BEAM COMBINER FOR COMBINING TWO INDEPENDENTLY SCANNED ILLUMINATING BEAMS OF A LIGHT SCANNING MICROSCOPE

摘要

A beam combiner in a light scanning microscope for combining two illuminating beams that can be independently scanned. A first beam path (B1) guides a first illuminating beam (2) along a first optical axis (OA1) and a first optical device (L1) bundles the first beam (2) in an intermediate image plane. A second beam path (B2) guides a second illuminating beam (3) along a second optical axis (OA2) that intersects the first optical axis (OA1) at a point of intersection (Z) lying in or near the intermediate image plane, and a scanner (S2) for deflecting the second illuminating beam (3) and arranged before the point of intersection (Z) of the optical axes (OA1, OA2) in the propagation direction of the second illuminating beam (3). A coupling-in unit (4) is arranged at the point of intersection (Z) of the optical axes (OA1, OA2) and either has a mirror surface (5) having a passage opening (6; 7) at the point of incidence of the first optical axis (OA1), or is transparent except for a mirror element lying at the point of incidence of the first optical axis (OA1), wherein the size of the passage opening (6; 7) or the mirror element corresponds to the cross-section that the first illuminating beam (2) at the point of incidence and thus allows the first illuminating beam to pass or reflects the first illuminating beam, wherein the first and second illuminating beams (2, 3) propagate as a combined illuminating beam (8) after the coupling-in unit (4).

主权项

1. A light scanning microscope comprising:
first and second sources for respectively providing first and second illuminating beams that can be independently scanned; a first beam path which guides the first illuminating beam along a first optical axis; a second beam path which guides the second illuminating beam along a second optical axis that intersects the first optical axis at a point of intersection lying in or near the intermediate image plane; and a beam combiner for combining the two illuminating beams, the beam combiner including:
a first optical device in the first beam path for focusing the first illuminating beam at a spot in an intermediate image plane;a first scanner in the second beam path for deflecting the second illuminating beam, wherein the first scanner is arranged before the point of intersection of the first and second optical axes in the propagation direction of the second illuminating beam;a coupling-in unit which is arranged at the point of intersection of the first and second optical axes and which has a mirror surface having an aperture opening at the point of incidence of the first optical axis, wherein the size of the aperture opening corresponds to the cross-section that the first illuminating beam covers at the point of incidence and thus allows the first illuminating beam to pass, wherein the first and second illuminating beams propagate as a combined illuminating beam after the coupling-in unit;a second scanner for deflecting the combined illuminating beam, wherein the second scanner is arranged after the coupling-in unit; anda third scanner for single-axis deflection of the first illuminating beam, the third scanner being arranged in the first beam path and before the coupling-in unit, and wherein the aperture opening is configured elongated corresponding to the single-axis deflection.