Abstract: A laser-machining device comprising a laser-radiation source to generate a laser beam and emit it along an optical path; a beam-splitting unit downstream of the laser-radiation source designed to split the laser beam into a bundle of partial beams; an optical control unit downstream of the beam-splitting unit comprising a reflective optical functional unit formed by an array of reflective microscanners, wherein the optical control unit is designed to select any desired number of partial beams in any desired spatial combination from the bundle of partial beams and direct them onto a workpiece, and to position and/or move at least one of those partial beams within a specified partial-beam scanning region of the respective partial beam using the microscanner of the array of microscanners assigned to the respective partial beam, and methods for laser machining a workpiece.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of correcting illumination-dependent aberrations in a modular digital microscope comprising a coaxial bright field illumination apparatus, a motor-driven zoom apparatus, an objective, a digital image acquisition unit and an image processing unit. The method according to the invention is based on the use of calibration data, which are preferably stored in the image processing unit as a calibration data record. The calibration data record is established for each combination of objective and zoom and stored in a data memory. The method is integrated into the image processing unit for live-correction or available as software for image post-processing of microscope images. The invention further relates to a digital microscope.

Abstract: For image recording purposes, an object is illuminated at a plurality of illumination angles. A detector captures a plurality of images (41-43) of the object for the plurality of illumination angles. An electronic evaluating device applies an image correction to at least some of the plurality of images (41-43), said image correction comprising a displacement (T1, T2), wherein the displacement (T1, T2) depends on the illumination angle (4) used when recording the respective image (41-43). The corrected images (44-46) may be combined.

Abstract: For image recording purposes, an object is illuminated at a plurality of illumination angles. A detector captures a plurality of images (41-43) of the object for the plurality of illumination angles. An electronic evaluating device applies an image correction to at least some of the plurality of images (41-43), said image correction comprising a displacement (T1, T2), wherein the displacement (T1, T2) depends on the illumination angle (4) used when recording the respective image (41-43). The corrected images (44-46) may be combined.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for illuminating an object in a digital light microscope, to a digital light microscope, and to a bright field reflected-light illumination device for a digital light microscope. According to the invention, the bright field reflected-light illumination and the dark field reflected-light illumination are configured with light-emitting diodes as light sources and are individually or jointly drivable via a control unit. Both the bright field reflected-light illumination and the dark field reflected-light illumination are configured as “critical” illumination, in which the light source is imaged into the object plane.

Abstract: A beam guidance system for the stable transmission of a polarization of laser light and a method for transmitting laser light are provided. The beam guidance system includes an optical fibre, a coupling device with an input and an output and a decoupling device for decoupling the laser light from the optical fibre.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of correcting illumination-dependent aberrations in a modular digital microscope comprising a coaxial bright field illumination apparatus, a motor-driven zoom apparatus, an objective, a digital image acquisition unit and an image processing unit. The method according to the invention is based on the use of calibration data, which are preferably stored in the image processing unit as a calibration data record. The calibration data record is established for each combination of objective and zoom and stored in a data memory. The method is integrated into the image processing unit for live-correction or available as software for image post-processing of microscope images. The invention further relates to a digital microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating a digital optical imaging system, comprising at least one motorized or coded zoom system and an image sensor, to a method for correcting aberrations in such an imaging system, and to an optical imaging system which is configured to carry out the methods according to the invention. During the calibration method, a reference object is recorded in various zoom settings and the image is corrected pixel-wise with digital-optical means using a previously determined model. To this end, distortion correction coefficients and image stability correction coefficients are ascertained. The real total magnification of the system is ascertained from the corrected image. The model ascertained in the calibration process also serves for correcting aberrations during operation of the imaging system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating an optical instrument which comprises at least a motorized zoom system, an objective, an image sensor and an image processing unit. The method comprises the following steps: establishing calibration data DZRef of the zoom system with a reference objective and storing these in an internal memory of the zoom system; establishing calibration data DORef of the objective with a reference zoom system and storing these in an internal memory of the objective; reading the internal memories of the zoom system and of the objective and applying a digital-optical correction of an image acquired by an image sensor with the calibration data DZRef and DORef. The invention moreover relates to an optical instrument, in particular a digital microscope, to which the calibration method according to the invention can be applied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ring illumination device (07) for a microscope objective (01), and a microscope objective (01) provided with such a ring illumination device (07). The ring illumination device (07) has at least two LED units (11) which are accommodated in an illumination ring (17) which can be connected to the microscope objective (01). According to the invention, the ring illumination device (07) has at least one lower entrance opening (08) and at least one upper outlet opening (09) for cooling air, for cooling the LED units (11).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating a digital optical imaging system, comprising at least one motorized or coded zoom system and an image sensor, to a method for correcting aberrations in such an imaging system, and to an optical imaging system which is configured to carry out the methods according to the invention. During the calibration method, a reference object is recorded in various zoom settings and the image is corrected pixel-wise with digital-optical means using a previously determined model. To this end, distortion correction coefficients and image stability correction coefficients are ascertained. The real total magnification of the system is ascertained from the corrected image. The model ascertained in the calibration process also serves for correcting aberrations during operation of the imaging system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating an optical instrument which comprises at least a motorized zoom system, an objective, an image sensor and an image processing unit. The method comprises the following steps: establishing calibration data DZRef of the zoom system with a reference objective and storing these in an internal memory of the zoom system; establishing calibration data DORef of the objective with a reference zoom system and storing these in an internal memory of the objective; reading the internal memories of the zoom system and of the objective and applying a digital-optical correction of an image acquired by an image sensor with the calibration data DZRef and DORef. The invention moreover relates to an optical instrument, in particular a digital microscope, to which the calibration method according to the invention can be applied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ring illumination device (07) for a microscope objective (01), and a microscope objective (01) provided with such a ring illumination device (07). The ring illumination device (07) has at least two LED units (11) which are accommodated in an illumination ring (17) which can be connected to the microscope objective (01). According to the invention, the ring illumination device (07) has at least one lower entrance opening (08) and at least one upper outlet opening (09) for cooling air, for cooling the LED units (11).

Abstract: The invention relates to a digital microscope and to a method for optimizing a work process in such a digital microscope. The digital microscope comprises according to the invention at least one first monitoring sensor for observing a sample (08), a sample table (4), an optics unit (02) or a user, and a monitoring unit. In the method according to the invention, first operating data of the first operating sensor are acquired and analyzed and evaluated in an automated manner in the monitoring unit, in order to generate control data and to use said data for controlling the work process of the digital microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for illuminating an object in a digital light microscope, to a digital light microscope, and to a bright field reflected-light illumination device for a digital light microscope. According to the invention, the bright field reflected-light illumination and the dark field reflected-light illumination are configured with light-emitting diodes as light sources and are individually or jointly drivable via a control unit. Both the bright field reflected-light illumination and the dark field reflected-light illumination are configured as “critical” illumination, in which the light source is imaged into the object plane.