Abstract: A microscope apparatus that can observe into the interior of a specimen and that can apply an optical stimulus over a wide area within a short period of time is provided. The microscope apparatus comprises at least one observation scanning optical system including a laser light source for emitting observation laser light, an objective lens, and a scanning optical system for two-dimensionally scanning the observation laser light in a predetermined examination plane of the specimen via the objective lens; and at least one stimulus optical system which includes a lamp light source for emitting light having a wavelength used for optical stimulation and which irradiates the specimen with the light emitted from the lamp light source.

Abstract: An image can be prevented from becoming unclear over time during long-term observation. The invention provides a microscope apparatus including a specimen container for containing a specimen; an objective lens disposed opposite the specimen container for collecting light from the specimen in the specimen container; an immersion-liquid supplying unit for supplying immersion liquid to a space between the objective lens and the specimen container; and an immersion-liquid removing unit for removing the immersion liquid from the space between the objective lens and the specimen container. The immersion-liquid removing unit includes a nozzle for ejecting compressed air to the space between the objective lens and the specimen container.

Abstract: A confocal microscope apparatus comprises a first optical scanning system which obtains a scan image of a sample using a laser beam from a first laser light source, a second optical scanning system which scans specific regions of a sample with a laser beam from a second laser light source that is different from the first laser light source, thereby causing a particular phenomenon, and a beam diameter varying mechanism which can change the beam diameter of the laser beam of at least one of the first optical scanning system and the second optical scanning system. With this configuration, the apparatus further comprises an excitation light intensity distribution calculator which calculates and stores the excitation light intensity distribution along a depth direction on the sample surface from the beam diameter of the laser beam output from the beam diameter varying mechanism.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a first optical system which illuminates a sample via an objective lens with light output from a light source and which detects fluorescence emitted from the sample via the objective lens, and a second optical scanning system which irradiates specific regions of the sample with a laser beam output from a laser light source, thereby causing a particular phenomenon. The first optical system may include a rotatable disk to obtain a confocal effect, and the light output from the light source scans the sample via the rotatable disk, and the fluorescence is detected via the rotatable disk. A depth position of a focal plane of the second optical scanning system is generally the same as a depth position of a focal plane of the first optical system.

Abstract: The invention provides a microscope apparatus, used for identifying the cell phases of a plurality of cells mounted on a stage, including an analysis/observation optical system used for acquiring an observed-image of the cells and a stimulus optical system used for applying an optical stimulus to prescribed cells. Using these optical systems, the cell phases of the cells mounted on the stage are identified, an optical stimulus is applied to the cells, and the state of the cells before and after applying the stimulus is observed.

Abstract: It is possible to achieve a required field number and numerical aperture for microscope observation at a scanning speed equal to video-rate or higher and also to change the scanning speed with a simple configuration. The invention provides a laser microscope including a laser light source; a scanning unit configured to scan a specimen with laser light emitted from the laser light source; and an objective lens configured to focus the laser light scanned by the scanning unit on the specimen. The scanning unit is provided with an electro-optical deflecting element including an electro-optical crystal in which a refractive index gradient is induced by injecting electric current.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microscope system.

Abstract: Provided is a laser scanning microscope with which it is possible to reduce the time required for scanning and to detect light from a sample with high sensitivity.

Abstract: Provided is a microscope that allows irradiation with uniform illumination light without decreasing the amount of light. Employed is a microscope 1 including an incoherent light source 31 that emits incoherent light I; an optical fiber 35 on which the incoherent light I is incident and which guides the incident incoherent light I by repeated total reflection; a DMD 37 having an array of movable micromirrors each reflecting or transmitting the guided incoherent light I; an objective lens 18 that irradiates a specimen 19 with the incoherent light I reflected or transmitted by the DMD 37 and that collects fluorescence F coming from the specimen 19; a dichroic mirror 17 that splits off the collected fluorescence F coming from the specimen 19 from the incoherent light I; and a CCD camera 13 that is disposed at a position conjugate to the position of the DMD 37 and that detects the fluorescence F coming from the specimen 19 and split off by the dichroic mirror 17.

Abstract: Provided is a laser scanning microscope that allows stable examination by eliminating the influence of ambient light while inhibiting damage to a specimen and fading of fluorescence. Employed is a laser scanning microscope 1 including a culture vessel 6 accommodating a specimen A and capable of maintaining an interior temperature and humidity thereof and an optical system space 5 adjacent to the culture vessel 6 and optically connected to the culture vessel 6.

Abstract: It is possible to check for observation success or failure and the observation history without waiting for observation to be completely finished, thus saving time and energy required for observation, and avoiding lost opportunities for observation of precious samples etc. Provided is a microscope apparatus including an image acquisition unit for acquiring a plurality of frame images while varying a plurality of parameters; an image saving unit for successively saving the frame images acquired by the image acquisition unit; a property-information saving unit for saving property information in which identifying information of the saved frame images is associated with the parameters; and a control unit for controlling these units, wherein the control unit saves updated property information in the property-information saving unit each time the frame image is saved in the image saving unit.

Abstract: To organize and store a plurality of types of image information acquired by a plurality of image acquisition methods at different timings. There is provided a microscope apparatus comprising a time counting unit for counting time, a plurality of different image acquisition units, and a storage unit for storing image information, when acquired by any one of the image acquisition units, and timing information counted by the time counting unit, by having them associated with each other. Even if the image acquisition units acquire different types of image information at different timings, it is possible, by using the timing information as a clue, to call up the image information stored in the storage unit in a chronological order.

Abstract: Spectrum detection is performed at a high S/N ratio, high sensitivity, and high speed.

Abstract: The invention provides a light-stimulus illumination apparatus comprising a light source for emitting light-stimulus laser light; a scanning unit including at least one acousto-optic device for scanning the light-stimulus laser light emitted from the light source in a direction intersecting an optical axis; and a control unit for controlling the scanning unit. The control unit controls the scanning unit so that the light-stimulus laser light irradiates a plurality of spatially separated regions in a time-division manner.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a first optical system which illuminates a sample via an objective lens with light output from a light source and which detects fluorescence emitted from the sample via the objective lens, and a second optical scanning system which irradiates specific regions of the sample with a laser beam output from a laser light source, thereby causing a particular phenomenon. The first optical system may include a rotatable disk to obtain a confocal effect, and the light output from the light source scans the sample via the rotatable disk, and the fluorescence is detected via the rotatable disk. A depth position of a focal plane of the second optical scanning system is generally the same as a depth position of a focal plane of the first optical system.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope capable of quickly and accurately setting control values of control items for a microscope apparatus is provided. The control items and a time line are displayed along a vertical axis and a horizontal axis, respectively. The laser scanning microscope includes a graphical user interface configured to set the control values of the control items along the time line and a control unit configured to acquire luminance information of a specimen by irradiating the specimen with a laser beam in accordance with the control values set by the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A confocal microscope apparatus comprises a first optical scanning system which obtains a scan image of a sample using a laser beam from a first laser light source, a second optical scanning system which scans specific regions of a sample with a laser beam from a second laser light source that is different from the first laser light source, thereby causing a particular phenomenon, and a beam diameter varying mechanism which can change the beam diameter of the laser beam of at least one of the first optical scanning system and the second optical scanning system. With this configuration, the apparatus further comprises an excitation light intensity distribution calculator which calculates and stores the excitation light intensity distribution along a depth direction on the sample surface from the beam diameter of the laser beam output from the beam diameter varying mechanism.

Abstract: To enable both observations of coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering light and multiphoton fluorescence in a same apparatus so as to observe a specimen by various observation methods. There is provided a laser microscope apparatus comprising: two optical paths for guiding pulsed laser beams having two different frequencies whose frequency difference is approximately equal to a specific molecular vibration frequency in a specimen; a multiplexer for combining the pulsed laser beams guided through these two optical paths; and a frequency dispersion adjuster which is provided on at least one of these two optical paths, and is capable of adjustment to approximately equalize frequency dispersion quantities of the pulsed laser beams guided through the two optical paths.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope includes an exciting observation light source, a stimulation light source, a first scanning portion that two-dimensionally scans the exciting observation light across a specimen, a second scanning portion that sets an incident position of the stimulation light on the specimen, an optical path combining portion that brings the exciting observation light and the stimulation light to an identical optical path, an objective lens that irradiates the specimen with the exciting observation light and/or the stimulation light while collecting fluorescence light emitted from the specimen, and a detecting portion that detects the collected fluorescence light, the optical path combining portion being disposed so as to be in an optically conjugate relationship with the first scanning portion and the second scanning portion.

Abstract: An observation laser beam for observing a specimen and a manipulation laser beam for manipulating the specimen are multiplexed; the multiplexed beams irradiate the specimen, which is mounted on a stage, via an objective lens; and fluorescence emitted from inside the specimen in the observation optical axis direction is detected. In a preparation mode, a focal-position adjusting unit is controlled so that the focal position of the observation laser beam and the focal position of the manipulation laser beam are coincident, independent of the movement of the objective lens or the stage by a focusing mechanism; and in an observation mode, the focal-position adjusting unit is controlled so as to cancel out the shift of the focal position of the manipulation laser beam according to the movement of the objective lens or the stage.