Abstract: An observation apparatus includes: alight source that emits pulsed light; and an objective that includes a first optical element serving as a light guide part and irradiates a sample with the pulsed light. The first optical element consists of a medium that satisfies the following conditional expression for ?1 and ?2: 0.75<?2/?1<1.33 where ?1=(n2?n1)/(?2??1) and ?2=(n3?n2)/(?3??2) are satisfied (?1 indicates a light wavelength of 706.52 nm; ?2 indicates a light wavelength of 1529.6 nm; ?3 indicates a light wavelength of 2325.4 nm; and n1, n2, and n3 respectively indicate refractive indexes that the medium has for ?1, ?2, and ?3).

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes a laser configured to emit laser light, an objective configured to focus the laser light on an object, a scanner configured to scan the object in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective, a varifocal lens configured to scan the object in an optical-axis direction of the objective by changing a lens shape of the varifocal lens, a first relay lens configured to project the scanner onto the varifocal lens, a second relay lens configured to project a pupil of the objective onto the varifocal lens, a photodetector configured to detect fluorescence generated from the object upon the laser light being focused on the object by the objective, and a dichroic mirror configured to separate the fluorescence and the laser light emitted from the laser from each other. The varifocal lens is located between the objective and the scanner.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope includes: an objective that irradiates a specimen with a laser beam; a detection lens that condenses the laser beam that passes through the specimen, the detection lens being arranged so as to face the objective; an optical element that is removably arranged between an image plane on which the detection lens forms an image of the specimen and a first surface that is a lens surface closest to the specimen of the detection lens, the optical element converting the laser beam made incident on the optical element into diffused light or deflecting a portion of the laser beam made incident on the optical element; and a photodetector that detects detection light emitted from the optical element arranged between the image plane and the first surface to the image plane.

Abstract: An observation apparatus includes: alight source that emits pulsed light; and an objective that includes a first optical element serving as a light guide part and irradiates a sample with the pulsed light. The first optical element consists of a medium that satisfies the following conditional expression for ?1 and ?2: 0.75<?2/?1<1.33 where ?1=(n2?n1)/(?2??1) and ?2=(n3?n2)/(?3??2) are satisfied (?1 indicates a light wavelength of 706.52 nm; ?2 indicates a light wavelength of 1529.6 nm; ?3 indicates a light wavelength of 2325.4 nm; and n1, n2, and n3 respectively indicate refractive indexes that the medium has for ?1, ?2, and ?3).

Abstract: A laser microscope 1 includes: a filter unit 18, which is a fluorescence-splitting mechanism that splits the fluorescence generated by the specimen S and the excitation light according to a wavelength, and that changes a wavelength at which light is split; a diffraction grating 22 that disperses the fluorescence split by the filter unit 18; a mirror 23 that changes a wavelength of fluorescence that is detected by a PMT 26 and that is dispersed by the diffraction grating 22; and a control unit 30 that controls the filter unit 18. The control unit 30 performs control to change a wavelength at which the filter unit 18 splits light in accordance with a change in the wavelength of the fluorescence that is detected by the PMT 26 and that is dispersed by the diffraction grating 22, the change being performed by the mirror 23.

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes a laser configured to emit laser light, an objective configured to focus the laser light on an object, a scanner configured to scan the object in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the objective, a varifocal lens configured to scan the object in an optical-axis direction of the objective by changing a lens shape of the varifocal lens, a first relay lens configured to project the scanner onto the varifocal lens, a second relay lens configured to project a pupil of the objective onto the varifocal lens, a photodetector configured to detect fluorescence generated from the object upon the laser light being focused on the object by the objective, and a dichroic mirror configured to separate the fluorescence and the laser light emitted from the laser from each other. The varifocal lens is located between the objective and the scanner.

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes: a varifocal lens that scans an object in an optical-axis direction of an objective; a scanner that scans the object in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective; and a controller configured to control the varifocal lens and the scanner.

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes a collecting lens that takes in a detection light, a focal position adjustment unit that moves in an optical axis direction of the collecting lens to make the collecting lens move in the optical axis direction, a detector positioned at a location that is optically conjugate to a pupil of the collecting lens, and a relay optical system that relays the pupil to the detector. The relay optical system includes a first optical element with a positive power, the first optical element being positioned in the focal position adjustment unit and converting the detection light that was converted by the collecting lens into a parallel light flux, into a convergent light flux to be emitted outside of the focal position adjustment unit, and a second optical element that is positioned outside of the focal position adjustment unit and between the detector and the first optical element.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes an objective and a photodetector, and projects a pupil of the objective onto a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The microscope apparatus further includes an optical element that is arranged between the objective and the photodetector. The optical element has a plurality of refractive surfaces which are arranged in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical element and to which light fluxes emitted from the pupil of the objective at different angles are incident.

Abstract: A laser scanning microscope includes: an objective that irradiates a specimen with a laser beam; a detection lens that condenses the laser beam that passes through the specimen, the detection lens being arranged so as to face the objective; an optical element that is removably arranged between an image plane on which the detection lens forms an image of the specimen and a first surface that is a lens surface closest to the specimen of the detection lens, the optical element converting the laser beam made incident on the optical element into diffused light or deflecting a portion of the laser beam made incident on the optical element; and a photodetector that detects detection light emitted from the optical element arranged between the image plane and the first surface to the image plane.

Abstract: A laser microscope 1 includes: a filter unit 18, which is a fluorescence-splitting mechanism that splits the fluorescence generated by the specimen S and the excitation light according to a wavelength, and that changes a wavelength at which light is split; a diffraction grating 22 that disperses the fluorescence split by the filter unit 18; a mirror 23 that changes a wavelength of fluorescence that is detected by a PMT 26 and that is dispersed by the diffraction grating 22; and a control unit 30 that controls the filter unit 18. The control unit 30 performs control to change a wavelength at which the filter unit 18 splits light in accordance with a change in the wavelength of the fluorescence that is detected by the PMT 26 and that is dispersed by the diffraction grating 22, the change being performed by the mirror 23.

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes: a varifocal lens that scans an object in an optical-axis direction of an objective; a scanner that scans the object in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis of the objective; and a controller configured to control the varifocal lens and the scanner.

Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes an objective and a photodetector, and projects a pupil of the objective onto a light-receiving surface of the photodetector. The microscope apparatus further includes an optical element that is arranged between the objective and the photodetector. The optical element has a plurality of refractive surfaces which are arranged in a direction orthogonal to an optical axis of the optical element and to which light fluxes emitted from the pupil of the objective at different angles are incident.

Abstract: A microscope system includes: a wavefront modulator that modulates a wavefront of light from a light source; an objective that irradiates a sample with light whose wavefront has been modulated by the wavefront modulator; a spherical aberration corrector that corrects spherical aberration caused by a difference between a refractive index of a medium between the objective and the sample and a refractive index of the sample; a refractive index calculator that calculates, for each wavelength of the light from the light source, an average refractive index of a medium between the objective and a condensing position of light emitted from the objective on the basis of an amount of the corrected spherical aberration; and a controller that controls the wavefront modulator to correct chromatic aberration calculated on the basis of the calculated average refractive index for each wavelength.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope includes a light source, a light converging optical system, a stage, a scanning unit which displaces an illumination light and the stage relatively, a detecting optical system, and a photodetector. A light modulation element and a relay optical system are disposed on the light converging optical system side of the light source, and a modulated signal having only amplitude changed is input to the light modulation element, and the light modulation element is positioned such that the illumination light emerged from the light modulation element with respect to the modulated signal of a predetermined amplitude coincides with an optical axis of the light converging optical system, and a position of a pupil of the light converging optical system and a position of the light modulation element are conjugate through at least the relay optical system.

Abstract: A scanning microscope includes a collecting lens that takes in a detection light, a focal position adjustment unit that moves in an optical axis direction of the collecting lens to make the collecting lens move in the optical axis direction, a detector positioned at a location that is optically conjugate to a pupil of the collecting lens, and a relay optical system that relays the pupil to the detector . The relay optical system includes a first optical element with a positive power, the first optical element being positioned in the focal position adjustment unit and converting the detection light that was converted by the collecting lens into a parallel light flux, into a convergent light flux to be emitted outside of the focal position adjustment unit, and a second optical element that is positioned outside of the focal position adjustment unit and between the detector and the first optical element.

Abstract: A microscope system includes: a wavefront modulator that modulates a wavefront of light from a light source; an objective that irradiates a sample with light whose wavefront has been modulated by the wavefront modulator; a spherical aberration corrector that corrects spherical aberration caused by a difference between a refractive index of a medium between the objective and the sample and a refractive index of the sample; a refractive index calculator that calculates, for each wavelength of the light from the light source, an average refractive index of a medium between the objective and a condensing position of light emitted from the objective on the basis of an amount of the corrected spherical aberration; and a controller that controls the wavefront modulator to correct chromatic aberration calculated on the basis of the calculated average refractive index for each wavelength.

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope includes a light source, a light converging optical system, a stage, a scanning unit which displaces an illumination light and the stage relatively, a detecting optical system, and a photodetector. A light modulation element and a relay optical system are disposed on the light converging optical system side of the light source, and a modulated signal having only amplitude changed is input to the light modulation element, and the light modulation element is positioned such that the illumination light emerged from the light modulation element with respect to the modulated signal of a predetermined amplitude coincides with an optical axis of the light converging optical system, and a position of a pupil of the light converging optical system and a position of the light modulation element are conjugate through at least the relay optical system.