Abstract: A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

Abstract: Method for the operation of a laser scanning microscope. The microscope includes an illumination beam path in which at least one illumination light source is arranged, a detection beam path in which at least one photomultiplier (PMT) is incorporated as detector, and a control unit for controlling fluorescence experiments. A sample is alternately illuminated at high intensity via the control unit, and the fluorescence decay behavior of sample points and/or sample regions is subsequently detected. The PMT is switched on and off depending on the illumination mode by the control unit via a switch directly in the high-voltage supply of the PMT.

Abstract: An improved evaluation circuit which allows high sensitivity in an economical manner. For this purpose, a shift register having at least one data input, a clock input, a plurality of register stages and at least one data output is provided, wherein the output of the analog-to-digital converter is connected to the data input of the shift register. With a shift register, fluorescent light and scattered light can be temporally distinguished in an economical manner.

Abstract: Method for the operation of a laser scanning microscope. The microscope includes an illumination beam path in which at least one illumination light source is arranged, a detection beam path in which at least one photomultiplier (PMT) is incorporated as detector, and a control unit for controlling fluorescence experiments. A sample is alternately illuminated at high intensity via the control unit, and the fluorescence decay behavior of sample points and/or sample regions is subsequently detected. The PMT is switched on and off depending on the illumination mode by the control unit via a switch directly in the high-voltage supply of the PMT.

Abstract: An improved evaluation circuit which allows high sensitivity in an economical manner. For this purpose, a shift register having at least one data input, a clock input, a plurality of register stages and at least one data output is provided, wherein the output of the analog-to-digital converter is connected to the data input of the shift register. With a shift register, fluorescent light and scattered light can be temporally distinguished in an economical manner.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating an at least two-dimensional image of at least part of a sample. The method involves scanning the sample. Acquiring at least one light signal by an optoelectronic detector for different areas of the sample. Converting the light signal into an electrical signal. Distributing the electrical signal onto several parallel evaluation channels whose signal evaluations differ from each other so that their dynamic ranges are different. Generating a result signal in each evaluation channel. Selecting at least one of the result signals as a function of one of the result signals in order to generate the image for the sample range concerned. It is also possible to generate one intermediate result signal for each channel, typically from the respective actual result signal and one or more other sources. Thus the signal selection depending on both the result signals and the intermediate result signals are possible.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating an at least two-dimensional image of at least part of a sample. The method involves scanning the sample. Acquiring at least one light signal by an optoelectronic detector for different areas of the sample. Converting the light signal into an electrical signal. Distributing the electrical signal onto several parallel evaluation channels whose signal evaluations differ from each other so that their dynamic ranges are different. Generating a result signal in each evaluation channel. Selecting at least one of the result signals as a function of one of the result signals in order to generate the image for the sample range concerned. It is also possible to generate one intermediate result signal for each channel, typically from the respective actual result signal and one or more other sources. Thus the signal selection depending on both the result signals and the intermediate result signals are possible.

Abstract: A peripheral interface and process for data transfer, especially for laser scanning microscopes. The peripheral interface permits a gap-free transfer of data with high transmission speed using a non-real-time-enabled operating system of the control computer. A peripheral connection for a peripheral device and a control unit serving for one-way transmission of a predetermined amount of data from the control computer to the peripheral device and/or vice versa accesses via a system bus of a control computer, a work memory region of the control computer serves as buffers preassigned to it, where the control unit prepares for the control computer a progress report of the transfer for retrieval and the control unit of the control computer is informed of the progress of the processing of the buffer independently of the transfer.

Abstract: Specimen laser-scanning microscope with raster scanning illumination and detector modules, which illuminates and detects a specimen by raster scanning. A real-time control device (device) performs synchronous reading-out with the raster scanning pixel cycle. A data port serially communicates with the device using a bidirectional high-speed data stream and with the resources via a serial, bidirectional high-speed data stream with a data conversion to/from parallel to serial. The high-speed data stream is made up of data packets with data bits and type bits and no additional header or protocol bits. The data bits contain data from/on the resources and the type bits code the type of data. Type information is stored in the resources as well as the device. The type information defines processing functions for data types coded by the type bits, and the resources and/or the device determine the data type using type bits and process data coded in the data bits.

Abstract: A method for detecting and analyzing light signals, in which a light signal impinges an optoelectric converter, where it is converted into an electric signal and the electric signal subsequent to the conversion is distributed into several analysis channels (13.1-13.4), within each analysis channel (13.1), (i) a signal analysis is performed, which is different from the signal analysis for the other analysis channels (13.2-13.4) and (ii) an output signal is created. In such a method, one or more output signals are selected for further processing and output using a specified, changeable selection criterion.

Abstract: A peripheral interface and process for data transfer, especially for laser scanning microscopes. The peripheral interface permits a gap-free transfer of data with high transmission speed at low cost and using a non-real-time-enabled operating system of the control computer. In a peripheral interface having a connection for a system bus of a control computer, a peripheral connection for a peripheral device and a control unit serving for one-way transmission of a predetermined amount of data from the control computer to the peripheral device and/or vice versa accesses via the system bus, a work memory region of the control computer serves as buffers preassigned to it, where the control unit prepares for the control computer a progress report of the transfer for retrieval and the control unit of the control computer is informed of the progress of the processing of the buffer independently of the transfer, in which case it allows for the progress of the processing when accessing the buffer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a modular system comprising a primary module, several individual modules that can be connected to said primary module and a power supply unit that is connected to the primary module and supplies the connected individual modules with a voltage. According to the invention, the system is equipped with a descriptor element for each individual module. The descriptor element is read by the primary module and encodes or displays the power requirements of the assigned individual module. The primary module reads the descriptor elements of the connected individual modules and uses said elements to determine the total power requirements of the modular system, or of all connected individual modules.

Abstract: Specimen laser-scanning microscope with rasterizing illumination and detector resources (resources), which rasterizes and scan detects a specimen. A real-time control device (device) performs synchronous reading-out with the rasterizing pixel cycle. A data port serially communicates with the device using a bidirectional high-speed data stream and with the resources via a serial, bidirectional high-speed data stream with a data conversion to/from parallel to serial. The high-speed data stream is made up of data packets with data bits and type bits and no additional header or protocol bits. The data bits contain data from/on the resources and the type bits code the type of data. Type information is stored in the resources as well as the device. The type information defines processing functions for data types coded by the type bits, and the resources and/or the device determine the data type using type bits and process data coded in the data bits.

Abstract: A method for detecting and evaluating light signals, in which a light signal impinges an optoelectric converter, where it is converted into an electric signal and the electric signal subsequent to the conversion is distributed into several evaluation channels (13.1-13.4), within each evaluation channel (13.1), (i) a signal evaluation is performed, which is different form the signal evaluation for the other evaluation channels (13.2-13.4) and (ii) a result signal is created. In such a method, one or more result signals are selected for further processing and displayed using a predetermined variably adjustable selection criterion.

Abstract: Method for operating a Laser Scanning Microscope, in which a probe is illuminated by at least one scanner and a picture recording takes place with a temperature measurement taking place in the scanner and/or in the scanner driver and only on reaching a threshold temperature a cooling device is started and advantageously on switching on of the cooling device the picture recording is interrupted or on reaching a threshold temperature a display device actuates an optical or an acoustic display.

Abstract: A method of optical detection of characteristic quantities of an illuminated specimen comprising detecting a signal that is backscattered, reflected and/or fluoresced and/or transmitted from the specimen by a spatially resolving detector wherein radiation coming from the specimen is imaged on the detector, shifting the position of the radiation which is measured in a spatially resolved manner relative to the detector and determining intermediate values by an algorithm from the signals measured in different shifts for purposes of increasing the spatial resolution of the detector. An arrangement for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a laser scanning microscope with a detector device for spectrally resolving radiation detection. The detector device has at least one dispersive element, on which a beam of the radiation to be detected impinges and which fans out this beam spectrally, and at least two detector line arrays to which the spectrally fanned out radiation is directed and whose sensitivity is only adjustable in a unitary manner. At least two detector line arrays are provided in the detector device, each of them being irradiated by spectrally fanned out radiation of different spectral composition. The respective spectral composition of the radiation and the basic spectral sensitivity of the detector line arrays are taken into account in the sensitivity adjustment of the detector line arrays.

Abstract: A microscope with optical components which are provided in the illumination beam path and/or observation beam path and/or detection beam path for exerting different spectral influences on at least one of the beam paths mentioned above. An arrangement comprising a light source emitting a plurality of wavelengths and at least one spectral sensor detecting the light of this light source after interacting with a component are provided, preferably outside these beam paths. The interaction is carried out by transmission or reflection of the light by the component. The detected values of the spectral sensor are compared to pre-stored values and correlation with pre-stored values is advantageously carried out in a storage. The correlation is carried out together with a position signal of a component changer. The detected values are stored separately and together with a position signal of a component changer when there is no correlation with pre-stored values.

Abstract: A process for confocal microscopy is disclosed in which laser light is coupled into a microscope beam path, directed successively with respect to time onto different locations of a specimen, and an image of the scanned plane is generated from the light reflected and emitted by the irradiated locations. A change in the spectral composition and in the intensity of light is are carried out during the deflection of the laser beam from location to location, while the deflection continues in an uninterrupted manner. In this way , so that at least two adjacent locations of the specimen located next to one another are acted upon by light with different spectral characteristics and by laser radiation of different intensity. By periodically interrupting the coupling in of the laser light during the deflection of the microscope beam path, it is made possible that only selected portions of the image field are acted upon by the laser radiation. A laser scanning microscope for carrying out this process is also disclosed.