Abstract: A nonlinear optical microscope apparatus includes: an objective for irradiating a laser beam on a sample; a beam diameter change unit for changing a beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the objective; and a control unit for deciding, for each of optical characteristics of the sample, a pupil filling ratio, which is a ratio of the beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the objective to a pupil diameter of the objective, based on the optical characteristics of the sample, and for controlling the beam diameter change unit so that the pupil filling ratio becomes the decided value.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope includes a light source, a light converging optical system, a stage, a scanning unit which displaces an illumination light and the stage relatively, a detecting optical system, and a photodetector. A light modulation element and a relay optical system are disposed on the light converging optical system side of the light source, and a modulated signal having only amplitude changed is input to the light modulation element, and the light modulation element is positioned such that the illumination light emerged from the light modulation element with respect to the modulated signal of a predetermined amplitude coincides with an optical axis of the light converging optical system, and a position of a pupil of the light converging optical system and a position of the light modulation element are conjugate through at least the relay optical system.

Abstract: A laser microscope comprises a laser light source emitting illumination light; an objective applying the illumination light on a sample; a light path compounding unit compounding a first illumination light path and a second illumination path between the laser light source and the objective; a phase-modulation type spatial light modulator placed on a position on the first illumination path, the position also being optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective, modulating a phase of the illumination light; and a two-dimensional scanning unit placed on the second illumination light path, scanning the sample in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective.

Abstract: A microscope system that performs structured illumination includes a light source configured to emit illumination light, an objective lens that irradiates a specimen with the illumination light, a phase-modulation spatial light modulator that has a two-dimensional pixel structure, that is arranged at the pupil conjugate position of the objective lens on an illumination light path between the light source and the objective lens, and that is configured to modulate a phase of the illumination light for each pixel so as to form a fringe illumination pattern on the specimen on the basis of an optical parameter of at least one of the light source and the objective lens.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope includes a light source, a light converging optical system, a stage, a scanning unit which displaces an illumination light and the stage relatively, a detecting optical system, and a photodetector. A light modulation element and a relay optical system are disposed on the light converging optical system side of the light source, and a modulated signal having only amplitude changed is input to the light modulation element, and the light modulation element is positioned such that the illumination light emerged from the light modulation element with respect to the modulated signal of a predetermined amplitude coincides with an optical axis of the light converging optical system, and a position of a pupil of the light converging optical system and a position of the light modulation element are conjugate through at least the relay optical system.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical microscope apparatus includes: an objective for irradiating a laser beam on a sample; a beam diameter change unit for changing a beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the objective; and a control unit for deciding, for each of optical characteristics of the sample, a pupil filling ratio, which is a ratio of the beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the objective to a pupil diameter of the objective, based on the optical characteristics of the sample, and for controlling the beam diameter change unit so that the pupil filling ratio becomes the decided value.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam, an objective lens for irradiating a sample with the laser beam, a phase-modulating spatial light modulator placed between the laser beam source and the objective lens at a position optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective lens, and a beam diameter variable unit placed between the laser beam source and the phase-modulating spatial light modulator for varying a beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the phase-modulating spatial light modulator.

Abstract: An immersion microscope objective formed of thirteen or fewer lens elements includes, in order from the object side, first and second lens groups of positive refractive power, a third lens group, a fourth lens group having negative refractive power with its image-side surface being concave, and a fifth lens group having positive refractive power with its object-side surface being concave. The first lens group includes, in order from the object side, a lens component that consists of a lens element of positive refractive power (when computed as being in air) and a meniscus lens element having its concave surface on the object side. Various conditions are satisfied to ensure that images of fluorescence, obtained when the immersion microscope objective is used in a laser scanning microscope that employs multiphoton excitation to observe a specimen, are bright and of high resolution. Various laser scanning microscopes are also disclosed.

Abstract: An illumination device includes a phase-modulation type spatial light modulator that is arranged at a position optically conjugate to a pupil position of an illumination lens between a light source and the illumination lens for irradiating light emitted from the light source on a sample, and a pupil projecting optics system for projecting at least one area within the pupil of the illumination lens onto a plurality of different areas of the spatial light modulator.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical microscope capable of suppressing unnecessary response light as a background and detecting desired response light in nonlinear optical response process with a good S/N ratio.

Abstract: A detecting device includes a wavelength dispersion element for dispersing light into wavelengths and for emitting dispersed light, a photodetector for detecting the dispersed light, and a wavelength restriction element, which is arranged between the wavelength dispersion element and the photodetector and has an optical characteristic dependent on a wavelength, for restricting an incidence of light having a particular wavelength to the photodetector. Light that is part of the dispersed light and includes the light having has the particular wavelength is incident to the wavelength restriction element.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical microscope includes: a light source unit emitting pulsed light having a wavelength of 1200 nm or more and having a pulse width of several tens through several hundreds of femtoseconds; an objective emitting the pulsed light from the light source unit to a sample and having a working distance of 2 mm or more; and an immersion liquid filling the space between the sample and the objective and having an internal transmittance higher than an internal transmittance of pure water with respect to the wavelength of the pulsed light emitted from the light source unit.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope is disclosed that combines light from first and second scanning optical systems onto a common optical path using a beam combiner. A first plane-parallel transparent plate and a beam combiner are positioned on a support that may be moved relative to the common optical path. The first plane-parallel transparent plate has an optical thickness equal to the optical thickness of the beam combiner and is oriented with its surface normal lying substantially parallel with the surface normal of the beam combiner. An astigmatism-correcting optical element is provided on the common optical path, with the astigmatism-correcting optical element generating astigmatism that is equal in magnitude, but different in direction by 90 degrees, to the astigmatism generated by non-collimated light that is transmitted through the beam combiner. When the support is repositioned, spherical aberration in various light paths is maintained constant so that it may be easily corrected.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes a laser beam source for emitting a laser beam, an objective lens for irradiating a sample with the laser beam, a phase-modulating spatial light modulator placed between the laser beam source and the objective lens at a position optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective lens, and a beam diameter variable unit placed between the laser beam source and the phase-modulating spatial light modulator for varying a beam diameter of the laser beam incident to the phase-modulating spatial light modulator.

Abstract: A laser microscope comprises a laser light source emitting illumination light; an objective applying the illumination light on a sample; a light path compounding unit compounding a first illumination light path and a second illumination path between the laser light source and the objective; a phase-modulation type spatial light modulator placed on a position on the first illumination path, the position also being optically conjugate with a pupil position of the objective, modulating a phase of the illumination light; and a two-dimensional scanning unit placed on the second illumination light path, scanning the sample in a plane orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective.

Abstract: In a laser scanning microscope comprising an infrared pulse laser; an objective lens focusing an infrared light from the infrared pulse laser on a sample; a condenser lens disposed on an opposite side of the objective lens across the sample for collecting an observation light that is generated by a nonlinear optical effect and has a wavelength shorter than a wavelength of the infrared light; a visible light detector detecting the observation light collected by the condenser lens, an IR partial transmission filter having partially-modified transmission characteristics for the infrared light is disposed near a front focal position of the condenser lens, and an infrared light detector detecting, through the IR partial transmission filter, a transmitted light from the sample collected by the condenser lens, is provided.

Abstract: A detecting device includes a wavelength dispersion element for dispersing light into wavelengths and for emitting dispersed light, a photodetector for detecting the dispersed light, and a wavelength restriction element, which is arranged between the wavelength dispersion element and the photodetector and has an optical characteristic dependent on a wavelength, for restricting an incidence of light having a particular wavelength to the photodetector. Light that is part of the dispersed light and includes the light having has the particular wavelength is incident to the wavelength restriction element.

Abstract: An immersion microscope objective formed of thirteen or fewer lens elements includes, in order from the object side, first and second lens groups of positive refractive power, a third lens group, a fourth lens group having negative refractive power with its image-side surface being concave, and a fifth lens group having positive refractive power with its object-side surface being concave. The first lens group includes, in order from the object side, a lens component that consists of a lens element of positive refractive power (when computed as being in air) and a meniscus lens element having its concave surface on the object side. Various conditions are satisfied to ensure that images of fluorescence, obtained when the immersion microscope objective is used in a laser scanning microscope that employs multiphoton excitation to observe a specimen, are bright and of high resolution. Various laser scanning microscopes are also disclosed.

Abstract: An immersion microscope objective formed of thirteen or fewer lens elements includes, in order from the object side, first and second lens groups of positive refractive power, a third lens group, a fourth lens group having negative refractive power with its image-side surface being concave, and a fifth lens group having positive refractive power with its object-side surface being concave. The first lens group includes, in order from the object side, a lens component that consists of a lens element of positive refractive power (when computed as being in air) and a meniscus lens element having its concave surface on the object side. Various conditions are satisfied to ensure that images of fluorescence, obtained when the immersion microscope objective is used in a laser scanning microscope that employs multiphoton excitation to observe a specimen, are bright and of high resolution. Various laser scanning microscopes are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical microscope capable of suppressing unnecessary response light as a background and detecting desired response light in nonlinear optical response process with a good S/N ratio.