Abstract: Phase contrast images are calculated by digitally post-processing microscope images acquired at different angled illumination configurations and defocus values.

Abstract: When simulating illumination and imaging properties of an optical production system when illuminating and imaging an object by use of an optical measurement system of a metrology system, the optical measurement system having an illumination optical unit for illuminating the object and a pupil stop, in particular a displaceable pupil stop, and having an imaging optical unit for imaging the object into an image plane is initially provided. When simulating the properties of the optical production system with the optical measurement system, a plurality of pupil stops are initially provided. Measurement aerial images are then recorded by use of the plurality of pupil stops. A complex mask transfer function is reconstructed from the recorded measurement aerial images and a 3-D aerial image is determined from this function and the illumination setting of the optical production system. This yields an improved simulation method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for providing an image representation by means of a surgical microscope, comprising obtaining or capturing at least one application parameter, capturing a color image representation of a capture region by means of a camera, capturing a fluorescence image representation of the capture region by means of a fluorescence camera, processing the fluorescence image representation by means of a processing device to optimize it for an overlay with the color image representation, wherein a type of processing is defined based on the at least one application parameter, overlaying the color image representation with the processed fluorescence image representation, and providing an image signal that encodes the overlaid image representation. The invention further relates to a surgical microscope.

Abstract: In a method for determining the phase and/or refractive index of a region of an object, the object region is illuminated with coherent or partly coherent light and is imaged into the image plane a number of times with different imaging properties and is recorded in order to obtain a plurality of intensity recordings of the object region. The phase and/or refractive index determination is carried out based upon the plurality of intensity recordings. The different imaging properties differ at least in terms of different phase shifts which are additionally introduced into the imaging beam path, and which are generated differently than by changing the focusing when carrying out the recordings. The different phase shifts which are additionally introduced into the imaging beam path are effected by introducing at least one optical element into the objective and/or manipulating at least one optical element of the objective.

Abstract: Images are captured with a sample object in various arrangements relative to lighting and a detector. The images are then combined image point by image point on the basis of a comparison of image point values of image points of said images. This achieves a reduction in interference, i.e. reflections and/or shadows can be reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for material testing of optical test pieces, for example of lenses. Angle-variable illumination, using a suitable illumination module, and/or angle-variable detection are carried out in order to create a digital contrast. The digital contrast can be, for example, a digital phase contrast. A defect detection algorithm for automated material testing based on a result image with digital contrast can be used. For example, an artificial neural network can be used.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a medical microscope, in particular in the field, with an interchange and/or a misalignment of at least one component of the medical microscope being followed by an identification of the interchanged and/or misaligned at least one component, with required adjustment measures and/or calibration measures being determined in automated fashion using the identified at least one interchanged and/or misaligned component as a starting point, and with the determined required adjustment measures and/or calibration measures being carried out. Furthermore, the invention relates to a medical microscope arrangement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a stereoscopic medical microscope, wherein deteriorated and/or invalid calibration data are recognized, wherein for this purpose mutually corresponding image representations of at least one feature arranged in capture regions of cameras of a stereo camera system of the medical microscope are captured by means of the cameras, the captured image representations are evaluated by means of feature-based image processing, wherein the at least one feature is recognized in this case in the captured image representations and a misalignment and/or a decalibration of the cameras of the stereo camera system are/is recognized on the basis of the at least one feature recognized; and wherein at least one measure is carried out depending on an evaluation result. Furthermore, the invention relates to a medical microscope.

Abstract: An illumination module (101) for an optical apparatus comprises a light source unit (102), which is configured to selectively emit light along a multiplicity of beam paths (112) in each case. The illumination module (101) also comprises a multiplicity of optical elements (201-203) arranged with lateral offset from one another, wherein each optical element (201-203) of the multiplicity of optical elements (201-203) is configured to transform at least one corresponding beam path (112) of the multiplicity of beam paths.

Abstract: To determine an imaging quality of an optical system when illuminated by illumination light within an entrance pupil or exit pupil, a test structure is initially arranged in an object plane of the optical system and an illumination angle distribution for illuminating the test structure with the illumination light is specified. The test structure is illuminated at different distance positions relative to the object plane. An intensity of the illumination light is measured in an image plane of the optical system, the illumination light having been guided by the optical system when imaging the test structure at each distance position. An aerial image measured in this way is compared with a simulated aerial image and fit parameters of a function set for describing the simulated aerial image are adapted and a wavefront of the optical system is determined on the basis of the result of a minimized difference.

Abstract: An optical system includes an illumination module configured to illuminate a sample object with at least one angle-variable illumination geometry. The optical system includes an imaging optical unit configured to produce an imaged representation of the sample object that is illuminated with the at least one angle-variable illumination geometry on a detector. The optical system includes the detector, which is configured to capture at least one image of the sample object based on the imaged representation. The optical system includes a controller configured to determine a result image based on a transfer function and the at least one image. A method includes illuminating a sample object with at least one angle-variable illumination geometry, imaging the sample object on a detector, based on the imaged representation, capturing at least one image of the sample object, and, based on a transfer function and the at least one image, determining a result image.

Abstract: An optical apparatus having an illumination module with a carrier, which has at least one light-transmissive region, for example. The illumination module has a plurality of light sources, which are arranged on the carrier.

Abstract: A detection optical unit (112) of an optical apparatus is configured to produce an imaged representation (151, 152) of a sample object (150) on a detector (114). An adjustable filter element (119) is arranged in a beam path of the detection optical unit (112) that defines the imaged representation (151, 152). A controller is configured to drive the adjustable filter element (119) to filter the spectrum of the beam path with a first filter pattern (301-308) and with a second filter pattern (301-308) and to drive the detector (114) to capture a first image, associated with the first filter pattern (301-308), and to capture a second image, which is associated with the second filter pattern (301-308). The controller is furthermore configured to determine a focus position (181) of the sample object (150) based on the first image and the second image. The first filter element (301-308) here defines a first line and the second filter element (301-308) defines a second line.

Abstract: Various approaches in which an image-recording parameter is varied between a plurality of images of an object and a stereo image pair is displayed on the basis of the images recorded thus are described. Here, in particular, the image-recording parameter can be a focal plane or an illumination direction.

Abstract: An object transfer function for a sample object is determined on the basis of a reference measurement. Subsequently, an optimization is carried out in order to find an optimized illumination geometry on the basis of the object transfer function and an optical transfer function for an optical unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to techniques for material testing of optical test pieces, for example of lenses. Angle-variable illumination, using a suitable illumination module, and/or angle-variable detection are carried out in order to create a digital contrast. The digital contrast can be, for example, a digital phase contrast. A defect detection algorithm for automated material testing based on a result image with digital contrast can be used. For example, an artificial neural network can be used.

Abstract: An optical apparatus comprises an illumination module (100) comprising a carrier (110), which has at least one light-transmissive region (112), for example. The illumination module (100) comprises a plurality of light sources (111), which are arranged on the carrier (110).

Abstract: An optical apparatus having an illumination module with a carrier, which has at least one light-transmissive region, for example. The illumination module has a plurality of light sources, which are arranged on the carrier.

Abstract: In detecting the structure of a lithography mask, a portion of the lithography mask is firstly illuminated with illumination light of an at least partially coherent light source in the at least one preferred illumination direction. A diffraction image of the illuminated portion is then recorded by spatially resolved detection of a diffraction intensity of the illumination light diffracted from the illuminated portion in a detection plane. The steps of “illuminating” and “recording the diffraction image” are then carried out for further portions of the lithography mask. Between at least two portions of the lithography mask that are thereby detected, there is in each case an overlap region whose surface extent measures at least 5% or more of the smaller of the two portions of the lithography mask. The repetition takes place until the detected portions of the lithography mask completely cover a region of the lithography mask to be detected.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for beam analysis in an optical system are disclosed, wherein a plurality of beam parameters of a beam propagating along an optical axis are ascertained. The method includes: splitting the beam into a plurality of partial beams which have a focus offset in the longitudinal direction in relation to the optical axis; recording a measurement image produced by these partial beams; carrying out a forward simulation of the beam in the optical system on the basis of estimated initial values for the beam parameters in order to obtain a simulated image; and calculating a set of values for the beam parameters on the basis of the comparison between the simulated image and the measurement image.