Beam splitter device having at least two beamsplitting surfaces with different reflection-to-transmission ratios

US10823949B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Leica Instruments (Singapore) Pte. Ltd · SG

Inventors

• Manfred Kuster · Widnau, CH
• Heinrich Wilhelm Dreyer · Konstanz, DE
• Heinz Suhner · Rebstein, CH
• Luca Tobler · Heerbrugg, CH
• Marc Hocke · Heerbrugg, CH
• Patrick Wolf · Traunreut, DE
• Ralf Koerber · Zürich, CH

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 14, 2016
• Grant date: Nov 3, 2020
• Expiry date: May 26, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B27/14
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A beam splitter device (1) for a microscope (2), and for a microscope imaging method, supports at least two beamsplitting surfaces (4, 14). The two beamsplitting surfaces (4, 14) have different reflection-to-transmission ratios. The beam splitter device (1) has an optical path (3, 3a, 3b). A first one of the two beamsplitting surfaces (4, 14) is configured to be moved from a first operation position (15), in which the first beamsplitting surface (4) is located in the optical path, to a second operation position (16), in which a second (14) of the beamsplitting surfaces (4, 14) is located in the optical path. With this configuration, it is possible to change the available light in the branches (3a, 3b) of the optical path (3) after the beamsplitting surface (4, 14). This is useful if one of the branches (3a, 3b) is directed to an exit port (8) configured to receive a camera. By directing more light to the camera exit port (8), the image quality of the camera is improved.