IP Library Granted Patent US 6,898,367
Granted Patent B2
US 6,898,367 · App. 09/881,049 · Granted May 24, 2005

Method and instrument for microscopy

Assignee: Leica Microsystems Heidelberg GmbH
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,898,367
App. No.
09/881,049
Granted
May 24, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for illuminating is disclosed, which is characterized by the steps of injecting ( 1 ) the light beam ( 13 ) from a laser ( 9 ) into a optical element ( 19 ), which spectrally broadens the light of the light beam ( 13 ) and shaping ( 3 ) the spectrally broadened light ( 31 ) to form an illumination light beam ( 29 ). An instrument ( 7 ) for illuminating is furthermore disclosed, which comprises a laser ( 9 ) that emits a light beam ( 13 ), which is directed onto a optical element ( 19 ) that spectrally broadens the light from the laser. A optical means ( 33 ) which shapes the spectrally broadened light ( 31 ) to form an illumination light beam ( 29 ) is arranged downstream of the microstructured optical element ( 19 ).

Claims (15)

1. A method for illuminating an object, said method comprising:

generating a light beam with a laser;

adjusting the pulse width of light pulses of the light beam;

injecting the light beam into an optical element which spectrally broadens the light of the light beam; and

shaping the spectrally broadened light beam to form an illumination light beam.

2. A method for illuminating an object, said method comprising:

generating a light beam with a laser;

injecting the light beam into an optical element which spectrally broadens the light of the light beam; and

shaping the spectrally broadened light beam to form an illumination light beam,

wherein the optical element is made of photonic band gap material.

3. An illuminating instrument comprising: a laser that emits a light beam, an optical element that spectrally broadens the light from the laser and an optical means for shaping the spectrally broadened light into an illumination light beam,

wherein the optical element is made of photonic band gap material.

4. A microscope comprising: an objective through which a sample can be illuminated and detected, the objective being arranged in both an illumination beam path and a detection beam path, an illumination pinhole being arranged in the illumination beam path, a detection pinhole being arranged in the detection beam path, an optical component arranged in the illumination beam path, which generates spectrally broadened illumination light, and an essentially polarization-independent and wavelength-independent beam splitter, which is arranged in a fixed position in the illumination beam path and the detection beam path.

5. An illuminating instrument comprising: a laser that emits a light beam, an optical element that spectrally broadens the light from the laser and optics to shape the spectrally broadened light into an illumination light beam,

wherein the optical element is made of photonic band gap material.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 13, 2011
From: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS HEIDELBERG GMBH
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
Reel/Frame 027375/0611 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2001
From: BIRK, HOLGER; STORZ, RAFAEL; ENGELHARDT, JOHANN; MOELLMANN, KYRA
To: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS HEIDELBERG GMBH
Reel/Frame 012301/0812 →
Priority Claims (8)
DE 100 30 013 · Jun 17, 2000 · national
DE 101 15 509 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 486 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 487 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 488 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 589 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 590 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
DE 101 15 577 · Mar 29, 2001 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20020028044A1 · Mar 7, 2002