Abstract: An electric circuit for a microscope includes a lock-in amplifier. The lock-in amplifier has an input for an input signal, an input for a reference signal, an output for an output signal and a bandwidth filter configured such that a low bandwidth frequency value and/or a high bandwidth frequency value is variably settable. A dynamic bandwidth controller is configured to receive at least one parameter of a current setting of the microscope as an input, and to control the low bandwidth frequency value and/or the high bandwidth frequency value of the lock-in amplifier as a function of the at least one parameter of the current setting of the microscope.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an intensity of a light beam in an optical arrangement includes passing the light beam through an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF). The intensity of the light beam is adjusted as a function of frequency and/or amplitude of a sound wave with which the AOTF is operated. The amplitude of the sound wave at a specified sound wave frequency is selected such that the amplitude is larger than would be required to achieve a first maximum diffraction efficiency for a specified wavelength or for a specified wavelength spectrum of the light beam. The amplitude of the sound wave is also selected such that a value of an integral of a product of the transmission function of the AOTF and the wavelength spectrum of the light beam is larger than at a value of the amplitude to be selected to achieve the first maximum.

Abstract: A light/voltage converter circuit for converting intensity fluctuations of light into an alternating voltage measurement signal includes a photodiode configured to detect the light and a transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil is connected in a series circuit to the photodiode, and the alternating voltage measurement signal is applied to the secondary coil. An electrical network is configured to block direct current and conduct alternating current. The electrical network is connected in parallel with the series circuit consisting of the primary coil of the transformer and the photodiode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a beam combiner for a microscope, in particular a scanning microscope, which receives at least a first illuminating light bundle and a second illuminating light bundle and combines them into a collinear output light bundle, the first illuminating light bundle and the second illuminating light bundle having the same illuminating light wavelength but a different polarization, in particular linear polarization. The beam combiner is embodied as an acousto-optic beam combiner and is constructed and operated in such a way that by interaction with at least one mechanical wave, both the first illuminating light bundle and the second illuminating light bundle are diffracted and are thereby directed into a common optical axis.

Abstract: An optical arrangement has an optical beam path for illuminating a sample space with a sequence of laser light pulses generated in a laser cycle, the optical arrangement. At least one laser light source is configured to generate the sequence of laser light pulses along the optical beam path. A wavelength-selective pulse picker is situated in the optical beam path and has, in a predefined illumination clock timing synchronizable with the laser light pulses, an open state in which the pulse picker is light-transparent to at least one laser light pulse towards the sample space. The open state has at least two different transmission states which differ with regard to their respective transmission spectrums, and wherein the two transmission states are switchable on and/or off independently of one another.

Abstract: A Raman microscopy imaging device (100) is described, having: a first laser light source (12) for emitting a first laser beam (16) having a first wavelength along a first light path (20); a second laser light source (44) for emitting a second laser beam (18) having a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, along a second light path (22) physically separated from the first light path (20); a beam combining element (32) for collinearly combining the two laser beams (16, 18) in one shared light path (34) directed onto a sample; a detector (38) for sensing a measured signal on the basis of the two laser beams (16, 18) interacting with the sample; and an evaluation unit (40) for evaluating the measured signal sensed by the detector (38). According to the present invention the first laser light source (12) is embodied as a pulsed source, and the second laser light source (44) as a continuous source.

Abstract: A light/voltage converter circuit for converting intensity fluctuations of light into an alternating voltage measurement signal includes a photodiode configured to detect the light and a transformer comprising a primary coil and a secondary coil. The primary coil is connected in a series circuit to the photodiode, and the alternating voltage measurement signal is applied to the secondary coil. An electrical network is configured to block direct current and conduct alternating current. The electrical network is connected in parallel with the series circuit consisting of the primary coil of the transformer and the photodiode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope having an acousto-optic apparatus (13) that, with a mechanical wave that is characterized by a preferably adjustable frequency, removes from a polychromatic and collinear detected light bundle (18) portions of illuminated light, scattered and/or reflected at a sample, having an illuminating light wavelength associated with the frequency.

Abstract: A device (10) for illuminating a sample (40) is described, having: at least one pulsed laser light source (12) for repeated emission of a first laser pulse along a first light path (14) and of a second laser pulse along a second light path (16) physically separated from the first light path; a superimposition element (32) for collinear superimposition of the two laser pulses in a shared light path (34); a delay stage (26) arranged in the first or the second light path (14, 16), for delaying one of the two laser pulses relative to the other laser pulse in such a way that the two laser pulses sent along the shared light path (34) onto the sample (40) exhibit a temporal superimposition; a shared chirp unit (36) arranged in the shared light path (34), for frequency-modifying influencing both of the first laser pulse and of the second laser pulse; and at least one separate chirp unit (18) arranged in the first light path (14), for frequency-modifying influencing only of the first laser pulse.

Abstract: An electric circuit for a microscope includes a lock-in amplifier. The lock-in amplifier has an input for an input signal, an input for a reference signal, an output for an output signal and a bandwidth filter configured such that a low bandwidth frequency value and/or a high bandwidth frequency value is variably settable. A dynamic bandwidth controller is configured to receive at least one parameter of a current setting of the microscope as an input, and to control the low bandwidth frequency value and/or the high bandwidth frequency value of the lock-in amplifier as a function of the at least one parameter of the current setting of the microscope.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acousto-optic main beam splitter for a scanning microscope, which is embodied and intended to direct illuminating light having a preselected or preselectable illuminating light wavelength into an illumination beam path for illumination of a sample, and to direct detected light coming from a sample into a detection beam path.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for investigating a sample, the sample being impinged upon by illuminating light, and detected light emerging from the sample being directed to a detector, and the illuminating light being directed through an acousto-optic component with which the impingement upon the sample by illuminating light can be temporarily interrupted.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an intensity of a light beam in an optical arrangement includes passing the light beam through an acousto-optical tunable filter (AOTF). The intensity of the light beam is adjusted as a function of frequency and/or amplitude of a sound wave with which the AOTF is operated. The amplitude of the sound wave at a specified sound wave frequency is selected such that the amplitude is larger than would be required to achieve a first maximum diffraction efficiency for a specified wavelength or for a specified wavelength spectrum of the light beam. The amplitude of the sound wave is also selected such that a value of an integral of a product of the transmission function of the AOTF and the wavelength spectrum of the light beam is larger than at a value of the amplitude to be selected to achieve the first maximum.

Abstract: A Raman microscopy imaging device (100) is described, having: a first laser light source (12) for emitting a first laser beam (16) having a first wavelength along a first light path (20); a second laser light source (44) for emitting a second laser beam (18) having a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength, along a second light path (22) physically separated from the first light path (20); a beam combining element (32) for collinearly combining the two laser beams (16, 18) in one shared light path (34) directed onto a sample; a detector (38) for sensing a measured signal on the basis of the two laser beams (16, 18) interacting with the sample; and an evaluation unit (40) for evaluating the measured signal sensed by the detector (38). According to the present invention the first laser light source (12) is embodied as a pulsed source, and the second laser light source (44) as a continuous source.

Abstract: A device (10) for illuminating a sample (40) is described, having: at least one pulsed laser light source (12) for repeated emission of a first laser pulse along a first light path (14) and of a second laser pulse along a second light path (16) physically separated from the first light path; a superimposition element (32) for collinear superimposition of the two laser pulses in a shared light path (34); a delay stage (26) arranged in the first or the second light path (14, 16), for delaying one of the two laser pulses relative to the other laser pulse in such a way that the two laser pulses sent along the shared light path (34) onto the sample (40) exhibit a temporal superimposition; a shared chirp unit (36) arranged in the shared light path (34), for frequency-modifying influencing both of the first laser pulse and of the second laser pulse; and at least one separate chirp unit (18) arranged in the first light path (14), for frequency-modifying influencing only of the first laser pulse.

Abstract: The invention relates to an acousto-optic main beam splitter for a scanning microscope, which is embodied and intended to direct illuminating light having a preselected or preselectable illuminating light wavelength into an illumination beam path for illumination of a sample, and to direct detected light coming from a sample into a detection beam path.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for investigating a sample, the sample being impinged upon by illuminating light, and detected light emerging from the sample being directed to a detector, and the illuminating light being directed through an acousto-optic component with which the impingement upon the sample by illuminating light can be temporarily interrupted.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope having an objective that focuses illuminating light to an illuminating light focus, and having a light-guiding fiber which transports the illuminating light and at whose end is arranged a fiber coupler that couples the illuminating light out of the light-guiding fiber and generates a preferably collimated illuminating light bundle. An element for modifying the shape of the illuminating light focus, which is prealigned relative to the illuminating light bundle to be coupled out, is arranged in or on the fiber coupler.

Abstract: The invention relates to a beam combiner for a microscope, in particular a scanning microscope, which receives at least a first illuminating light bundle and a second illuminating light bundle and combines them into a collinear output light bundle, the first illuminating light bundle and the second illuminating light bundle having the same illuminating light wavelength but a different polarization, in particular linear polarization. The beam combiner is embodied as an acousto-optic beam combiner and is constructed and operated in such a way that by interaction with at least one mechanical wave, both the first illuminating light bundle and the second illuminating light bundle are diffracted and are thereby directed into a common optical axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope having an acousto-optic apparatus (13) that, with a mechanical wave that is characterized by a preferably adjustable frequency, removes from a polychromatic and collinear detected light bundle (18) portions of illuminated light, scattered and/or reflected at a sample, having an illuminating light wavelength associated with the frequency.