Laser illuminator and method

US6796699B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Leica Microsystems Heidelberg GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Holger Birk · Meckesheim, DE
• Rafael Storz · Heidelberg, DE
• Johann Engelhardt · Bad Schönborn, DE
• Kyra Moellmann · Trippstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 15, 2001
• Grant date: Sep 28, 2004
• Expiry date: Jun 15, 2021

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H01S3/1636
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method for illuminating an object (79). The method is characterized by the steps of injecting (1) the light beam (13) from a laser (9) into a microstructured optical element (19), which spectrally broadens the light of the light beam (13), shaping (3) the spectrally broadened light (31) to form an illumination light beam (29), and directing (5) the illumination light beam (29) onto the object (79). An instrument (7) for illuminating an object (79). The instrument comprises a laser (9) that emits a light beam (13), which is directed onto a microstructured optical element (19) that spectrally broadens the light from the laser. A optical means (33) which shapes the spectrally broadened light (31) to form an illumination light beam (29) is arranged downstream of the microstructured optical element (19).