Abstract: The invention relates to a device having a dispenser for receiving liquid sample which has liquid and particles, a first light source of a first type for emitting a first illumination light for illuminating a first region of the dispenser, a first detection device for detecting a first optical measurement signal that emanates from the first region of the dispenser illuminated with the first illuminating light, a second light source of a second type for emitting a second illuminating light for illuminating a second region of the dispenser which comprises the first region of the dispenser, and a second detection device for detecting a second optical measurement signal which emanates from the second region of the dispenser illuminated with the second illuminating light. The device is characterized in that the first detection device is a point detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining a lower boundary surface and/or an upper boundary surface of a liquid in a container, in which illumination light is emitted that is focused by an objective lens at a focal point, wherein a measurement signal reflected at the focal point is detected by a two-dimensional detection device arranged in an image plane of the objective lens, and wherein the lower boundary surface and/or the upper boundary surface is detected based on the detected measurement signal.

Abstract: A sequence of individual images is acquired by imaging the sample through imaging optics onto an image sensor. For the acquisition of each individual image, the sample is provided with a marker pattern, in which individual markers can be imaged in the form of spatially separable light distributions through the imaging onto the image sensor. The centroid positions of the light distributions are determined and superimposed to form a complete image of the sample. According to the present invention, an image-drift-inducing temperature value (?T1, ?T2, . . . , ?Tn) is measured during the acquisition of the sequence of individual images. A temperature-dependent drift value (?X1, ?X2, . . . , ?Xn; ?Y1, ?Y2, . . . , ?Yn) is correlated to the image-drift-inducing temperature value (?T1, ?T2, . . . , ?Tn) based on predetermined correlation data. The determined centroid positions are corrected based on the drift value (?X1, ?X2, . . . , ?Xn; ?Y1, ?Y2, . . . , ?Yn).

Abstract: A sample retainer for a microscope is described, comprising a sample stage (32), a holder (34) arranged on the sample stage (32), a sample carrier (36), couplable to the holder (34), to which a sample is attachable, and an adjusting apparatus (44), engaging on the holder (34), with which with the sample carrier (36), together with the holder (34) to which the sample carrier (36) is coupled, is displaceable on the sample stage (32), relative to the objective (46), into a target position. A decoupling apparatus that decouples the sample carrier (36), arranged in the target position, from the holder (34) upon imaging of the sample through the objective (46) is provided.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for imaging a sample structure (34) with a light microscope are described. The sample structure (34) is prepared with markers and an active marker subset is generated in that a part of the markers is brought into a state in which they can be imaged. When a predetermined activation state is present, the sample structure (34) is imaged onto an arrangement (40) of sensor elements which each generate an image signal, these image signals resulting in a single frame of the sample structure (34). The presence of a predetermined activation state is checked in that at least two test single frames are generated at an interval, and the respective change of the image signal between the two test single frames is detected. The presence of the predetermined activation state is determined when the detected changes of the image signals in their entirety exceed a quantity.

Abstract: A microscope stage (14) comprising a platform (16), a specimen holder (18) resting on the platform (16) and a positioning device (20) for moving the specimen holder (18) in a plane of displacement parallel to the platform (16) is described. The microscope stage (14) includes a positioning device (20) having two displacing devices (34, 36) which are mechanically decoupled from each other and of which a first displacing device (34) is designed to move the specimen holder (18) along a first axis in the plane of displacement, and a second displacing device (36) is designed to move the specimen holder (18) along a second axis in the plane of displacement, which second axis runs transversely to the first axis.

Abstract: A sample retainer for a microscope is described, comprising a sample stage (32), a holder (34) arranged on the sample stage (32), a sample carrier (36), couplable to the holder (34), to which a sample is attachable, and an adjusting apparatus (44), engaging on the holder (34), with which with the sample carrier (36), together with the holder (34) to which the sample carrier (36) is coupled, is displaceable on the sample stage (32), relative to the objective (46), into a target position. A decoupling apparatus that decouples the sample carrier (36), arranged in the target position, from the holder (34) upon imaging of the sample through the objective (46) is provided.

Abstract: A sequence of individual images is acquired by imaging the sample through imaging optics onto an image sensor. For the acquisition of each individual image, the sample is provided with a marker pattern, in which individual markers can be imaged in the form of spatially separable light distributions through the imaging onto the image sensor. The centroid positions of the light distributions are determined and superimposed to form a complete image of the sample. According to the present invention, an image-drift-inducing temperature value (?T1, ?T2, . . . , ?Tn) is measured during the acquisition of the sequence of individual images. A temperature-dependent drift value (?X1, ?X2, . . . , ?Xn; ?Y1, ?Y2, . . . , ?Yn) is correlated to the image-drift-inducing temperature value (?T1, ?T2, . . . , ?Tn) based on predetermined correlation data. The determined centroid positions are corrected based on the drift value (?X1, ?X2, . . . , ?Xn; ?Y1, ?Y2, . . . , ?Yn).

Abstract: A microscope stage (14) comprising a platform (16), a specimen holder (18) resting on the platform (16) and a positioning device (20) for moving the specimen holder (18) in a plane of displacement parallel to the platform (16) is described. The microscope stage (14) includes a positioning device (20) having two displacing devices (34, 36) which are mechanically decoupled from each other and of which a first displacing device (34) is designed to move the specimen holder (18) along a first axis in the plane of displacement, and a second displacing device (36) is designed to move the specimen holder (18) along a second axis in the plane of displacement, which second axis runs transversely to the first axis.

Abstract: In high spatial resolution imaging, a structure in a specimen is marked with a substance which, in a first electronic state, is excited by light of one wavelength to emit fluorescent light, which is also converted from its first into a second electronic state by that light, and which returns from its second into its first electronic state. The specimen is imaged onto a sensor at a spatial resolution not resolving an average spacing between neighboring molecules of the substance, and exposed to the light at such an intensity that the molecules in the first state are alternately excited to emit fluorescent light and converted into their second state, and that at least 10% of the molecules presently in their first state lie at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in their first state which is greater than the spatial resolution of the imaging onto the sensor.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for imaging a sample structure (34) with a light microscope are described. The sample structure (34) is prepared with markers and an active marker subset is generated in that a part of the markers is brought into a state in which they can be imaged. When a predetermined activation state is present, the sample structure (34) is imaged onto an arrangement (40) of sensor elements which each generate an image signal, these image signals resulting in a single frame of the sample structure (34). The presence of a predetermined activation state is checked in that at least two test single frames are generated at an interval, and the respective change of the image signal between the two test single frames is detected. The presence of the predetermined activation state is determined when the detected changes of the image signals in their entirety exceed a quantity.

Abstract: For imaging of a structure, the structure is marked with a substance which can be converted by a switching signal from a first into a second state, and which provides an optical measurement signal in one of its states, only. The switching signal is applied such that at least 10% of the molecules of the substance being in the measurement signal providing state are at a distance from their closest neighbors, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit of imaging the specimen onto a sensor array, which in turn is greater than an average distance between the molecules of the substance. From an intensity distribution of the measurement signal recorded with the sensor array, the position is only determined for those molecules of the substance which are at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in the measurement signal providing state, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit.

Abstract: For imaging of a structure, the structure is marked with a substance which can be converted by a switching signal from a first into a second state, and which provides an optical measurement signal in one of its states, only. The switching signal is applied such that at least 10% of the molecules of the substance being in the measurement signal providing state are at a distance from their closest neighbors, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit of imaging the specimen onto a sensor array, which in turn is greater than an average distance between the molecules of the substance. From an intensity distribution of the measurement signal recorded with the sensor array, the position is only determined for those molecules of the substance which are at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in the measurement signal providing state, which is greater than the spatial resolution limit.

Abstract: In high spatial resolution imaging, a structure in a specimen is marked with a substance which, in a first electronic state, is excited by light of one wavelength to emit fluorescent light, which is also converted from its first into a second electronic state by that light, and which returns from its second into its first electronic state. The specimen is imaged onto a sensor at a spatial resolution not resolving an average spacing between neighboring molecules of the substance, and exposed to the light at such an intensity that the molecules in the first state are alternately excited to emit fluorescent light and converted into their second state, and that at least 10% of the molecules presently in their first state lie at a distance from their closest neighboring molecules in their first state which is greater than the spatial resolution of the imaging onto the sensor.

Abstract: For the high spatial resolution imaging of a structure of interest in a specimen, a substance is selected from a group of substances which have a fluorescent first state and a nonfluorescent second state; which can be converted fractionally from their first state into their second state by light which excites them into fluorescence, and which return from their second state into their first state; the specimen's structure of interest is imaged onto a sensor array, a spatial resolution limit of the imaging being greater (i.e.

Abstract: For the high spatial resolution imaging of a structure of interest in a specimen, a substance is selected from a group of substances which have a fluorescent first state and a nonfluorescent second state; which can be converted fractionally from their first state into their second state by light which excites them into fluorescence, and which return from their second state into their first state; the specimen's structure of interest is imaged onto a sensor array, a spatial resolution limit of the imaging being greater (i.e.