Scanning microscope in which a sample is simultaneously and optically excited at various points

US6262423A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Föderung der Wissenschaften e.V. · US

Inventors

• Stefan W. Hell · Oebisfelde, DE
• Jorg Bewersdorf · Heidelberg, DE
• Rainer Pick · Oebisfelde, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 18, 1998
• Grant date: Jul 17, 2001
• Expiry date: Aug 18, 2018

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B21/002
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical apparatus, especially a scanning microscope (1), wherein an expanded laser beam (2) is divided into several partial beams (4) by micro lenses (5) arranged next to one another. Each partial beam (4) is focused onto a focal point (11) by a common objective lens (7) to optically excite a sample (8). Fluorescent light emanating from the individual focal points (11) of the sample (8) is registered by a photo sensor (13) arranged behind the objective lens (7) as seen from the sample (8). Each photon of the fluorescent light coming from the sample (8) and being registered by the photo sensor (13) is excited by at least two photons of the laser beam (2).