Patents by Inventor Werner Knebel

Werner Knebel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10215974
    Abstract: A selective/single plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) arrangement having an illumination device (1) for generating a light sheet (3) illuminating a sample (2); and a detection device (5), comprising a detector (4), for detected light proceeding from the sample (2), is configured and refined in the interest of efficient and low-impact sample investigation with physically simple means in such a way that the detection device (5) comprises a device (6) for allocating different focal planes of the light sheet (3) to different regions (7) of the detector (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Vishnu Vardan Krishnamachari
  • Publication number: 20190025563
    Abstract: A method for examining a sample in light sheet fluorescence microscopy includes generating an illumination light beam using a light source. The illumination light beam is spatially split into at least two partial illumination light beams using a splitter. The partial illumination light beams are guided through an illumination objective shared by the partial illumination light beams. After the partial illumination light beams have passed through the illumination objective, at least one of the partial illumination light beams is deflected using at least one deflector such that the partial illumination light beams interfere with one another in an illumination plane so as to generate an illumination pattern in the illumination plane. An image of a sample region illuminated by the illumination pattern is produced, wherein detection light that emanates from the sample region reaches a position-sensitive detector through a detection objective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Inventors: Florian FAHRBACH, Werner KNEBEL
  • Publication number: 20180252906
    Abstract: An illumination arrangement for a light sheet microscope, in which a sample is illuminated using an illumination light beam that is formed as a light sheet in a region of the sample, includes an illumination objective, a tube lens and astigmatic optics. The astigmatic optics are designed in such a way and arranged between the tube lens and the illumination objective in such a way that the illumination light beam exiting from the illumination objective is focused both in a sagittal plane and in a meridional plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel, Joachim Bradl
  • Publication number: 20180203217
    Abstract: A light sheet microscope for simultaneous imaging of several object planes illuminated by a light sheet includes a camera and a detection optic defining a detection light beam between the light sheet and the camera. The object planes are arranged around the focal plane of the detection optic. The detection optic can include a microlens array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Florian Fahrbach
  • Patent number: 10012826
    Abstract: A method, in which a sample is manipulated with manipulation light, includes imaging the sample using a single plane illumination microscopy SPIM technique under illumination with illumination light being an illumination light sheet of fluorescent excitation light. Both the manipulation light and the illumination light are focused by an objective brought to an objective working position. Either the manipulation light or the illumination light are diverted after passing through the objective by use of a diverting device to propagate the manipulation light or the illumination light at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to an optical axis of the objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Wernher Fouquet, Frank Sieckmann
  • Publication number: 20180180864
    Abstract: A method for analyzing a microscopic sample with a microscope includes illuminating at least a sub-region of the microscopic sample by illumination light. Detection light emanating from the microscopic sample is guided on a detection beam path, which includes at least one focusing optical element and which has a plurality of detection beam path branches, each with at least one detector element. The detector elements are parts of the same surface detector. By art adjusting element in at least a first one of the detection beam path branches, an optical path length of the first detection beam path branch is adjusted in such a way that the portion of the detection light guided on the first detection beam path branch is focused on the detector element of the first detection beam path branch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Frank SIECKMANN, Florian FAHRBACH
  • Publication number: 20180149851
    Abstract: A method for single plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) analysis of a sample includes simultaneously illuminating multiple sample layers by a single sheet of light. Detection light emanating from the individual sample layers is detected at different times and/or at different positions in a detection beam path. The detection beam path is branched using beam splitters and an effective refractive power of the individual beam splitters is zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Frank SIECKMANN, Florian FAHRBACH
  • Publication number: 20180120548
    Abstract: A method for examining a sample includes illuminating the sample in an illumination plane along an illumination strip by an illuminating light beam which propagates along the illumination strip. The illumination strip is projected into a detection plane by detection light originating from the illumination strip being focused in the detection plane. The detection light is detected by a detector. The detector is formed as a slit detector, and the direction of a slit width of the slit detector is oriented at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to the direction of a longitudinal extent of an image of the illumination strip projected into the detection plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: May 3, 2018
    Inventors: Florian Fahrbach, Werner Knebel
  • Patent number: 9772481
    Abstract: An arrangement for use in illuminating a sample in SPIM microscopy includes an illumination objective configured to receive and focus a light strip or a quasi-light strip. The quasi-light strip is made up of a light bundle continuously moved back and forth in a light-strip plane. A deflection apparatus is configured to deflect the light strip or the quasi-light strip, after the light strip or the quasi-light strip has passed through the illumination objective, in such a way that the light strip or the quasi-light strip propagates at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to an optical axis of the illumination objective. The illumination objective and the deflection apparatus are arranged movably relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Frank Sieckmann, Bernd Widzgowski, Wernher Fouquet
  • Publication number: 20170160531
    Abstract: A method for microscopic examination of a specimen includes bringing the specimen into contact with an optically transparent medium that has a higher refractive index than the specimen. An illumination light bundle is generated and directed through an illumination objective that focuses the illumination light bundle. The illumination light bundle that has passed through the illumination objective in the direction of the specimen that is to be examined is deflected using a deflector arranged on a detection objective in such a way that the illumination light bundle strikes a boundary surface between the optically transparent medium and the specimen, where the illumination light bundle is totally reflected for purposes of evanescently illuminating the specimen. Fluorescent light that is emitted by the specimen and that passes through the detection objective is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventor: Werner KNEBEL
  • Publication number: 20160320301
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for tomographic investigation of a sample (9), in which method a sample (9) is illuminated with an illuminating light bundle (3) and in which a transmitted light bundle (10) that contains the light of the illuminating light bundle (3) transmitted through the sample (9) is detected with a transmission detector (13). The invention further relates to an apparatus for tomographic investigation of a sample (9). Provision is made that the illuminating light bundle (3) and the transmitted light bundle (10) pass in opposite propagation directions through the same objective (7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Wernher FOUQUET, Frank SIECKMANN
  • Publication number: 20160153892
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for microscopic investigation of a plurality of samples.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Wernher FOUQUET, Frank SIECKMANN
  • Publication number: 20160048014
    Abstract: A selective/single plane illumination microscopy (SPIM) arrangement having an illumination device (1) for generating a light sheet (3) illuminating a sample (2); and a detection device (5), comprising a detector (4), for detected light proceeding from the sample (2), is configured and refined in the interest of efficient and low-impact sample investigation with physically simple means in such a way that the detection device (5) comprises a device (6) for allocating different focal planes of the light sheet (3) to different regions (7) of the detector (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Vishnu Vardan KRISHNAMACHARI
  • Publication number: 20160048012
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method in which a sample is manipulated with manipulation light, and in which the sample is imaged by means of the SPIM technique under illumination with illumination light, in particular excitation light for fluorescence excitation, in the form of an illumination light sheet. The method is notable for the fact that both the manipulation light and the illumination light are focused by the same objective that is arranged in an objective working position, or by different objectives that are brought successively into an objective working position; and that the manipulation light and/or the illumination light, after passing through the objective, is diverted by means of a diverting device in such a way that it propagates at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to the optical axis of the objective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Werner KNEBEL, Wernher FOUQUET, Frank SIECKMANN
  • Publication number: 20150338628
    Abstract: A SPIM-microscope (Selective Plane Imaging Microscopy) having a y-direction illumination light source and a z-direction detection light camera. An x-scanner generates a sequential light sheet by scanning the illumination light beam in the x-direction. By an illumination optics having a zoom optics that is provided in the beam path of the illumination light beam the focal length of the illumination light beam can be varied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Publication date: November 26, 2015
    Inventors: WERNER KNEBEL, Wolfgang Oestreicher
  • Patent number: 9116354
    Abstract: A STED-SPIM-microscope (Selective Plane Imaging Microscopy) having a y-direction illumination light source and a z-direction detection light camera. An x-scanner generates a sequential light sheet by scanning the illumination light beam in the x-direction. By optionally turning on a STED deactivation light beam the light sheet can optionally be made thinner and therefore the optical resolution can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Wolfgang Oestreicher
  • Patent number: 9104020
    Abstract: A method for illuminating at least one sample in SPIM microscopy includes generating a light beam and forming a light strip from the light beam using an optical device that interacts with the light beam. The light strip is passed strip through at least one objective having optics configured to deliver detection light emanating from the sample directly or indirectly to a detector, with the objective optics interacting with the light strip. The light strip is deflected using a light-redirecting device downstream of the objective optics so as to propagate the light strip, after deflection, at an angle other than zero degrees with respect to an optical axis of the objective in order to illuminate the sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Frank Sieckmann
  • Patent number: 9057879
    Abstract: A SPIM-microscope (Selective Plane Imaging Microscopy) having a y-direction illumination light source and a z-direction detection light camera. An x-scanner generates a sequential light sheet by scanning the illumination light beam in the x-direction. By an illumination optics having a zoom optics that is provided in the beam path of the illumination light beam the focal length of the illumination light beam can be varied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Wolfgang Oestreicher
  • Patent number: 9030734
    Abstract: A scanning microscope is described, having an illumination unit for emitting an illumination light beam, an objective for generating an elongated illumination focus in a specimen to be imaged, and a scanning apparatus for moving the illumination focus over a target region of the specimen to be illuminated by modifying the direction of incidence in which the illumination light beam is incident into an entrance pupil of the objective. The scanning apparatus directs the illumination light beam onto a sub-region of the entrance pupil offset from the pupil center in order to incline the illumination focus relative to the optical axis of the objective, and modifies the direction of incidence of the illumination light beam within that sub-region in order to move the illumination focus over the target region to be illuminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Arnold Giske
  • Publication number: 20140300958
    Abstract: An arrangement for use in illuminating a sample in SPIM microscopy includes an illumination objective configured to receive and focus a light strip or a quasi-light strip. The quasi-light strip is made up of a light bundle continuously moved back and forth in a light-strip plane. A deflection apparatus is configured to deflect the light strip or the quasi-light strip, after the light strip or the quasi-light strip has passed through the illumination objective, in such a way that the light strip or the quasi-light strip propagates at an angle different from zero degrees with respect to an optical axis of the illumination objective. The illumination objective and the deflection apparatus are arranged movably relative to one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicant: LEICA MICROSYSTEMS CMS GMBH
    Inventors: Werner Knebel, Frank Sieckmann, Bernd Widzgowski, Wernher Fouquet