Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device used for the digital detection of transparent and opaque documents, comprising a CCD pick-up element, a document holder, an illuminating device and elements for covering the edges (masking unit) of the documents. The method comprises the following steps: a) placing the document on the document holder; b) determining the size of the document; c) automatically adjusting a zoom objective, assigned to the scanner, in relation to the document; d) automatically adjusting the masking to the document size; e) beginning the exposure process; f) automatically adjusting the illumination by determining the dynamic range of the image intensity; g) exposing the CCD chip in the camera (one shot); h) memorizing the digitized data in a PC memory; i) further processing the memorized data in the PC or in an external data processing installation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for microscoping an object with a (phase-measurement) interference microscope with extremely high resolution, in which the light beam of a light source is divided into at least two coherent part beams, of which at least one serves for illuminating the object, and whereby the part beams are interferingly combined again and supplied to an interference figure detector screened into image zones, for achieving a resolution beyond the diffraction limit. Furthermore, the invention relates to an interference microscope, preferably for carrying out the above method.