Abstract:
In a confocal laser scanning microscope with an illuminating configuration (2), which provides an illuminating beam for illuminating a probe region (23), with a scanning configuration (3, 4), which guides the illuminating beam over the probe while scanning, and with a detector configuration (5), which via the scanning configuration (3, 4) images the illuminated probe region (23) by means of a confocal aperture (26) on to at least one detector unit (28), it is provided that the illuminating configuration (2) of the scanning configuration (3, 4) provides a line-shaped illuminating beam, that the scanning configuration (3, 4) guides the line-shaped illuminating beam over the probe f while scanning and that the confocal aperture is designed as a slotted aperture (26) or as a slot-shaped region (28, 48) of the detector unit (28) acting as a confocal aperture.
Abstract:
The invention is based on the knowledge that the quasi-static deflection of a dispersive element can also be obtained in a miniaturization, in that a higher degree of insusceptibility against vibration and shock can be obtained when a suspension is used for the dispersive element, which biases the same into a resting position, as well as for the deflection a means for holding the dispersive element in a deflected position, such that an equilibrium of powers is established between the holding force and the biasing force. In that way, after shock and vibration, the dispersive element always returns to the position defined by the holding force. Therefore, an inventive spectrometer comprises a dispersive element for spectrally decomposing a light beam, whose spectral distribution is to be determined, into spectral components, as well as a suspension for supporting the dispersive element and for biasing the same into a resting position with a biasing force, when the dispersive element is in a deflected position. A control means controls a holding means to vary the deflected position, so that different spectral components become detectable for a detector of the spectrometer.
Abstract:
A scanning confocal microscopy system and apparatus, especially useful for endoscopy with a flexible probe which is connected to the end of an optical fiber (9). The probe has a grating (12) and a lens (14) which delivers a beam of multi-spectral light having spectral components which extend in one dimension across a region of an object and which is moved to scan in another dimension. The reflected confocal spectrum is measured to provide an image of the region.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a spectrometer (1) comprising a dispersive element of a light beam formed of a set of spectral components, the dispersive element generating spatial dispersion of the spectral components in the form of a dispersion spectrum (6) spatially spread, at least one photon detector (5, 52) comprising at least one detection element (51) being provided at one point of said dispersion. According to the invention, a matrix optical electromechanical device (3) is provided between the dispersive element and the detector in the dispersion spectrum, said electromechanical device being formed of a matrix of optical elements, each of the optical elements being able to send back a portion of the dispersion spectrum according to at least two directions in relation to a control signal, in order to enable the selection of at least one sub-assembly of the spectrum for said detection element. A method and an application of the spectrometer are claimed.
Abstract:
A spectrometer, or a spectral instrument using multiple non-interfering optical beam paths and special optical elements. The special optical elements for use with the instrument are used for directing the optical beam and/or altering the form of the beam. The instrument has the potential, depending upon the totality of the optical components incorporated into the instrument, to be a monochromator, a spectroradiometer, a spectrophotometer and a spectral source. The spectral instrument may further be a part of the spectral system. The system may include the spectral instrument, a power module and means for remote control of the instrument. Such remote control may be by use of a personal computer or a control system dedicated to the control, measurement and analysis of the collected information. The multiple non-interfering beam paths are created using specially designed optical elements such as a diffraction grating, a splitter box, a zero back-lash drive system for movement of the grating element. The orientation of and a physical/spatial relationship between the field lenses, slits, return mirror, reflecting prism, turning lenses all define the multiple, preferably two paths. Particularly, there is a double pass through the grating to increase dispersion, reduce scatter while maintaining a perfect temperature independent spectral match for the second pass. Using the same grating twice reduces scatter by about a factor of 1000, increases the dispersion by a factor of two, and eliminates any temperature-related mechanical spectral drift which often is present with two separate monochromators. Because of the specially designed grating structure, the grating can cause the concurrent diffraction of a plurality of incident optical beams, each of which beams have different angles of incidence and different angles of reflection. The path of the incident and the reflected beam to and from the grating is “off-axis”. That is, the beams going to and from the grating do not use the optical axis of the grating structure.
Abstract:
The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining the wavelength of a sample source of light, the apparatus having a reference light source of known wavelength, a collimator for collimating light from the sample source and from the reference source, a dispersing means for receiving and spatially dispersing collimated light from the collimator according to wavelength, focusing means for focusing dispersed light from the dispersing means, and a photodetector located in the focal plane of the focusing means and having an aperture for spatially selectively admitting light from the focusing means, and operable to provide a temporally calibratable output signal indicative of the wavelength of the selectively admitted light, wherein the apparatus is operable to scan the focused spatially dispersed beam across the aperture, and the photodetector output includes resolvable features corresponding to light from the reference source and sample source, whereby a time difference between the features is indicative of a wavelength difference between the light from the reference source and the sample source.
Abstract:
An optical spectrum analyzer 100 and a wavelength variable light source 101 have each a sweep synchronization start function. A correction function of the rotation speed of a motor 106 for varying the angle of a diffraction grating in a spectroscope 104 so that extracted wavelength and output signal light wavelength match over a setup sweep wavelength range is found from the output signal light wavelength characteristic relative to the rotation angle of a spectral element 119 and the extracted wavelength of the spectroscope 104, and the rotation angle of motor 106 for driving the spectroscope 104 is varied for each setup wavelength in accordance with the correction function, then sweep is performed.
Abstract:
A spectrometer has a source of illumination radiation having a plurality of spectral wavelengths, a bandpass filter, a dispersive beamsplitter disposed in an optical path of said source of illumination radiation, an illumination radiation rejection filter, and a spectrograph disposed in a path of radiation from a sample illuminated by illumination radiation from said source of illumination radiation. The dispersive beamsplitter, the bandpass filter, the illumination radiation rejection filter and spectrograph are tunable in correspondence to a selected one of the plurality of spectral wavelengths of the source of illumination radiation. The dispersive beamsplitter directs the selected one of the plurality of spectral wavelengths of illumination radiation to a sample and directs elastically scattered and reflected radiation from the sample out of a measurement beam of light emanating from the sample. The inelastically scattered light passes through the dispersive beamsplitter essentially unaffected and is directed to the illumination radiation rejection filter and the spectrograph.
Abstract:
An optical part driving device for moving an optical part, comprises; a driving timing pulley, a pair of driven timing pulleys, a timing belt wound by the driving timing pulley and the driven timing pulleys and connected with the optical part between the pair of driven timing pulleys, and a pair of tension pulleys for tensing the timing belt on both sides of the driving timing pulley.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a device for adjusting angular play on a predetermined angular range of an optical element mobile in rotation relative to a frame. Said device comprises a contact piece (3), integral with the optical element, and an elastic steady arm (4). The steady arm has a first end (41) fixed to the frame and a second end (42) co-operating with the contact piece when the mobile element is oriented in the predetermined angular range, at least when the mobile element enters said angular range in the rotational direction (S1), such that the steady arm exerts on the mobile element a counter-torque. Said second end does not co-operate with the contact piece when the mobile element is oriented outside the angular range.