Abstract: An illumination system uses rotatable, polarized illumination optics to detect the direction of highly efficient excitation of fluorescent dyes coupled to a sample, or the absorption transition moment, using information on the direction of maximal fluorescence intensity, in which it is possible to detect individual dynamic changes in the internal structure or orientation of an entire protein molecule by coupling a single fluorescent dye molecule to the protein molecule. The polarized total internal reflection illumination optical system by rotary annulus light is also an illumination optical system in which laser beams are introduced into the objective lens of a microscope at the peripheral region by means of the rotatable illumination direction of the laser beams, and is designed to illuminate by the evanescent field that contains only transverse components that are perpendicular to the direction of radiation from the optical axis of the objective lens.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an illumination system that use rotatable, polarized illumination optics to detect the direction of highly efficient excitation of fluorescent dyes coupled to a sample, or the absorption transition moment, using information on the direction of maximal fluorescence intensity. The present invention also makes it possible to detect individual dynamic changes in the internal structure or orientation of an entire protein molecule by coupling a single fluorescent dye molecule to the protein molecule.

Abstract: An optical microscope of high stability such that problems wherein an image of a sample becomes unsharp during observation and movement (drift) of the object point (object) occurs are solved because the defocusing in the Z direction attributable to thermal expansion of the optical microscope is compensated. The optical instruments are characterized as comprising an optical system unit symmetrical to the optical axis in terms of weight and shape and a peripheral unit having a sample positioning mechanism is constituted by combining components having temperature dependences close to zero.

Abstract: The trapping force reinforcing optical system that enables optical tweezers to trap micro particles under water securely, without contact and non-invasively using a laser beam. The optics of the optical tweezers comprises an additional lens system movable along an optical axis, and a spherical aberration of a collector lens is controlled by moving the additional lens system along the optical axis.

Abstract: This invention provides an optical mixer to convert coherent light into virtually incoherent light by using a hollow motor to rotate the optical mixing plate at the peripheral speed of at least 1800 times per minute relative to the laser beam diameter. This invention comprises an optical mixing plate 8 installed on the light path and a hollow motor 2 to rotate said optical mixing plate 8 at high speed, and is capable of converting the laser beams incident on said optical mixing plate 8 into virtually incoherent light.

Abstract: The trapping force reinforcing optical system that enables optical tweezers to trap micro particles under water securely, without contact and non-invasively using a laser beam. The optics of the optical tweezers comprises an additional lens system movable along an optical axis, and a spherical aberration of a collector lens is controlled by moving the additional lens system along the optical axis.

Abstract: An optical microscope of high stability such that problems wherein an image of a sample becomes unsharp during observation and movement (drift) of the object point (object) occurs are solved because the defocusing in the Z direction attributable to thermal expansion of the optical microscope is compensated. The optical instruments are characterized as comprising an optical system unit symmetrical to the optical axis in terms of weight and shape and a peripheral unit having a sample positioning mechanism is constituted by combining components having temperature dependences close to zero.