Abstract: A operating circuit and control method for protecting a PMT having a photocathode, a plurality of dynodes and an anode against overloading with a shorter reaction time, and to allow it to be switched on again rapidly. For this purpose, a switch is provided for electrically short circuiting the photocathode with the first dynode, or a switch is provided for reversing the polarity of the voltage between the photocathode and the first dynode.

Abstract: A method for recording pulse signals which allows the reconstruction of a time reference. The time of every pulse signal event can be determined by counting sampling result bits preceding the respective sampling result bit using the known sampling frequency. For this purpose, every period of the sampling frequency is associated with a bit representing the respective sampling result and the sampling result bits are stored one by one and per channel in data blocks. The sampling frequency is preferably higher than a pixel clock, a sampling result bit associated with a flank of the pixel clock being marked. The pixel clock can thus be synchronized with the individual events exactly per sampling period. The invention further relates to the field of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy using confocal microscopes or laser scanning microscopes.

Abstract: To increase the sensitivity of detector arrangements, it is known that light deflection elements in the form of a line arrays having spherical elements may be used to focus incident light onto light-sensitive regions of the detector. Manufacturing such line arrays is complex and cost intensive, especially in small lot numbers. The increased sensitivity of the detector array can be achieved easily and inexpensively by using a novel light deflection element. The detector arrangement therefore has a light deflection element having light entrance surfaces, deflecting incident light by refraction onto light-sensitive regions of the detector. Light entrance surfaces of the light deflection element are inclined with respect to one another and are designed as planar surfaces. The detector arrangement is suitable in particular for detection of light emanating from a specimen in a microscope, preferably in a laser-scanning microscope.

Abstract: An optoelectronic detector and method of using same. In order to avoid any condensation on a surface, it has been known to heat such a surface. However, heating an optoelectronic detector will create a stronger hissing noise due to the greater dark current that is caused thereby. The invention is intended to avoid any condensation on an optoelectronic detector without airtight encapsulation. To this end, the detector is cooled and equipped with a sensor for the determination of a current value of one of the variables ambient humidity and ambient dew point temperature and a control unit that is connected with the sensor and designed to control the cooling device in dependence of such a value. By taking into account the ambient humidity or, respectively, the dew point temperature in the control of the cooling device, condensation on the detector can be avoided. An airtight encapsulation of the detector and the cooling device is not required.

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: The invention relates to a method for operating a microscope in which excitation light is focused on, or beamed to, different points of a specimen, in which an intensity of the excitation light is point-specifically varied and in which an intensity of the light reflected by said specimen in at least one spectral range is measured point-specifically and quantitatively. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the intensity and/or a spectral composition of the excitation light beamed to a specific point of said specimen is automatically adjusted by a regulating device on the basis of information previously gained from measured data of said specimen concerning an estimated or actual intensity of the light reflected in the spectral range by said point such that an integral of the intensity of the light reflected in the spectral range by this point during a pixel dwell time is within a predefined value interval. The invention also relates to a microscope.

Abstract: An arrangement for signal processing at the output of a multichannel detector in the spectrally resolved acquisition of time-variable fluorescence phenomena in a microscope, particularly lifetime measurements, is characterized in that an FPGA (free programmable gate array) is arranged downstream of the output of the multichannel detector.

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: An arrangement for the detection of the illumination radiation in a laser scanning microscope, wherein a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at the main color splitter, wherein light transmitted through the main color splitter is advantageously detected and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected before coupling into a light-conducting fiber and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at a beam splitter arranged downstream of a light-conducting fiber.

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: 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: An arrangement for the detection of the illumination radiation in a laser scanning microscope, wherein a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at the main color splitter, wherein light transmitted through the main color splitter is advantageously detected and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected before coupling into a light-conducting fiber and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at a beam splitter arranged downstream of a light-conducting fiber.

Abstract: An arrangement for the detection of the illumination radiation in a laser scanning microscope, wherein a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at the main color splitter, wherein light transmitted through the main color splitter is advantageously detected and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected before coupling into a light-conducting fiber and/or a portion of the illumination radiation is coupled out and detected at a beam splitter arranged downstream of a light-conducting fiber.

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.