Bessel beam plane illumination microscope

1. A microscope comprising:

a light source for generating a light beam having a wavelength, λ;

a diffractive optical element (DOE) configured to generate a plurality of light beams from the light beam generated by the light source;

beam-forming optics configured for receiving the plurality of light beams and generating a plurality of Bessel-like beams that are directed into a sample, the beam-forming optics including an excitation objective having an axis oriented in a first direction, wherein the Bessel-like beams in the sample are spaced from each other by a spatial period that is greater than the diameter of a side lobe of the Bessel-like beams;

beam scanning optics configured for scanning the Bessel-like beams within the sample in a direction having a component perpendicular to the first direction;

a detector;

imaging optics configured for simultaneously receiving light from positions within the sample that are illuminated by the plurality of Bessel-like beams and for imaging the received light on the detector, the imaging optics including a detection objective having an axis oriented in a second direction that is non-parallel to the first direction, the detector being configured for detecting light received by the imaging optics, wherein the detector includes a plurality of individual detection units;

a controller operably coupled to the detector and configured to selectively record image data simultaneously from individual detection units that image portions of the sample that are illuminated by a central lobe of the Bessel-like beams while not recording data from individual detection units that image portions of the sample that are not illuminated by the central lobes of the Bessel-like beams;

a processor configured to generate an image of the sample based on the selectively recorded image data that is recorded from different positions of the Bessel beam within the sample.

2. The microscope of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to generate an image of the sample based on the selectively recorded image data that is recorded from different positions of the Bessel beam within the sample, after the plurality of Bessel-like beams are scanned over the spatial period.

3. The microscope of claim 1 , wherein the Bessel-like beams have a ratio of a Rayleigh length, z R to a minimum beam waist, w o , of more than 2πw o /λ and less than 100πw o /λ.

4. The microscope of claim 1 , wherein the Bessel-like beams have a non-zero ratio of a minimum numerical aperture to a maximum numerical aperture of less than 0.95.

5. The microscope of claim 1 , wherein the Bessel-like beams have a non-zero ratio of a minimum numerical aperture to a maximum numerical aperture of less than 0.90.

6. The microscope of claim 1 , wherein the Bessel-like beams have a minimum numerical aperture greater than zero and a ratio of energy in a first side of the beam to energy in the central lobe of the beam of less than 0.5.

7. The microscope of claim 1 , further comprising a coverslip that supports the sample, wherein a normal direction to a plane of the sample that supports the sample forms and angle with the first direction of more than 10 degrees and less than 80 degrees.

8. The microscope of claim 7 , wherein the sample is less than ten micrometers thick.

9. The microscope of claim 1 , further comprising an annular mask in a path of the light beam configured to generate an annular ring of light from which the Bessel-like beams are formed.