Abstract: An illumination device includes an illumination beam path having a cylindrical lens and four optical elements for shaping an illumination radiation in each case in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis, and first and second optical lenses, each having a fixed focal length. The cylindrical lens has an optically refractive effect in exactly one direction, which shapes the illumination radiation in a direction transversely to the active direction. Each of the optical elements, in exactly one direction, has an optically refractive effect or influences a wavefront of the illumination radiation that shapes the illumination radiation in a direction transversely to the active direction. The four optical elements are disposed downstream of the cylindrical lens, and the active directions of the cylindrical lens and of the successive optical elements are directed orthogonally to one another.

Abstract: A microscope having a light source, an illumination beam path for guiding excitation light into a sample region, a detector for detecting emission light emitted by a sample, a detection beam path having a microscope objective for guiding the emission light onto the detector, and a control unit for evaluating emission light detected by the detector. The illumination beam path, for providing an intermediate image plane, comprises at least one relay optical unit, the illumination beam path comprises a multimode light guide, and an output end of the multimode light guide is arranged in the intermediate image plane or in the vicinity of the intermediate image plane.

Abstract: A refractive beam-shaping system for a microscope. The beam-shaping system includes a zoom unit with light input and outputs sides. The zoom unit includes two lens groups that are movable along an optical axis, one group designed as a compensator and the other as a variator. The diameter of a light beam on the light output side can be set to a target diameter provided that the diameter of the light beam on the light input side is within a predetermined tolerance. The beam-shaping system also includes a beam-shaping unit downstream of the zoom unit in a beam direction and having at least four lens groups arranged in succession in the beam direction. A first and a second lens group reshape an intensity profile of the light beam; a third and a fourth lens group correct aberrations. The lenses of all groups have a spherical embodiment.

Abstract: A microscope for examining a sample, having a light source for providing illumination light, an illumination beam path with a microscope objective for directing the illumination light to the sample, wherein the illumination beam path has a telescope optics unit for providing a pupil plane and an intermediate image plane, a detector for detecting emission light emitted by the sample, a detection beam path with microscope objective for directing the emission light to the detector, and a control unit for controlling the light source and for evaluating measurement data from the detector. The illumination beam path has an at least partially achromatic beam-shaping unit for providing a coherent flat-top region in the near field of the beam-shaping unit, wherein the coherent flat-top region is located in the region of the intermediate image plane or a further intermediate image plane. A method of microscopy for examining a sample is described.

Abstract: A microscope for examining a sample comprising a light source for providing illumination light for illuminating a sample, an illumination beam path comprising a microscope objective for guiding the illumination light onto the sample, a detector for detecting emission light emitted by the sample, a detection beam path comprising a microscope objective for guiding the emission light onto the detector, and a control unit for controlling the light source and for evaluating measurement data from the detector. The illumination beam path has a beam shaping unit for providing a coherent flat-top region and an adjustable optical functional group, wherein, depending on the setting state of the adjustable optical functional group, at least one coherent flat-top region is situated in the region of a pupil plane or at least one coherent flat-top region is situated in the region of an intermediate image plane. A method of microscopy for examining a sample is described.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for microscopic illumination of a sample, having a laser for transmitting illumination light, having an illumination beam path with a microscope objective for guiding the illumination light into a sample plane on or in the sample, the illumination beam path comprising at least one spatial light modulator for manipulating the illumination light, and having a control unit for controlling at least the spatial light modulator. According to the invention, the apparatus is characterized in that the illumination beam path comprises a phase device for at least partial cancellation of a spatial coherence of the illumination light. The invention also relates to a method for microscopic illumination of a sample, a microscope and a microscopy method.

Abstract: A multimodal microscope having a light source for transmitting excitation light, an illumination beam path with a microscope objective for guiding the excitation light onto and/or into a sample a first spatial light modulator arranged in or near a pupil plane of the illumination beam path and a second spatial light modulator arranged in or near an intermediate image plane of the illumination beam path downstream of the pupil plane, a controller at least configured to control the first and/or the second spatial light modulator for realizing an illumination mode for the sample. The controller is configured to control the second spatial light modulator outside a desired illumination region for representing a grating, the period of which is chosen such that excitation light of the +1st and/or ?1st order of diffraction lies in at least one pupil plane outside a region through which there is propagation as far as the sample.

Abstract: A microscope having a light source for transmitting excitation light, an illumination beam path with a microscope objective for guiding the excitation light onto and/or into a sample to be examined, a detector for detecting detection light emitted by the sample owing to illumination with the excitation light, a detection beam path, comprising the microscope objective or a further microscope objective, for guiding the detection light onto the detector, a first spatial light modulator arranged in or near a pupil plane of the illumination beam path, and a control unit at least for controlling the first spatial light modulator for at least partially realizing a lens function. A wavefront manipulator is arranged and/or formed in or in the vicinity of at least one intermediate image plane of the illumination beam path for compensating for distortions of the wavefront of the excitation light by the first spatial light modulator.

Abstract: An apparatus for microscopic optical manipulation of a sample, having a light source for transmitting manipulation light, an illumination beam path with a microscope objective for guiding the manipulation light onto and/or into a sample located in a sample plane, wherein a spatial light modulator is arranged in the illumination beam path, in or near a pupil plane, and a controller at least configured to control the spatial light modulator for implementing illumination patterns in the sample plane. A controllable wobble device is present for moving an illumination pattern within the sample plane and the control device is configured to control the wobble device so that amounts of light in each case radiated onto individual points in an irradiated region in the sample plane are homogenized over a time interval.

Abstract: A multimodal microscope having a light source for transmitting excitation light, an illumination beam path having a microscope objective for guiding the excitation light onto and/or into a sample, at least one first spatial light modulator being present in the illumination beam path for manipulating the excitation light, a detector for detecting detection light emitted by the sample owing to illumination with the excitation light, a detection beam path, comprising the microscope objective or a further microscope objective, for guiding the detection light onto the detector, and a controller at least for controlling the first spatial light modulator. The multimodal microscope includes a switchable optical functional group, which is switchable at least into a first and a second switching state, and the first spatial light modulator is situated either in or in the vicinity of an intermediate image plane or a pupil plane of the illumination beam path, depending on the switching state.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for structured illumination microscopy, having an illumination beam path for irradiating a sample with excitation light with a two-dimensional illumination pattern at angles greater than the angle for total internal reflection. The illumination beam path has an illumination objective used to irradiate the sample. A first separation device for separating the excitation light in a first linear coordinate direction in a pupil plane and a displacement device for laterally displacing the illumination pattern in a sample plane, having a detection beam path containing at least one microscope objective for guiding emission light to a camera. The emission light is emitted by the sample as a consequence of the irradiation by the excitation light. A camera for recording images of the sample, has a control unit for calculating microscopic images of the sample using partial images of the sample recorded for different positions of the illumination pattern in the sample plane.

Abstract: In a light sheet microscope, a detection device images a sample volume and an illumination device illuminates the sample with a light sheet. A light sheet plane is arranged substantially perpendicularly to the optical imaging axis and an illumination width extends perpendicular to the light sheet plane. A processing device is provided to control setting of the location of the light sheet plane in the sample volume, and recording a plurality of images of the sample volume with different locations of the light sheet plane. For the plurality of images recorded, a spacing, which is measured along the optical imaging axis, between adjacent locations of the light sheet plane is greater than or equal to half the illumination width, but not greater than the illumination width. Intermediate images for the stack of images in additional locations of the light sheet plane in the sample volume are computed.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus for illuminating a sample plane and a sample that is optionally arranged therein along an illumination beam path includes: a first light source (for outputting light of at least one first wavelength (?photo), a second light source for outputting light of at least one second wavelength (?exc), and a diffraction grating in the illumination beam path between the first and second light sources and the sample plane. Light of the first wavelength (?photo) is not diffracted by the diffraction grating, and light of the second wavelength (?exc) is diffracted due to the effect of the diffraction grating. The illumination apparatus can be used in a microscope.

Abstract: A light beam shaping arrangement for a light microscope has a first and a second liquid crystal region or lifting micromirror region, each of which has a plurality of independently switchable liquid crystal elements or mirrors with which a phase of incident light is changeable in a settable manner, an input-/output-coupling polarization beam splitter, a polarization beam splitter arranged between the input-/output-coupling polarization beam splitter and the liquid crystal regions or lifting micromirror regions such that the polarization beam splitter separates the light coming from the input-/output-coupling polarization beam splitter in a polarization-dependent manner into a first partial beam.

Abstract: A method for performing SIM microscopy on a sample, includes: generating n raw images of the sample, in each case by illuminating the sample using the same SIM illumination pattern albeit with an individual positioning for each raw image, wherein p orders of diffraction are assigned to the SIM illumination pattern, and generating an image of the sample from the n raw images. An image reconstruction is carried out using the orders of diffraction, wherein t highest orders of diffraction are suppressed during the image reconstruction and n=p?t applies.

Abstract: An optics arrangement for flexible multi-color illumination for a light microscope includes an acousto-optical tunable filter (“AOTF”). The AOTF is set up to diffract two light components from incident illumination light into different order-of-diffraction directions. The two light components differ in their wavelengths and polarizations. Alternatively, an electro-optical modulator (“EOM”) can be used, with which two temporally successive light components of different wavelengths are set to different polarization directions. A polarization beam splitter separates the two light components of different wavelengths and polarizations into reflection light, which is reflected at the polarization beam splitter, and transmission light, which is transmitted at the polarization beam splitter. A light structuring apparatus imprints different structures onto the transmission light and the reflection light.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for structured illumination microscopy, having an illumination beam path for irradiating a sample with excitation light with a two-dimensional illumination pattern at angles greater than the angle for total internal reflection. The illumination beam path has an illumination objective used to irradiate the sample. A first separation device for separating the excitation light in a first linear coordinate direction in a pupil plane and a displacement device for laterally displacing the illumination pattern in a sample plane, having a detection beam path containing at least one microscope objective for guiding emission light to a camera. The emission light is emitted by the sample as a consequence of the irradiation by the excitation light. A camera for recording images of the sample, has a control unit for calculating microscopic images of the sample using partial images of the sample recorded for different positions of the illumination pattern in the sample plane.

Abstract: A single plane illumination microscope having an illumination optical system for illuminating a sample located on a sample carrier in a medium, and which is parallel to a planar reference surface. The sample is illuminated by a light sheet via an illumination light path. A detection optical system has a detection beam path. The optical axes of the illumination and detection optical systems each define an angle that is not equal to zero degrees along with the normal to the reference surface. A barrier layer system includes at least one layer of a given material having a given thickness and separates the medium from the illumination and detection optical systems. A base area of the barrier layer system is in contact with the region that is accessible for illumination and detection activities, said base area running parallel to the reference surface.

Abstract: A method for operating a light microscope with structured illumination includes: providing illumination patterns by means of a structuring device which splits impinging light into at least three coherent beam parts which correspond to a ?1., 0., and +1. diffraction orders of light; generating different phases of the illumination patterns by setting different phase values for the beam parts with phase shifters; and recording at least one microscope image for each of the illumination patterns and calculating a high resolution image from the microscope images. Phase shifters are provided not only for the beam parts of the ?1. and +1. diffraction orders but also at least one phase shifter for the beam part of the 0. diffraction order. At least two different phase values ?0 are set with the at least one phase shifter for the 0. diffraction order to provide a plurality of illumination patterns with different phases.

Abstract: In high-resolution scanning microscopy, a sample is excited by illumination radiation to emit fluorescence radiation in such a way that the illumination radiation is focused at a point in or on the sample to form a diffraction-limited illumination spot. The point is imaged in a diffraction-limited manner into a diffraction image on a spatially resolving surface detector, wherein the surface detector has a spatial resolution that resolves a structure of the diffraction image. The sample is scanned by means of different scanning positions with an increment of less than half the diameter of the illumination spot. An image of the sample is generated from the data of the surface detector and from the scanning positions assigned to said data, said image having a resolution that is increased beyond a resolution limit for imaging.