Abstract: An apparatus for three-dimensional investigation of an object including an illuminating grid located in an illumination plane and generating a plurality of points of light when illuminated by a light source; an optical imaging system that images the illuminating grid in a focal plane at the location of the object to be measured and also images light radiated from the object into a receiver plane; a receiver array with photosynthesis areas that records the light transmitted by optical imaging system and the light that is reflected in or at the object or is emitted by fluorescence; and an array of anamorphic lenses located in front of receiver array.

Abstract: A two-dimensional illuminating grid (11b) illuminates an object (14). Its spacial form is measured by imaging through a prism grid (66) on a receiver array (17), with the prism grid performing a pupil division for the image of each of the illuminated object points. For this purpose, for each measurement point, the difference signal from each of four adjacent pixels (8a, 8b, 9b, 9a) of a receiver array (17) is evaluated. For example, 65,000 points in space can be measured in 20 ms.

Abstract: A device is described for three-dimensional examination with a confocal beam path, in which an illumination grid (12; 22; 31; 83) is imaged in a focal plane (13f; 87), said plane being located on or in the vicinity of surface (14o) of object (14). The radiation reflected in the focal plane is imaged directly by a beam splitter onto the receiving surface of a CCD receiver (17; 91). The illumination grid (12; 22; 31; 83) is then imaged on the receiver surface either by the photosensitive areas of the receiver acting as confocal diaphragms or by signals from the detector elements which only receive light scattered outside focal plane (13f; 87) not being taken into account in the evaluation or being taken into account separately.The illumination grid size generated in focal plane (13f; 87) can be either fixed or variable. A variable illumination grid size can be produced for example by an LED array. The device also makes examinations in transmitted light possible.

Abstract: A microscope with convolution wherein the light distribution is modulated within the space of double light cones generated by the optics of the microscope. The modulation is accomplished in space domain as opposed to modulation in the time domain used in radio frequency electronics. Light radiation is modulated by placing a modulation pattern in one of the planes of the microscope where the illumination source is focused. The modulated light passes through the other sections of the microscope after which time it strikes a target of a TV camera tube. The output of the TV tube is then fed into a computer. In the object of the microscope there are, for example, 64 consecutive object positions at which 64 consecutive focused images of the object can be formed so as to generate digitized images in the computer.