U.S. patent application number 11/011475 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-15 for device for generating a laser light beam.
This patent application is currently assigned to Leica Microsystems Heidelberg GmbH. Invention is credited to Seyfried, Volker, Storz, Rafael.
Application Number | 20050201441 11/011475 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34923301 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050201441 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Seyfried, Volker ; et
al. |
September 15, 2005 |
Device for generating a laser light beam
Abstract
A device for generating a laser light beam includes a module.
The module includes at least one laser light source, and a
mechanical, an electrical and/or an optical interface defined
towards an outside of the module.
Inventors: |
Seyfried, Volker; (Nussloch,
DE) ; Storz, Rafael; (Heidelberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIDSON, DAVIDSON & KAPPEL, LLC
485 SEVENTH AVENUE, 14TH FLOOR
NEW YORK
NY
10018
US
|
Assignee: |
Leica Microsystems Heidelberg
GmbH
Mannheim
DE
|
Family ID: |
34923301 |
Appl. No.: |
11/011475 |
Filed: |
December 14, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60532672 |
Dec 23, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
372/69 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01N 2201/024 20130101;
H01S 3/2383 20130101; H01S 3/02 20130101; G02B 21/0032 20130101;
G01N 21/6458 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
372/069 |
International
Class: |
H01S 003/09 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 22, 2003 |
DE |
DE 103 61 177.0 |
Dec 15, 2003 |
DE |
DE 103 59 012.9 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device for generating a laser light beam, the device
comprising a module, the module comprising: at least one laser
light source; and at least one of a mechanical, an electrical and
an optical interface defined towards an outside of the module.
2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the laser light beam is
an illuminating light beam for a microscope.
3. The device as recited in claim 2 wherein the microscope is a
confocal scanning microscope.
4. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser
light source includes at least two laser light sources.
5. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a docking
station including at least one slot configured to receive the
module.
6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module has at least
one dimension defined by a housing.
7. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module forms an
opto-mechanical unit.
8. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an
integrated power/control unit.
9. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a central
power/control unit configured to be brought into contact with the
module.
10. The device as recited in claim 9 further comprising a docking
station configured to receive the power/control unit.
11. The device as recited in claim 9 further comprising a docking
station and wherein the power/control unit is integrated
therein.
12. The device as recited in claim 8 wherein the power/control unit
includes at least one connection for at least one of an external
power, a control and a signal line.
13. The device as recited in claim 9 wherein the power/control unit
includes at least one connection for at least one of an external
power, a control and a signal line.
14. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein module includes an the
electrical interface, the electrical interface including a cable
with a plug-in connector.
15. The device as recited in claim 9 wherein the module is
configure to be connected to the power/control unit via at least
one of a first power, a first control and a first signal line.
16. The device as recited in claim 15 further comprising a second
module configured to connect to the power/control unit via at least
one of a second power, a second control and a second signal line,
at least one of the second power, the second control and the second
signal line being respectively substantially the same as at least
one of the first power, the first control and the first signal
line.
17. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an
electrical interface including at least one plug-in contact.
18. The device as recited in claim 17 further comprising a docking
station including at least one slot configured to receive the
module, the at least one slot including at least one contacting
element configured to mechanically receive the at least one plug-in
contact.
19. The device as recited in claim 18 wherein the at least one
contacting element is configured so that when at least one of an
electrical and an optical contact to the power/control unit is
established when the module is completely inserted into the at
least one slot.
20. The device as recited in claim 18 wherein: the docking station
includes an integrated microcontroller; and the at least one
contacting element is configured so that, when the module is
inserted in the at least one slot, a signal is transmitted to the
microcontroller.
21. The device as recited in claim 8 wherein a communication
between the module and the power/control unit is established via at
least one of an optical and a radio connection.
22. The device as recited in claim 5 wherein the at least one slot
includes a first and a second slot each having a respective same
dimension and a respective same interface.
23. The device as recited in claim 18 further comprising at least
one second slot having a second contacting element configured to
prevent insertion of the module therein.
24. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical
interface including at least one fiber plug associated with the
module.
25. The device as recited in claim 24 wherein the at least one
fiber plug is disposed on a housing of the module.
26. The device as recited in claim 24 wherein a laser light beam of
the at least one laser light source is focused inside the module
onto the at least one fiber plug.
27. The device as recited in claim 24 wherein a laser light beam of
the at least one laser light source strikes the at least one fiber
plug in collimated form inside the module.
28. The device as recited in claim 27 further comprising a focusing
optical element integrated into the at least one fiber plug.
29. The device as recited in claim 6 further comprising: at least
one fiber opening disposed on a housing of the module; and a fiber
plug disposed outside the housing.
30. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an optical
interface including at least one outlet window associated with the
module.
31. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a beam
recombiner arrangement disposed inside the module and configured to
recombine laser light beams of the at least one laser light
source.
32. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising an external
beam recombiner arrangement configured to have laser light beams of
the at least one laser light source conveyed thereto.
33. The device as recited in claim 32 wherein the external beam
recombiner arrangement includes a plurality of beam recombiners
arranged in a row or in groups parallel to each other.
34. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein the beam recombiners
include band-edge filters.
35. The device as recited in claim 33 wherein the beam recombiners
are each configured to couple in a respective laser light beam
having a wavelength of a defined wavelength range.
36. The device as recited in claim 33 further comprising a docking
station including at least one slot configured to receive the
module, and wherein the beam recombiner arrangement is disposed in
the docking station using electrical interfaces.
37. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser
light source includes at least one of a solid and a fiber
laser.
38. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes an
electronic circuit configured to directly or indirectly stabilize
properties of the at least one laser light source.
39. The device as recited in claim 38 wherein the electronic
circuit is configured to vary the properties of the at least one
laser light source, and the properties include at least one of an
intensity, a wavelength, and a spectral width, a polarization, and
a coherence length.
40. The device as recited in claim 38 wherein the at least one
laser light source includes a pulsed laser light source, and the
properties include at least one of a pulse timing, a pulse
duration, a pulse form and a pulse repetition rate.
41. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the at least one laser
light source is adapted to at least one specific application.
Description
[0001] Priority is claimed to provisional application 60/532,672,
filed Dec. 23, 2003, to German patent application DE 103 61 177.0,
filed Dec. 22, 2003, and to German patent application DE 103 59
012.9, filed Dec. 15, 2003, the subject matter of each of which is
hereby incorporated by reference herein.
[0002] The present invention relates to a device for generating a
laser light beam, particularly an illuminating light beam for a
preferably confocal scanning microscope, having at least one source
of laser light.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A number of variants of devices for generating a laser light
beam have been known in actual practice for years. Merely by way of
an example, mention is made here of German patent DE 196 33 185 C2,
which discloses a polychromatic point light source for a laser
scanning microscope. Here, the radiation from a total of four
sources of laser light is coaxially combined by means of a
recombiner unit. Via an appropriate connection, an optical fiber
leads to a laser scanning microscope, where the recombined laser
light beam is coupled in with several wavelengths or with several
laser lines in the form of a light point source.
[0004] The prior-art devices are problematic because the sources of
laser light employed often differ from each other in terms of their
mode of operation and they usually come from different
manufacturers. Moreover, the sources of laser light often have
different physical dimensions, in addition to which they have
different electrical specifications, which makes it extremely
difficult for the user to individually compose a laser light beam
comprising several laser lines of individual sources of laser
light. Consequently, adding a new source of laser light to an
existing system or even merely replacing a single source of laser
light entails a great deal of effort and usually can only be done
by trained personnel. It is likewise problematic that, when a
source of laser light is replaced, it is generally necessary to
replace not only the laser light source itself, but also mechanical
parts, optical filters, electrical interfaces, power packs,
etc.
[0005] Particularly in conjunction with the illumination
configuration found in confocal microscopy, in extreme cases, it is
even unavoidable that the confocal microscope or at least parts of
it will have to be sent to the manufacturer. In any case, however,
a special service call by the device manufacturer will certainly
become necessary for maintenance and retrofitting work.
[0006] Especially large-scale imaging facilities often tend to have
several identical or similar confocal microscopes but these are
frequently equipped with different sources of laser light. Then, it
is frequently the case that only a very specific confocal
microscope is suitable for a specific experiment since only that
microscope has the laser light sources needed for the experiment in
question. In actual practice, this often leads to certain
bottlenecks in the utilization of the microscopes, particularly
when several experiments are supposed to be carried out at the same
time which, due to the concrete requirements made in terms of the
illumination, need the same confocal microscope. It is also often
the case that, for a particular observation, an inverted microscope
is needed but the requisite combination of laser light sources is
only available in an upright microscope. The retooling of the
microscope that is then necessary entails a considerable
expenditure of time and effort on the part of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide a device
for generating a laser light beam in such a way that the laser
light beam can be changed with maximum flexibility and without the
need for special knowledge and so that its spectral composition can
be individually selected in a simple manner.
[0008] The present invention provides a device for generating a
laser light beam, such as an illuminating light beam for a
preferably confocal scanning microscope, having at least one laser
light source, characterized in that the laser light sources, either
individually or combined in groups, form a module that has
mechanical and/or electrical and/or optical interfaces that are
defined towards the outside.
[0009] According to the invention, it was recognized that there is
a growing tendency towards modular device units which can be
employed by users in a simple manner without entailing a lot of
retooling or maintenance work. In this context, it was also
recognized that special importance is now ascribed to high
flexibility and adaptability to the special wishes and requirements
of the user. Finally, it was recognized that such flexibility can
be attained in that the sources of laser light--either individually
or combined in groups--are set up in modular form, whereby the
individual modules have mechanical and/or electrical and/or optical
interfaces that are defined towards the outside. With such a
modular set-up, a user of a confocal microscope, for example, only
needs to select those laser modules that match her/his illumination
requirements and she/he can then connect them to the microscope via
the interfaces that are defined towards the outside within the
shortest of time and without special knowledge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] There are various ways to implement and refine the teaching
of the present invention in an advantageous manner. The present
invention is elaborated upon below based on exemplary embodiments
with reference to the drawings. The drawings show the
following:
[0011] FIG. 1--a schematic depiction of a first embodiment of a
device according to the invention for generating a laser light
beam, with a module having at least one source of laser light;
[0012] FIG. 2--a schematic depiction of a module having three
sources of laser light and a joint coupling out of the light;
[0013] FIG. 3--a schematic depiction of a module with three sources
of laser light, each having its own coupling out of the light;
[0014] FIG. 4--a schematic depiction of a module with three sources
of laser light, each having its own coupling out of the light via
optical fibers;
[0015] FIG. 5--a schematic depiction of several laser modules
inside a docking station and
[0016] FIG. 6--another embodiment of a device according to the
invention, having several modules inside a docking station.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, there is a docking station with
slots into which the individual modules are inserted or slid,
whereby the modules can be arranged next to each other and/or above
each other inside the docking station. For special applications,
the docking station could also be configured with just one slot
that accommodates one single module.
[0018] The module could have a housing that then defines the module
dimensions which are advantageously adapted to the size of the
slots. With an eye towards achieving high flexibility, each
individual module could be encapsulated in such a way that it forms
an opto-mechanical unit which, in a simple manner, can be
mechanically inserted or slid into one of the slots of the docking
station.
[0019] Each module could have its own power/control unit integrated
into the module. In order to attain a cost reduction as well as a
low-maintenance design, however, preference is given to a central
power/control unit that can be brought into contact with the
individual modules. In an advantageous manner, the power/control
unit can be inserted or slid into the docking station or even
integrated into it. A separate arrangement of the power/control
unit outside of the docking station is likewise conceivable. The
power/control unit has connections for external power, control and
signal lines so that the power/control unit can receive energy from
the outside and external control commands can be carried out.
[0020] The electrical interface of the modules can be
advantageously configured in the form of cables with plug-in
connectors. Likewise conceivable are cables without plug-in
connectors if it is possible to simply connect the cable with the
matching part intended for this purpose.
[0021] In any case, the individual modules can be connected to the
power/control unit, for example, by means of power, control and
signal lines. In order to achieve a high degree of flexibility when
the individual modules are inserted and exchanged, it is
advantageous for the interfaces of the modules to be highly
uniform, so that at least largely identical power, control and
signal lines can be connected to the modules.
[0022] In an embodiment that is easy to handle and provides a good
overview, the electrical interface of the modules is in the form of
plug-in contacts. As the counterpart to these plug-in contacts, the
slots of the docking stations could have contacting elements to
mechanically receive the plug-in contacts. Here, like with the
known crates often employed for standardized electronic modules,
the contacting elements could be configured in such a way that all
of the electrical and/or optical contacts are established to the
power/control unit as soon as the module has been completely
inserted into a slot.
[0023] Within the scope of an embodiment of the invention, it could
be provided that the contacting elements are configured, for
example, by means of a switch or by means of an encoding on
electronic IP building blocks in such a way that it can be seen
which modules are currently inserted into the docking station. On
the basis of this information, it would then be possible to monitor
the current state of the docking station and of the inserted module
by means of a microcontroller.
[0024] In addition to or as an alternative to the embodiments
described above for the electrical interface of the modules, it is
likewise conceivable to establish the communication between the
modules and the power/control unit optically via optical fibers or
else by means of a radio connection. With the appropriate
standardization, the transmission could be realized via a Bluetooth
or wireless connection.
[0025] For purposes of attaining a high degree of compatibility, it
is advantageous if all of the slots of the docking station are
designed identically in terms of their dimensions and the
interfaces provided, so that any desired slot is available for any
module. In those cases where certain modules are to be inserted
only into certain slots of the docking station, for instance,
because they require a special voltage supply, then the contacting
elements of certain slots can be mechanically designed in such a
way that the insertion of other modules is prevented.
[0026] The presence of an optical interface that is defined towards
the outside means that each module has one or more defined outputs
through which the light generated inside the module by the laser
light sources can exit so that it can then be further utilized in a
downstream unit in a simple manner and, if possible, without
needing adjustment. In a preferred embodiment, the optical outputs
of the modules are plug-in connectors for optical fibers. Here, by
simply mounting an optical fiber, especially a glass fiber, a
connection to a unit located downstream can be established in a
very simple manner. So as to facilitate the handling, it is
advantageous to arrange the fiber plug on the housing of the
module. In particular, the fiber plug can be integrated into the
front face of the housing, which is easily accessible to the user
even when the module has been inserted into a slot. With such an
arrangement, it is convenient to configure the optical element in
the module so that the laser light beams generated inside the
module are focused onto the plug-in connector in such a way that
they can be directly coupled into a mounted glass fiber. For this
purpose, the appropriate focusing optical element or also the fiber
plug could optionally be designed so as to be adjustable.
[0027] As an alternative to focusing the laser light beam onto the
fiber plug, the laser light beam could also strike the fiber plug
in collimated form inside the module. The fiber plug itself could
have a focusing optical element by means of which the light can be
focused onto the actual glass fiber input.
[0028] It is likewise conceivable for the defined optical interface
of the module not to be formed by a fiber plug on the housing of
the module, but rather for the optical fibers to run through the
housing to the outside. The ends of these optical fibers could have
fiber plugs that constitute an optical interface of the module. In
principle, the optical interface could also be in the form of one
or more windows in the housing of the module, through which the
laser light beams could then exit the module. However, such an
arrangement calls for an external optical element or for an optical
element integrated into the housing, by means of which the laser
light exiting the defined interface can be further guided.
[0029] In case several laser light sources that emit different
wavelengths are arranged inside a module, it is advantageous to
have a beam recombiner arrangement inside the module so that the
laser light beams of the individual sources of laser light can be
recombined with each other already inside the module. In this
manner, only one single optical interface needs to be provided in
the module to couple out the laser light. As an alternative, each
individual laser light beam could be guided to the outside via its
own optical interface. A combination of both arrangements is
likewise conceivable, even inside a single module.
[0030] In order to generate a single laser light beam, for example,
an illuminating light beam for a fluorescence microscope, the laser
light beams of the individual sources of laser light of the module
currently in use, that is to say, modules that have been inserted
into the docking station, are advantageously guided to an external
beam recombiner arrangement. This beam recombiner arrangement could
comprise beam recombiners arranged in a row or in groups parallel
to each other, whereby the beam recombiners could be configured as
wavelength-sensitive band-edge filters. In particular, the beam
recombiner arrangement could be designed such that the beam
recombiners are configured to couple in a laser light beam having a
wavelength of a defined wavelength range. In this context, the beam
recombiner arrangement can be provided either as a separate
component or else as a compatible module that, similar to the
power/control unit, can be integrated into the docking station by
means of appropriate electrical interfaces.
[0031] The sources of laser light used inside the modules could
advantageously be, in particular, solid lasers or fiber lasers.
These can provide sufficient power even when they are constructed
so as to be very small, so that their use translates into an
especially compact construction of the individual modules and thus
of the entire system.
[0032] Within the scope of an embodiment, the properties of the
individual laser light sources of the modules such as intensity,
wavelength, spectral width, polarization, coherence length, etc.
could be varied by means of a suitable control unit. When pulsed
laser light sources are employed, it would also be possible to
change the pulse timing, pulse duration, pulse form or pulse
repetition rate and the like. This is done by means of appropriate
interfaces in that, for example, the appertaining signals (analog
and/or digital) or the data are transmitted to the individual
modules. Appropriate electronic circuits for processing these
signals could be provided inside the modules. Moreover, the modules
could have electronic circuits to directly or indirectly stabilize
the laser properties such as, for instance, sensor electronic
circuits, evaluation electronic circuits, closed-loop control
circuits and the like. It is likewise conceivable for the
electronic circuits to inform the user via appropriate interfaces
about the operating state of the individual laser light sources of
a module such as, for example, operating time, temperature or
power.
[0033] Particularly in order to fulfill the special requirements
from actual laboratory practice, the laser light sources employed
inside a module could already have been adapted to concrete
applications that are frequently encountered. When it comes to
confocal microscopy, an application-specific module (standard
imaging module) is, for instance, a module having laser light
sources that emit in the wavelengths of approximately 490 nm, 570
nm and 650 nm. Especially for fluorescence microscopy, a module
could be provided with the wavelengths of approximately 440 nm, 510
nm and 690 nm as a so-called fluorescent-protein (FP) module,
another module having the wavelengths of approximately 470 nm, 550
nm and 630 nm as a bleaching module and another module with the
wavelengths of approximately 430 nm, 610 nm and 670 nm as a module
for red dyes. With such a suitable combination of laser light
sources having wavelengths that are needed for many of the same
applications so as to form a single module, users can keep the work
and costs for reconfiguring a microscope to a minimum.
[0034] FIG. 1 schematically shows a first embodiment of a device
according to the invention for generating a laser light beam,
comprising a module 1 having a laser light source 2. The dimensions
of the module 1 are defined by the housing 3 that surrounds the
laser light source 2. The optical interface of the module 1 is
formed by a fiber plug 4 arranged on the housing 3, whereby the
laser light beam 5 emitted by the laser light source 2 is focused
by means of a focusing lens 6 onto the beginning of the fiber of a
glass fiber cable that is to be mounted onto the fiber plug 4. For
the sake of clarity, the lens 6 is shown in front of the fiber plug
4 whereby, as a matter of principle, the focusing lens 6 can also
be integrated into the fiber plug 4.
[0035] In order to ensure reliable operation, the module 1 has
safety mechanisms (not shown here). Concretely speaking, this is a
shutter arranged at the output 7 of the module 1, this shutter
ensuring that light can only exit the module 1 when the system is
configured properly.
[0036] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a module 1 in which
three laser light sources 2 are combined in groups. The three
individual laser light beams 5 are recombined inside the module 1
by means of a suitable arrangement of mirrors 8 and beam
recombiners 9. As already explained above in conjunction with FIG.
1, the recombined light beam 10 is focused by means of a focusing
lens 6 onto a fiber plug 4 that functions as an optical interface
of the module 1.
[0037] FIG. 3, in turn, shows a schematic depiction of a module 1
having three laser light sources 2 combined in groups whereby, in
contrast to the module 1 shown in FIG. 2, the laser light beams 5
of the individual laser light sources 2 are guided to the outside
separately. Accordingly, three optical interfaces are provided on
the housing 3 of the module 1.
[0038] FIG. 4 schematically shows a module 1 having three laser
light sources 2 whose laser light beams 5 are transported to the
outside separately via optical fibers 11. Here, the optical fibers
11 are permanently attached to the module 1 and lead from the
interior of the module 1 to the outside via strain relief fiber
openings on the housing 3. The optical interfaces are formed by
fiber plugs 4 shaped on the fiber ends. In comparison to the
embodiment according to FIG. 3, this has the advantage that it is
possible to dispense with optical plug-in connectors that entail
losses in power. Focusing lenses 6 then serve to couple the laser
light beams 5 emitted by the laser light sources 2 into the optical
fibers 11.
[0039] FIG. 5 shows a docking station 12 with several slots 13 into
which modules 1 are inserted. The slot 13 that is located all the
way to the right in the drawing serves to accommodate a
power/control unit 14.
[0040] Each of the modules 1 has uniform electrical interfaces that
make it possible to set up identical power, control and signal
lines for each module 1. With the module 1 shown outside of the
docking station 12, the electrical interface can be clearly seen as
the plug-in contacts 15 that are protruding from the module 1 on
the back of the housing 3. When the module 1 is inserted into the
docking station 12, the appertaining electrical contacts are
automatically closed by contacting elements arranged on the slots
13.
[0041] The light exiting from the individual modules 1 is guided
via optical fibers 11 with plugs 4 to an external beam recombiner
arrangement 16. Inside this beam recombiner arrangement 16, there
are beam recombiners which are arranged and configured in such a
way that each input 17 of the beam recombiner arrangement 16 serves
to couple in a laser light beam 5 having a wavelength of a defined
wavelength range. Consequently, a user merely has to assign the
optical fibers 11 coming from the modules 1 to the correct inputs
17 of the beam recombiner arrangement 16 according to the
transported wavelengths. Inside the beam recombiner arrangement 16,
the laser light beams 5 coupled in via the inputs 17 are
automatically recombined and then guided from an output 7 via a
corresponding broadband glass fiber 18 to an application, for
example, a confocal microscope. Upstream from the output 7 of the
beam recombiner arrangement 16, there is an AOTF (acousto-optical
tunable filter) by means of which the intensity of the individual
wavelengths can be adjusted. Moreover, the beam recombiner
arrangement 16 has a safety shutter located upstream from the
output 7.
[0042] Some of the modules 1 shown only differ from each other in
terms of a few details, for instance, their maximum achievable
intensity or the control features that are present. A module 1 can
also have a laser light source 2 with defined properties as the
continuous laser light source 2 while another module 1 has a laser
light source 2 with properties of a pulsed laser light source 2.
Then, the user can chose the module 1 that is the simplest one for
her/his actual requirements, thereby saving costs and time. Thus,
for instance, she/he could select a module 1 that generates the
wavelength 490 nm at a power of 5 mW instead of a module 1 that
generates the same wavelength at a power of 20 mW.
[0043] In the example presented here, the modules 1 are selected in
such a way that the distance between two wavelengths of the docking
station 12 completely fitted with modules 1 is smaller than or
equal to about 30 nm in each case. As a result, a proper selection
of the correct excitation wavelengths can optimally excite
practically any fluorescent dye since the maximum distance of the
"correct" wavelength to the excitation maximum of the dye is 15 nm
at the maximum. This is less than the 20 nm to 30 nm of the typical
width of an excitation maximum. Consequently, with the docking
station 12 completely fitted with modules 1, the user can record
the excitation spectra of the dyes one point at a time, whereby the
measuring points for the various wavelengths can be connected or
interpolated. Such excitation spectra, which are punctiform with
respect to the wavelength, can be recorded individually or linewise
or imagewise for each pixel, and can then be further processed in a
suitable manner. In the embodiment given, the distance of the
wavelengths is also equidistant, so that an excitation spectrum can
be recorded with measuring points at virtually equidistant
wavelengths.
[0044] Finally, FIG. 6 schematically shows--in a manner similar to
FIG. 5--a docking station 12 with several inserted modules 1.
Unlike the modules 1 of FIG. 5, the electrical interfaces of the
modules 1 here are not formed by plug-in contacts 15 arranged on
the housing 3, but rather by cables 19 having plug-in connectors
20. By means of these cables 19, configured here as power, control
and signal lines, the individual modules 1 are connected to the
power/control unit 14. Moreover, plug-in connectors 20 for the
power supply as well as plug-in connectors 20 with which the signal
and control lines are brought in from outside can be seen in the
power/control unit 14.
[0045] As a function of the number of laser light sources 2
arranged inside the module 1, each module 1 has three optical
interfaces that are configured as fiber plugs 4 by means of which
the light of the individual laser light sources 2 is coupled out.
From the optical interface, the light is guided via optical fibers
11--as described above--to a beam recombiner arrangement 16, from
where it is then conveyed, for instance, to a microscope. The
latter can be, in particular, confocal scanning microscopes,
semi-confocal microscopes such as, for example, line scanners,
Nipkow systems or a half-tone illumination unit. Transmission to
confocal endoscopes is also of great practical significance.
[0046] It should be pointed out that, by appropriately
miniaturizing the laser light sources 2, the docking station 12
with the individual modules 1 and/or the beam recombiner
arrangement 16 can be arranged directly on the scanning head of a
confocal scanning microscope. In order to save space and reduce the
weight, the power/control unit 14 should be arranged separately
outside of the docking station 12. The light exiting from the beam
recombiner arrangement 16 is coupled out as a free beam 21 and
focused directly onto the illumination pinhole diaphragm of the
confocal microscope.
[0047] In conclusion, special mention should be made of the fact
that the embodiments elucidated above serve merely for purposes of
describing the teaching being claimed but that the latter is not at
all restricted to these embodiments.
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