Device for increasing the depth discrimination of optical imaging systems

US9341833B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Joerg Schaffer · Oettingen, DE
• Tim Plohnke · Oettingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 13, 2011
• Grant date: May 17, 2016
• Expiry date: Apr 28, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G02B21/0076
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device for increasing the depth discrimination of optical imaging systems includes elements for structuring illumination light in an illumination beam of the optical imaging system by application of a grating-like pattern in a conjugate object plane of the optical imaging system. The device further elements for varying the position of the grating-like patterns along an optical axis of the illuminating beam, and elements that vary the position of an image of the grating-like pattern on a specimen in an object plane. The invention may include a grating changer connected to an electronic control system or to a control program of the optical imaging system for automatically changing the grating-like pattern to at least one further grating-like pattern and/or for removing the grating like pattern from the illuminating beam path.