Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for autofocusing onto a measuring location on an object moving in a direction which is at least approximately vertical to the optical axis of the imaging optics. According to the invention, a diaphragm device is to be provided the diaphragm opening of which extends in a direction aligned with the direction of movement of the measuring location; a receiving device for the measuring light has receiving areas arranged in a row beside each other and is inclined relative to the optical axis so that the image from the diaphragm device is incident on the receiving areas at an inclination of an angle &agr;; wherein the receiving device and the diaphragm opening are positioned relative to each other in such a way that characteristic measuring values are measured on the receiving areas when the measuring location is in or near the focus position.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for autofocusing onto a measuring location (M) on an object (O) moving in a direction (R) which is at least approximately vertical to the optical axis (A) of the imaging optics (3). According to the invention, a diaphragm device is to be provided the diaphragm opening of which extends in a direction (R′) aligned with the direction of movement (R) of the measuring location (M); a receiving device for the measuring light has receiving areas (e1, e2, . . . en) arranged in a row beside each other and is inclined relative to the optical axis so that the image from the diaphragm device is incident on the receiving areas (e1, e2, . . . en) at an inclination of an angle a; wherein the receiving device and the diaphragm opening are positioned relative to each other in such a way that characteristic measuring values are measured on the receiving areas when the measuring location (M) is in or near the focus position.

Abstract: A microscope comprises an illumination source, an optical imaging device by which light from the illumination source in the form of an illuminated field is directed onto an observed object, a reception device which receives the light influenced by the observed object in the from of an image field corresponding to the illuminated field, and a device for adjusting the distance between the imaging device and the observed object. Further, there is a device for structuring the illumination light in the beam path between the illumination source and the imaging device with two or more diaphragms spaced apart axially in the direction of the beam path. The diaphragms are arranged in such a way that a plane lying therebetween is focused in the image field on the reception device at the same time as the observed object. An evaluating device generates an actuating signal (s) for actuating the adjusting device depending on the intensities.

Abstract: An autofocus for a confocal microscope is realized by means of a confocal microscope arrangement comprising an illumination arrangement for illuminating an object in a raster pattern, first means for generating a first wavelength-selective splitting of the illumination light and second means for generating a second wavelength-selective splitting of the light coming from the object in a parallel manner for a plurality of points of the object, and detection means for detecting the light distribution generated by the second means, wherein an at least point-by-point spectral splitting and detection of an object image in a wavelength-selective manner is carried out and a control signal is generated from the determination of the frequency deviation and/or intensity deviation from a predetermined reference value corresponding to the object position in order to adjust the focal position by means of the vertical object position and/or the imaging system of the microscope.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an arrangement for confocal autofocusing of optical devices, preferably for fine focusing of microscopes, in which an illumination beam path is directed onto an observed object, and image information from the surface of the observed object as well as information about the focus position is obtained from the light that is reflected in an objective by the observed object and, based on this information, a correction of the focus position is carried out by means of an evaluating and adjusting unit. In a device of the type described herein, the image information and the information about the focus position are guided in different, spatially separated optical branches.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for mixing pairs of confocal images and different arrangements for fast generation of parallel confocal images and the combination thereof in real time. The method is used for improving contrast and resolution in confocal images. The suggested arrangements point to some possibilities for a meaningful application of the method for image mixing in parallel confocal single-beam or double-beam methods for the generation of highly resolved images in real time for a wide variety of different applications, especially also for material inspection. By combining at least two confocal images, a resolution of the fine structure of the object is achieved in the mixed image. Contrast, lateral resolution and depth resolution are improved in the mixed image of the object to be examined, which can also be a phase object. Further, the method permits the generation of very highly resolved three-dimensional digital images of optical objects to be examined.

Abstract: A confocal microscope has a motorized scanning table for moving the sample perpendicularly to the optical axis of the microscope. The object is illuminated simultaneously at many places by means of a light source array. The light reflected or scattered at the object is detected by means of a diaphragm array, which is conjugate to the object and to the light source array. A sensor array is provided as a detector and makes a displacement of charges possible between individual positions in the scanning direction. The sensor is a so-called TDI sensor. The displacement of the charges is synchronized with the motion of the object corresponding to the motion of the image points in the plane of the sensor array. The image data can thereby be recorded during the motion of the object, so that even large object fields can be sensed in a short time with high lateral resolution.

Abstract: A microscope with incident light input coupling, wherein the light provided for the incident illumination is directed onto the partially reflecting layer of a beam splitter cube and is directed from there through the objective onto the specimen, while the light reflected and/or emitted by the specimen travels back to the partially reflecting layer and passes through the latter into the imaging beam path. In a microscope of this type, the beam splitter cube is provided with a negative spherical curvature at its outer surface facing the objective. Further, instead of the conventional tube lens, there is a combination formed of a converging lens and a diverging lens, wherein the surface curvatures of the converging lens and the diverging lens and the negative spherical curvature effected at the beam splitter cube are adapted to one another in such a way that the back-reflections of the incident illumination in the intermediate image plane are limited to a minimum.

Abstract: A confocal microscope has a motorized scanning table for moving the sample perpendicularly to the optical axis of the microscope. The object is illuminated simultaneously at many places by means of a light source array. The light reflected or scattered at the object is detected by means of a diaphragm array, which is conjugate to the object and to the light source array. A sensor array is provided as a detector and makes a displacement of charges possible between individual positions in the scanning direction. The sensor is a so-called TDI sensor. The displacement of the charges is synchronized with the motion of the object corresponding to the motion of the image points in the plane of the sensor array. The image data can thereby be recorded during the motion of the object, so that even large object fields can be sensed in a short time with high lateral resolution.