Optical arrangement and scan microscope
View Patent ↗An optical arrangement for spatially separating an illumination light beam and a detection light beam includes an acousto-optical component that splits the detection light beam by birefringence. A compensation element is provided that compensates, in a single passage of the detection light beam, for the splitting of the detection light beam.
1. An optical arrangement for spatially separating an illumination light beam and a detection light beam, comprising:
an acousto-optical component capable of splitting the detection light beam by birefringence;
a compensation element configured to compensate, in a single passage of the detection light beam, for the splitting of the detection light beam; and
an intermediate element disposed between the acousto-optical component and the compensation element, the intermediate element being configured to direct the illumination light beam to the acousto-optical component;
wherein the compensation element and the acousto-optical component are oriented so as to be turned by 180° with respect to each other relative to a direction of propagation of the detection light beam striking the acousto-optical component.
2. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the acousto-optical component includes at least one of an acousto-optical tunable filter, an acousto-optical deflector, and an acousto-optical modulator.
3. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein:
the acousto-optical component is capable of splitting the detection light beam by dispersion; and
the compensation element is configured to compensate for the splitting of the detection light beam due to dispersion.
4. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein
the compensation element and the acousto-optical component have a same exterior shape.
5. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the compensation element includes another acousto-optical component.
6. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 further comprising a beam-displacement device disposed downstream from the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.
7. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the acousto-optical component and the compensation element are cemented to each other.
8. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the intermediate element is cemented to the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.
9. A scanning microscope comprising:
a light source configured to generate an illumination light beam;
a detector configured to detect a detection light beam coming from a specimen;
an acousto-optical component configured to spatially separate the illumination light beam and the detection light beam, the acousto-optical component being capable of splitting the detection light beam by birefringence;
a compensation element configured to compensate, in a single passage of the detection light beam, for the splitting of the detection light beam; and
an intermediate element disposed between the acousto-optical component and the compensation element, the intermediate element being configured to direct the illumination light beam to the acousto-optical component; wherein the compensation element and the acousto-optical component are oriented so as to be turned by 180° with respect to each other relative to a direction of propagation of the detection light beam.
10. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein the acousto-optical component includes at least one of an acousto-optical tunable filter, an acousto-optical deflector, and an acousto-optical modulator.
11. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein:
the acousto-optical component is capable of splitting the detection light beam by dispersion; and
the compensation element is configured to compensate for the splitting of the detection light beam due to dispersion.
12. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein
the compensation element and the acousto-optical component have a same exterior shape.
13. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein the compensation element includes another acousto-optical component.
14. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 further comprising a beam-displacement device disposed downstream from the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.
15. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein the acousto-optical component and the compensation element are cemented to each other.
16. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein the intermediate element is cemented to the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.
17. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein the intermediate element includes a reflecting mirror.
18. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein the intermediate element includes a reflecting mirror.
19. The optical arrangement as recited in claim 1 wherein an index of refraction of the intermediate element is adapted to respective indices of refraction of the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.
20. The scanning microscope as recited in claim 9 wherein an index of refraction of the intermediate element is adapted to respective indices of refraction of the acousto-optical component and the compensation element.