Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom objective lens with continuously adjustable magnification, comprising five lens groups, where the first lens group, the second lens group and the fifth lens group are fixed in relation to an object. The third lens group and the fourth lens group are axially displaceable. The following conditions apply to the lens: the variable air gap between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases or has a turning point with a transition from a low to a high magnification ?, the refractive power of the second, third and fifth lens groups is positive and the refractive power of the fourth lens group is negative.

Abstract: A system for microscopic applications, including a rotating structural element that acts as a beam splitter and has reflecting and transmitting structures, and which is disposed in an intermediate image plane of the beam path conjugated with the object field, and by which the structure is imaged onto an object in the object plane. The fluorescent light reflected by the object, or caused by the illumination, strikes the structural element as well as an image processing module. The beam reflected and transmitted by the structural element is guided through the image processing module. The structural element is set at an angle to the vertical of the beam path. An optical adapter, which tilts the microscopic intermediate image onto the plane of the structural element acting as beam splitter, is disposed at the interface between the microscope and the image processing module.

Abstract: The invention relates to a zoom objective lens with continuously adjustable magnification, comprising five lens groups, where the first lens group, the second lens group and the fifth lens group are fixed in relation to an object. The third lens group and the fourth lens group are axially displaceable. The following conditions apply to the lens: the variable air gap between the second lens group and the third lens group decreases or has a turning point with a transition from a low to a high magnification ?, the refractive power of the second, third and fifth lens groups is positive and the refractive power of the fourth lens group is negative.

Abstract: A system for microscopic applications, including a rotating structural element that acts as a beam splitter and has reflecting and transmitting structures, and which is disposed in an intermediate image plane of the beam path conjugated with the object field, and by which the structure is imaged onto an object in the object plane. The fluorescent light reflected by the object, or caused by the illumination, strikes the structural element as well as an image processing module. The beam reflected and transmitted by the structural element is guided through the image processing module. The structural element is set at an angle to the vertical of the beam path. An optical adapter, which tilts the microscopic intermediate image onto the plane of the structural element acting as beam splitter, is disposed at the interface between the microscope and the image processing module.

Abstract: A microscope configuration according to an exemplary embodiment includes a microscope system with at least one addressable component and also a control system with a plurality of control modules for influencing a plurality of test-environment parameters in a test chamber of the microscope system. The control modules are configured to be combined in modular manner and to be coupled through an interface unit with a unified bus, through which they are controlled. A control module influencing a test-environment parameter of an incubation system has a control command interface unit configured to receive at least one control command. The control command interface unit couples with a bus. A control device is coupled with the control command interface unit and influences the test-environment parameter based upon the control command. A further interface unit is coupled to the control command interface unit and outputs, again, the received control command.

Abstract: A microscope configuration according to an exemplary embodiment includes a microscope system with at least one addressable component and also a control system with a plurality of control modules for influencing a plurality of test-environment parameters in a test chamber of the microscope system. The control modules are configured to be combined in modular manner and to be coupled through an interface unit with a unified bus, through which they are controlled. A control module influencing a test-environment parameter of an incubation system has a control command interface unit configured to receive at least one control command. The control command interface unit couples with a bus. A control device is coupled with the control command interface unit and influences the test-environment parameter based upon the control command. A further interface unit is coupled to the control command interface unit and outputs, again, the received control command.

Abstract: The method is well suited for single molecule observation. A fluorescence or Raman signal from single molecules is detected by photon counting. The sequence of detected photons is divided into counting intervals by defining the end of a counting interval when a predefined number of photons has been counted. For the photons from every counting interval, stochastic variables are determined like fluorescence decay time, anisotropy of the observed signal, etc., which are characteristic for the molecules. A multidimensional histogram is constructed as a function of the stochastic variables, whereby the histogram is built up using values of the variables determined from each counting interval. Regions of the histogram can be used to determine how the molecules are distributed in respect to binding sites, etc. The signal from selected regions of the histograms can then be chosen for further selective analysis to give species specific results.

Abstract: The method is well suited for single molecule observation. A fluorescence or Raman signal from single molecules is detected by photon counting. The sequence of detected photons is divided into counting intervals by defining the end of a counting interval when a predefined number of photons has been counted. For the photons from every counting interval, stochastic variables are determined like fluorescence decay time, anisotropy of the observed signal, etc., which are characteristic for the molecules. A multidimensional histogram is constructed as a function of the stochastic variables, whereby the histogram is built up using values of the variables determined from each counting interval. Regions of the histogram can be used to determine how the molecules are distributed in respect to binding sites, etc. The signal from selected regions of the histograms can then be chosen for further selective analysis to give species specific results.