Abstract: An illumination device includes at least four semiconductor radiation sources (18) for emitting optical radiation in respectively different emission wavelength ranges. At least one color splitter (22.1, 22.2, 22.3), which is reflective for optical radiation of the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is assigned to each of at least three of the semiconductor radiation sources (18). The semiconductor radiation sources (18) and the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3) are arranged such that the optical radiation, which is emitted in each case from each of the semiconductor radiation sources (18), is coupled into a common illumination beam path section (24). In each case, one collimating unit (20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4), which collimates the optical radiation emitted by the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is arranged in the beam path sections from the semiconductor radiation sources (18) to the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3).

Abstract: An optical device for measuring luminescence includes a pulse generator for generating a periodic modulation signal having rectangular pulses, a pulse duration of the pulse being variably adjustable, an illumination device and/or means for illuminating an object under investigation with excitation radiation modulated in a pulse-like manner depending on the modulation signal, and a time-of-flight camera for phase-sensitive detection of a luminescence response emitted by the object under investigation in response to the excitation radiation. The modulation signal is supplied as reference signal to the time-of-flight camera.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the non-invasive optical measurement of glucose and other dissolved substances in human or animal intraocular fluid. For this purpose, a method and devices for carrying out the method are proposed. The method according to the invention takes advantage of the fact that the wave dependence of optical activity is fundamentally different from corneal birefringence. The optical activity of substances dissolved in the intraocular fluid, such as glucose, lactate, ascorbic acid or amino acids, is scaled as a first approximation with the reciprocal value of the wavelength square. Upon closer review, higher orders must be taken into consideration and effectively an exponent varying from a value of 2 may occur. For glucose, the exponent shall be denoted as 2+xG, with the value xG being approximately 0.2. Accordingly, the exponents for lactate are denoted as 2+xLak, for ascorbic acid as 2+xAsc and for amino acids as 2+xAm.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device and a method for the observation, documentation and/or diagnosis of the fundus in which the diagnosis is carried out by evaluating the documented images of the fundus. The device according to the invention comprises an ophthalmological examination device, a multi-spectral sequential illumination module, an image recording module, a control and safety module, and an evaluating unit. The illumination module which is connected to the ophthalmologic examination device has at least two individual light sources and which can be regulated individually with respect to intensity and duration and which emit monochromatic light of different wavelengths. The light coming from the illumination module is imaged on the image recording module from the ophthalmologic examination device by the eye being examined. The control and safety module controls the chronological sequence, duration and intensity of the individual light sources and monitors the light stress.

Abstract: A microscope including an imaging optical unit, a sample stage for supporting a sample to be examined, a movement unit, by which the distance between sample stage and imaging optical unit can be altered, a focus measuring unit, which measures the present focus position and outputs a focus measurement signal, a control unit for maintaining a predetermined focus position for examinations of the sample that are separated from one another in time. The control unit receives the focus measurement signal and derives a deviation of the present focus position from the predetermined focus position. Dependent on the deviation derived the movement unit, changes the distance between sample stage and imaging optical unit so that the predetermined focus position is maintained. The control unit drives the movement unit (9) for maintaining the predetermined focus position only before and/or after at least one of the examinations, but never during the examinations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope having a stage for supporting a sample to be examined, a recording sensor, an imaging optic for imaging the sample onto the recording sensor, a moving unit by means of which the distance between the stage and the imaging optic can be changed, a control unit for controlling an image recording of the sample and a focus-holding unit for maintaining a prescribed focal position for image recording of the sample at temporal intervals, wherein the focus-holding device comprises at least one hardware element and one software module, wherein the focus-holding unit is fully integrated in the control unit, on both the hardware and software sides.

Abstract: A method for laser beam machining of a workpiece in which a laser beam is focused by an objective, into or onto the workpiece having a boundary surface, to produce a machining effect by a two-photon process, and the position of the focal point with respect to the workpiece is shifted. To obtain a reference for the position of the focal point, an image of a luminating modulation object is projected through the objective onto the workpiece into the focal plane or so as to intersect it. Reflections of the image occurring at the boundary surface are imaged into an autofocus image plane, and are detected by a camera. The camera image plane either intersects the autofocus image plane when the image of the illuminating modulation object lies in the focal plane, or lies in the autofocus image plane when the image of the modulation object intersects the focal plane.

Abstract: A method for producing an image of a layer of an object by a wide field optical element on a resolving detector. The object is illuminated in a focused manner on at least one object plane having at least two binary illuminating patterns. The corresponding images are detected. Light and/or the dark areas of the illuminating patterns completely cover the object when the illuminating pattern is superimposed. A layer image determined from the detected images, includes a partial segment that respectively reproduces a partial area of the object that is arranged inside the light area of one of the used illuminating patterns. Edges are arranged at a distance from the edges of the light area about at least one predefined minimum distance.

Abstract: A microscope including an objective which images a sample along a microscope beam path, and an autofocus device, which is coupled into the microscope beam path via a beam splitter at a location behind the objective direction, a A light modulator for generating a two-dimensional, intensity-modulated modulation object, is located in the autofocus beam path in a plane conjugated to the focal plane of the objective or intersects the latter and is imaged into the focal plane of the objective. A camera records a two-dimensional image onto which the modulation object's image is imaged. The image plane of the camera intersects a plane that is conjugated to the modulation object or is located in the plane and the camera detecting the contrast of the modulation object's image located in the sample.

Abstract: A method images an object (4) by means of a wide field optic onto a position resolving detector (6) for optical radiation with suppression of stray light. In this method, the object (4) is illuminated in at least one object plane (3) with at least two illumination patterns (26, 27) and corresponding images are detected for each of the illumination patterns (26, 27). The illumination patterns (26, 27) each have bright regions (26; 33; 37) and dark regions (27) in the object plane (3). When there is a superposition of the illumination patterns (26, 27) in the optic plane (3), the object (4) is completely covered. A dark image of the object is determined from the detected images. A bright image of the object (4) is generated and the dark image is subtracted from the bright image.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a device and a method for the observation, documentation and/or diagnosis of the fundus in which the diagnosis is carried out by evaluating the documented images of the fundus. The device according to the invention comprises an ophthalmological examination device, a multi-spectral sequential illumination module, an image recording module, a control and safety module, and an evaluating unit. The illumination module which is connected to the ophthalmologic examination device has at least two individual light sources and which can be regulated individually with respect to intensity and duration and which emit monochromatic light of different wavelengths. The light coming from the illumination module is imaged on the image recording module from the ophthalmologic examination device by the eye being examined. The control and safety module controls the chronological sequence, duration and intensity of the individual light sources and monitors the light stress.

Abstract: An illumination device includes at least four semiconductor radiation sources (18) for emitting optical radiation in respectively different emission wavelength ranges. At least one color splitter (22.1, 22.2, 22.3), which is reflective for optical radiation of the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is assigned to each of at least three of the semiconductor radiation sources (18). The semiconductor radiation sources (18) and the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3) are arranged such that the optical radiation, which is emitted in each case from each of the semiconductor radiation sources (18), is coupled into a common illumination beam path section (24). In each case, one collimating unit (20.1, 20.2, 20.3, 20.4), which collimates the optical radiation emitted by the respective semiconductor radiation source (18), is arranged in the beam path sections from the semiconductor radiation sources (18) to the color splitters (22.1, 22.2, 22.3).

Abstract: The invention refers to a process for determining the focus position when imaging a specimen (4) with a field stop imaged onto the specimen detecting this image using a position-sensitive receiving-device inclined relative to the field stop defining the focus position by means of intensity distribution in the receiving device. The invention also refers to set-ups as regards implementation of the process according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly for illuminating objects with light of different wavelengths in microscopes, automatic microscopes and devices for fluorescent microscopy applications. Said assembly comprises LED light sources for illuminating the objects, which are positioned in the illumination beam path of the microscope or device. A receiving element (6; 13) that can be rotated about a rotational axis (5) is provided with respective fixing elements (7) for at least one LED (3; 3.1). The receiving device (6; 13) is situated in a housing (1) that can be placed on or positioned in the device housing (18). A drive unit (9) for the defined adjustment of the receiving device (6; 13) is provided in such a way that the LED (3; 3.1) can be positioned in front of a light emission opening of the housing (1) with the respective focal point wavelength that is required for measuring and/or observation purposes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for quantitatively and/or qualitatively detecting layer thicknesses of biological or chemical molecules by means of ellipsometric measurements. Said molecules are deposited on at least one metal layer by virtue of interactions with a gaseous or liquid medium, whereby said metal layer is provided with an immobilisation layer. A method that can be carried out quickly is provided by including the surface plasmon resonance. Said method is provided with a significantly greater detection sensitivity and can be used not only for qualitatively detecting layers. According to the inventive method, the angle of incidence and/or the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation which is used for the ellipsometric measurements is/are adjusted in such a way that a surface plasmon resonance is produced in the metal layer. The detection sensitivity (? cos ?)/(thickness of the layer to be detected) is adjusted by means of the thickness of the metal layer.

Abstract: A tunable lighting source, especially for a microscope, which contains a laser, in which the lighting source delivers spectrally variable and spatially coherent radiation. The tunable lighting source is based on a structured substrate coated with a laser medium, the structured substrate provided with the laser medium having a geometrically variable structure and delivering spatially coherent radiation by energy excitation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a reference member for fluorescence measurements, comprising a fluorescent layer (2) by means of which fluorescent radiation is emitted during optical irradiation and at least two fields that are provided with one respective attenuating layer (17 to 29). Said attenuating layer (17 to 29) is located above and/or underneath the fluorescent layer (2) and is partially transparent to the fluorescent radiation emitted by the fluorescent layer (2). The transmission factors of the attenuating layers (17 to 29) in the fields are different from each other.

Abstract: The invention refers to a process for determining the focus position when imaging a specimen (4) with a field stop imaged onto the specimen detecting this image using a position-sensitive receiving-device inclined relative to the field stop defining the focus position by means of intensity distribution in the receiving device. The invention also refers to set-ups as regards implementation of the process according to the invention.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microscope arrangement which comprises an illumination source (1), optical components for generating an illumination beam path, an objective [lens] (21) through which the illumination beam path is directed onto a sample (20) which is present in the object plane of the objective [lens] (21) or in the proximity thereof, and optical components for generating an imaging beam path directed onto the receiving surface of a camera (22). According to the invention, the microscope arrangement of the aforementioned type is provided with a homogenizing unit (5) for homogenizing the illumination light that is incident on the sample section to be examined.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly for illuminating objects with light of different wavelengths in microscopes, automatic microscopes and devices for fluorescent microscopy applications. Said assembly comprises LED light sources for illuminating the objects, which are positioned in the illumination beam path of the microscope or device. A receiving element (6; 13) that can be rotated about a rotational axis (5) is provided with respective fixing elements (7) for at least one LED (3; 3.1). The receiving device (6; 13) is situated in a housing (1) that can be placed on or positioned in the device housing (18). A drive unit (9) for the defined adjustment of the receiving device (6; 13) is provided in such a way that the LED (3; 3.1) can be positioned in front of a light emission opening of the housing (1) with the respective focal point wavelength that is required for measuring and/or observation purposes.