5, wherein

said detecting unit confocally detects the light generated on said plane of the specimen.

7. An observation method utilizing the light scanning microscope according to claim 6, the method comprising the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.

8. A controlling apparatus applied for the light scanning microscope according to claim 6, the controlling apparatus executing the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.

9. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a controlling program for a computer connected to the light scanning microscope according to claim 6, the computer-readable carrier medium carrying the controlling program including the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.

10. An observation method utilizing the light scanning microscope according to claim 5, the method comprising the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.

11. A controlling apparatus applied for the light scanning microscope according to claim 5, the controlling apparatus executing the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.

12. A computer-readable carrier medium carrying a controlling program for a computer connected to the light scanning microscope according to claim 5, the computer-readable carrier medium carrying the controlling program including the operations of:

setting said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is invalid and irradiating part of said plane of the specimen with light;

switching said light scanning microscope to a state where said highest-speed mirror scanner is valid, at a timing immediately after said irradiation; and

stabilizing an oscillation state of said highest-speed mirror scanner in advance and starting high speed imaging of said plane of the specimen at a timing immediately after said switching.