SCANNING MICROSCOPE WITH POLARISED SAMPLE ILLUMINATION

摘要

The invention relates to a method for investigating a sample, the sample being impinged upon by illuminating light, and detected light emerging from the sample being directed to a detector, and the illuminating light being directed through an acousto-optic component with which the impingement upon the sample by illuminating light can be temporarily interrupted. The method is notable for the fact that the sample is illuminated with a first illuminating light bundle that has a first linear polarization direction, and with a second illuminating light bundle whose linear polarization direction is continuously switched over between the first linear polarization direction and a second linear polarization direction different from the first linear polarization direction, the illuminating light having the first linear polarization direction proceeding along a first light path and illuminating light having the second linear polarization direction proceeding along a second light path, and the acousto-optic component combining the light paths.

主权项

1. A method for investigating a sample, the sample being impinged upon by illuminating light, and detected light emerging from the sample being directed to a detector, and the illuminating light being directed through an acousto-optic component with which the impingement upon the sample by illuminating light can be temporarily interrupted,
wherein the sample is illuminated with a first illuminating light bundle that has a first linear polarization direction, and with a second illuminating light bundle whose linear polarization direction is continuously switched over between the first linear polarization direction and a second linear polarization direction different from the first linear polarization direction, the illuminating light having the first linear polarization direction proceeding along a first light path and the illuminating light having the second linear polarization direction proceeding along a second light path, and the acousto-optic component combining the first light path and the second light path so that the illuminating light having the first linear polarization direction, combined collinearly with the illuminating light having the second linear polarization direction, travels into a common illumination beam path for illumination of the sample.