Abstract: The present invention relates to a confocal laser scanning microscope (100) having an illumination device (1) that comprises a laser light source (41) that is configured to illuminate a sample (25), and a control application circuit (40) for the laser light source (1) which is configured to output a pulsed control application signal (48) in order to supply the laser light source (41), the control application circuit (40) being configured so that it determines both a pulse amplitude (A) and a pulse width (W) of at least one pulse of the pulsed control application signal (48) as a function of at least one input variable (S).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for examining a sample. The apparatus has a light source for generating excitation light in pulses which occur in succession at an excitation pulse frequency, for illuminating a sample region with the excitation pulse, and having a detector for detecting the detection light emanating from the sample region. The apparatus is characterized in that, for each detected photon of the detection light, the detector generates an electrical pulse and thereby a sequence of electrical pulses, and an analog-digital converter is provided that generates a digital data sequence by sampling the sequence of electrical pulses at a sampling rate.

Abstract: A detector apparatus that is embodied to receive light and to generate electrical signals has a housing and a detector arranged in the housing. The detector includes a light sensor that is embodied to receive light and to release electrons. The light sensor is at a lower electrical potential level than the housing; and that the detector is in thermally conductive contact with the housing via an electrically insulating intermediate arrangement, the thermal conduction direction inside the housing being opposite to the light propagation direction of the light to be detected.

Abstract: A microscope, in particular a confocal microscope, has one or more lasers for generating an illumination light for a sample and has a detection device for detected signals from the sample. The detection device includes multiple adjustable spectral detection channels for the detection of predefinable different wavelength regions, and is configured and refined in the interest of particularly versatile utilization in consideration of a wide variety of phenomena, with particularly good separation of the phenomena in the context of investigation, in such a way that multiple temporal detection windows are respectively settable for the spectral detection channels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for investigating a sample with regard to the lifetime of an excited state, in particular a fluorescence lifetime, and/or with regard to a property of a sample which is correlated with a lifetime of an excited state, in particular with a fluorescence lifetime, a sample region being illuminated with a sequence of excitation light pulses. The method is characterized in that the light quantity and/or number of photons of the detected light, in particular fluorescent light, proceeding from the sample region is measured temporally between the excitation light pulses exclusively within a detection time window in each case, at least two detection time windows having different temporal lengths.

Abstract: An optical device includes: a focusing optic that focuses a light beam in a focal plane; at least two phase filters for selectively focusing the light beam and effecting a phase shift of the light beam; and a filter wheel supporting the at least two phase filters which are individually introducible along an optical axis of the light beam, where the filter wheel is rotationally adjusted in relation to the optical axis by a stepper motor and linearly adjusted in an r-direction along a plane of the filter wheel by a linear adjustment mechanism.

Abstract: A microscope, in particular a confocal microscope, has one or more lasers for generating an illumination light for a sample and has a detection device for detected signals from the sample. The detection device includes multiple adjustable spectral detection channels for the detection of predefinable different wavelength regions, and is configured and refined in the interest of particularly versatile utilization in consideration of a wide variety of phenomena, with particularly good separation of the phenomena in the context of investigation, in such a way that multiple temporal detection windows are respectively settable for the spectral detection channels.

Abstract: A detector apparatus is configured to receive light and generate electrical signals. The detector apparatus includes a light sensor having a light incidence side and a cooling component. The cooling component is in direct contact with at least one of the light sensor, on the light incidence side, or a substrate carrying the light sensor.

Abstract: A detector apparatus is configured to receive light and generate electrical signals. The detector apparatus includes a housing, a detector disposed in the housing and a cooling component disposed in the housing. The cooling component electrically insulates the detector with respect to the housing or is part of an insulator electrically that insulates the detector with respect to the housing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a confocal laser scanning microscope (100) having an illumination device (1) that comprises a laser light source (41) that is configured to illuminate a sample (25), and a control application circuit (40) for the laser light source (1) which is configured to output a pulsed control application signal (48) in order to supply the laser light source (41), the control application circuit (40) being configured so that it determines both a pulse amplitude (A) and a pulse width (W) of at least one pulse of the pulsed control application signal (48) as a function of at least one input variable (S).

Abstract: A device in the form of a scanning microscope, a device in the form of a structural unit for a microscope and a method and a device for optically scanning one or more samples. A device in the form of a scanning microscope has a light source (42), which emits an illuminating light beam (32). A focusing lens system (34) focuses the illuminating light beam (32) on a region to be examined of a sample (36). An actuator arrangement moves the focusing lens system (34) according to a prescribed scanning pattern transversely in relation to a center axis of the illuminating light beam (32) and/or in relation to a housing of a structural unit (20) that encloses the focusing lens system (34).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for scanning an object comprising a carrier body (10) and a first electromagnetic drive (2). The carrier body (10) is movably mounted in a plane and holds an optical element (12) that focuses an illuminating light beam (19) on a first object plane of the object that is parallel to the plane. The first electromagnetic drive (2) moves the carrier body (10) with the optical element (12) and a focus region (23) of the illuminating light beam (19) within the first object plane.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for investigating a sample with regard to the lifetime of an excited state, in particular a fluorescence lifetime, and/or with regard to a property of a sample which is correlated with a lifetime of an excited state, in particular with a fluorescence lifetime, a sample region being illuminated with a sequence of excitation light pulses. The method is characterized in that the light quantity and/or number of photons of the detected light, in particular fluorescent light, proceeding from the sample region is measured temporally between the excitation light pulses exclusively within a detection time window in each case, at least two detection time windows having different temporal lengths.

Abstract: A detector apparatus that is embodied to receive light and to generate electrical signals has a housing and a detector arranged in the housing. The detector includes a light sensor that is embodied to receive light and to release electrons. The light sensor is at a lower electrical potential level than the housing; and that the detector is in thermally conductive contact with the housing via an electrically insulating intermediate arrangement, the thermal conduction direction inside the housing being opposite to the light propagation direction of the light to be detected.

Abstract: An arrangement for use in illuminating a sample in SPIM microscopy includes an illumination objective configured to receive and focus a light strip or a quasi-light strip. The quasi-light strip is made up of a light bundle continuously moved back and forth in a light-strip plane. A deflection apparatus is configured to deflect the light strip or the quasi-light strip, after the light strip or the quasi-light strip has passed through the illumination objective, in such a way that the light strip or the quasi-light strip propagates at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to an optical axis of the illumination objective. The illumination objective and the deflection apparatus are arranged movably relative to one another.

Abstract: A detector device is configured to receive light and generate electrical signals. The detector device includes a housing, a detector disposed in the housing and a cooling component disposed in the housing. The cooling component is at least one of: positioned so as to have a light path extend through the cooling component, where the light path is defined by light that is received for detection; designed so as to include a thermally conductive, electrically insulating intermediate element; and disposed, in direct contact a light sensor of the detector and/or a substrate bearing the light sensor.

Abstract: A microscope for examining an object includes a laser light source generating pulsed light so as to illuminate the object. A measuring system including a detector is adapted to detect detection light coming from the object and the measuring system generates a measurement signal based on the detection light. The microscope includes a programmable integrated circuit including a control element and at least one of a first delay element and a second delay element. The control element is configured to generate a first control signal adapted to control the detector and the measuring system. The control element is further configured to generate a second control signal adapted to control the laser light source. The first and second delay elements are configured to delay the first and second control signals, respectively.

Abstract: An acousto-optical system is described comprising at least one acousto-optical element having at least one transducer that is attached to a crystal, a driver unit for generating at least one acoustic signal for driving acousto-optical elements modifying light transmitted through the acousto-optical element and comprising at least one digital data processing unit, at least one digital-to-analog converter transforming the digital combination signal into an initial analog driver signal, and an amplifier for amplifying the initial analog driver signal to become said analog electronic driver signal. Further, a microscope and a method of operating the acousto-optical element is are described. Various objectives are achieved like more flexibility, real time compensation for non-linearity and reducing the number, size, costs and energy consumption of electronic components.

Abstract: A method and a device for scanning-microscopy imaging of a specimen (28) are described. Provision is made that a plurality of specimen points are scanned by means of a scanning beam (14) in successive scanning time intervals, the intensity of the radiation emitted from the respectively scanned specimen point is repeatedly sensed within the associated scanning time interval, an intensity mean value is determined, as a mean value image point signal, from the intensities sensed in the respectively scanned specimen point, and the mean value image point signals are assembled into a mean value raster image. Provision is further made for additionally determining an intensity variance value, as a variance image point signal, from the intensities sensed in the respectively scanning specimen points, and for assembling the variance image point signals into a variance raster image signal.

Abstract: A device for counting photons includes a detector unit that is configured to generate an detected signal. A switching unit is configured to be impinged upon by the detected signal and to trigger a switching state for each detection pulse so as to generate a state signal. A sampling unit is configured to sample the state signal at a predetermined sampling frequency. A serial-parallel converter unit is configured to parallelize the serially generated sampled data by grouping successive sampled data into a sampled data packet. An evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the binary values of sampled data packets so as to identify a partial counter result indicating the number of switching state changes occurring in the switching unit, and to add partial counter results identified in individual clock cycles.