U.S. patent application number 10/819438 was filed with the patent office on 2004-09-30 for microscope, especially laser scanning microscope.
Invention is credited to Simon, Ulrich, Stock, Michael, Wolleschensky, Ralf.
Application Number | 20040190130 10/819438 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 28676188 |
Filed Date | 2004-09-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040190130 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wolleschensky, Ralf ; et
al. |
September 30, 2004 |
Microscope, especially laser scanning microscope
Abstract
A microscope, especially a laser scanning microscope, with
illumination over one wavelength and/or a plurality of wavelengths,
wherein a controlling of the intensity of at least one wavelength
is carried out by at least one rotatable interference filter which
is arranged in the illumination beam path, wherein the at least one
wavelength is at least partially reflected out of the illumination
beam path and a plurality of filters for different wavelengths can
be arranged one behind the other in the illumination beam path.
Inventors: |
Wolleschensky, Ralf;
(Schoeten, DE) ; Simon, Ulrich; (Rothestein,
DE) ; Stock, Michael; (Apolda, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
REED SMITH, LLP
ATTN: PATENT RECORDS DEPARTMENT
599 LEXINGTON AVENUE, 29TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10022-7650
US
|
Family ID: |
28676188 |
Appl. No.: |
10/819438 |
Filed: |
April 6, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10819438 |
Apr 6, 2004 |
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10446215 |
May 27, 2003 |
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10446215 |
May 27, 2003 |
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09366883 |
Aug 4, 1999 |
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6594074 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
359/368 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 21/06 20130101;
G02B 21/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/368 |
International
Class: |
H01J 065/08; F21V
009/16; H01J 065/06; G21K 005/00; G21H 003/02; G01J 001/58; G01T
001/10; G02B 021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 1998 |
DE |
198 35 068.6 |
Claims
1-4 (Cancelled).
5. A laser scanning microscope, comprising: means for providing
illumination containing a plurality of wavelengths; and means for
controlling the intensity of said plurality of wavelengths being
carried out by a plurality of rotatable interference filters that
are arranged in an illumination beam path, at least one of said
plurality of wavelengths being at least partially reflected out of
the illumination beam path and each of plurality of rotatable
interference filters being capable of controlling a corresponding
wavelength of said plurality of wavelengths independent of other
wavelengths of said plurality of wavelengths.
6. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 5, wherein said
plurality of filters for said plurality of wavelengths are arranged
one behind the other in the illumination beam path.
7. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 5, wherein at
least one of said plurality of rotatable interference filters
comprises first and second rotatable interference filters with
identical wavelength characteristics for compensating a beam
offset.
8. A method for controlling intensity of a plurality of laser
wavelengths coupled jointly in a laser scanning microscope
comprising the steps of: providing an illumination containing a
plurality of wavelengths; and adjusting the intensity of the
wavelengths by a plurality of rotatable interference filters,
wherein each rotatable interference filter is capable of adjusting
the intensity of a corresponding wavelength of said plurality of
wavelengths independent of other wavelengths of said plurality of
wavelengths.
9. A method for controlling a laser scanning microscope,
comprising: providing a rotatable filtering mechanism arranged in
the path of an illumination containing a plurality of wavelengths;
said rotatable filtering mechanism including a plurality of
rotatable filters with each being capable of adjusting the
intensity of a corresponding wavelength of said plurality of
wavelengths independent of other wavelengths of said plurality of
wavelengths; rotating said rotatable filters to adjust the
intensity of said illumination.
10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rotatable
filtering mechanism is comprised of a plurality of filters; each of
said plurality of filters corresponding to each of said plurality
of wavelengths.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said rotatable
filtering mechanism is comprised of rotatable interference
filters.
12. A laser scanning microscope, comprising: an illumination source
operable to provide an illumination containing a plurality of
wavelengths; and a filter unit coupled to the illumination source
and including a plurality of rotatable interference filters, each
filter being operable to adjust the intensity of a corresponding
one of the plurality of wavelengths independent of other
wavelengths;
13. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 12, wherein
the filter unit is disposed to receive light coming from a sample
toward a fluorescence detector in order to suppress excitation
wavelengths.
14. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 12, wherein
the plurality of rotatable interference filters in the filter unit
are arranged in series with each other in the illumination beam
path.
15. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 12, wherein at
least one of the rotatable interference filters includes a pair of
filters with identical wavelength characteristics and having the
same angle of incidence for compensating the beam offset.
16. A laser scanning microscope, comprising: a filter unit disposed
in a detection beam path and including a plurality of rotatable
interference filters, each filter being operable to adjust the
intensity of a corresponding one of a plurality of wavelengths of
the detection beam for wavelength-dependent influencing of the
detection beam; and a detector that receives the detection beam
coming from the filter unit.
17. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 16, wherein at
least one of the rotatable interference filters includes a pair of
filters with identical wavelength characteristics for compensating
the beam offset.
18. The laser scanning microscope according to claim 16, wherein
each filter is selected to suppress an unwanted excitation
wavelength in fluorescence detection.
19. A method for controlling a laser scanning microscope,
comprising: receiving a detection beam by a filter unit disposed in
a detection beam path, the filter unit including a plurality of
rotatable interference filters; suppressing selected wavelengths of
the received detection beam by the plurality of rotatable
interference filters; and receiving by a detector the detection
beam from the filter unit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] a) Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to laser scanning microscopes and, in
particular, an improvement in such microscopes for controlling the
intensity of one wavelength of illumination.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The primary object of the invention is to provide an
improvement in laser scanning microscopes where the intensity of
one wavelength of illumination is controlled.
[0004] In accordance with the invention, a microscope, especially a
laser scanning microscope, comprises means for providing
illumination over at least one of a single wavelength and a
plurality of wavelengths and means for controlling the intensity of
at least one wavelength being carried out by at least one rotatable
interference filter which is arranged in an illumination beam path.
The at least one wavelength is at least partially reflected out of
the illumination beam path.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] In the drawings:
[0006] FIG. 1 illustrates a microscope unit and scan head of a
laser scanning microscope;
[0007] FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrate rotation of dichroics for
influencing the wavelengths in accordance with the invention;
and
[0008] FIG. 3 illustrates in schematic and pictorial the effect of
the invention on chosen wavelengths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] A microscope unit M and a scan head S connected thereto are
shown schematically in FIG. 1.
[0010] A light source LQ1 with illumination optics illuminating the
object on the microscope stage T via a beam splitter ST1 in a
conventional manner is provided in the microscope.
[0011] A swivelable mirror S3 serves to switch to transmitted-light
illumination by means of a light source LQ2 via the condenser
KO.
[0012] Observation through an eyepiece OK is carried out via a tube
lens TL and a mirror S1. In addition, by means of this mirror or
beam splitter S1, the scanning beam path is coupled in via the
scanning lens SL and the scanner SC.
[0013] The light of a laser module LM is coupled in in the
direction of the scanner SC via light conductor F, collimating
optics KO, mirror S2 and beam splitter ST2.
[0014] The light coming from the object travels through the scanner
SC and dichroic beam splitter ST2 in the direction of detection,
represented herein by way of example by another beam splitter ST3
for splitting into detection beam paths with pinholes PH1, 2,
filters FI1, 2 and detectors DT1, 2.
[0015] A plurality of lasers L1, L2, L3 with different wavelengths
are provided in the laser module; these lasers L1, L2, L3 can also
be multiline lasers. They are combined via mirrors and beam
splitter S4, respectively, and coupled into a coupling-in unit FC
in the light conductor F.
[0016] Before being coupled in, they pass a mirror S5 and a filter
unit FE, as is shown in FIG. 2b, and are deflected, again via a
filter unit FE, in the direction of the coupling-in unit by a
reflector R.
[0017] Dichroics DC1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 which have a
wavelength-dependent and angle-dependent reflectivity are arranged
in the filter unit FE. This is shown by way of example in FIG. 3
with reference to the angle-dependent reflectivity for the three
wavelengths in which the mirror coating is optimized for 45
degrees, i.e., the greatest reflectivity for a determined
wavelength occurs at 45 degrees. Therefore, the transmission is
adjusted in a continuous manner for the respective wavelength by
rotation. The rest of the wavelengths are not affected.
[0018] The optimization at 45 degrees is given by way of example;
other angles could also be selected for the greatest
reflectivity.
[0019] The light component that is reflected out is suppressed in a
suitable manner, for example, by light traps. Since the rotation of
the dichroics generates a beam offset, these dichroics are arranged
in pairs for compensation.
[0020] In FIGS. 2a and 3, pairs of dichroics DC1, 2 for a
wavelength .lambda.1, DC3, 4 for a wavelength .lambda.2, and DC5, 6
for a wavelength .lambda.3 are arranged in a continuous beam path
so as to be selectively reflecting and can accordingly influence
these wavelengths and compensate the beam offset by means of the
paired arrangement.
[0021] FIG. 2b shows another arrangement as in FIG. 1, wherein the
beam offset is compensated by passing twice through the dichroics
DC1, DC3, DC5 for the three wavelengths.
[0022] The driving means for the rotation of the dichroics are
carried out in a manner familiar to the person skilled in the art,
in this case, as is shown schematically in FIGS. 2a and b, by
toothed wheels to which the dichroics are fastened, wherein the
toothed wheels of the pairs of dichroics in FIG. 2a mesh with one
another and accordingly ensure a coupled movement of the pairs of
toothed wheels.
[0023] A pinion R which is driven by a motor M is provided for
driving the toothed wheels. The driving of the motors can be
carried out via a central control unit AE which, for example,
controls a predetermined illumination and detection mode which
includes the attenuation/adjustment of determined laser
wavelengths.
[0024] In a multi-wavelength laser, or when a plurality of laser
wavelengths are coupled into a microscope jointly, especially in a
laser scanning microscope, one or more wavelengths can
advantageously be adjusted, i.e., attenuated, continuously with
respect to intensity. If the lasers should be exchangeable, a
plurality of such interchangeable filter units with different
wavelengths can also be provided.
[0025] The dichroics utilized herein are interference filters such
as those supplied, for example, by Laseroptik GmbH, also in pairs
for compensating beam offset. Further, dichroics of the
above-mentioned type can also be used advantageously for
wavelength-dependent influencing of the detection beam path, for
example, in FIG. 1, in a detection beam path following the beam
splitter ST2 for the suppression of especially unwanted
wavelengths, for example, of the excitation wavelength in
fluorescence detection.
[0026] While the foregoing description and drawings represent the
preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be obvious
to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications
may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and
scope of the present invention.
* * * * *