Abstract: In a soft X-ray microscope including a soft X-ray source for emitting soft X-rays, a condenser lens for focusing the soft X-rays onto a specimen under inspection, an objective lens for focusing soft X-rays emanating from the specimen, a soft X-ray detector for receiving the soft X-rays focused by the objective lens, and a visually observing optical system for forming a visible image of the specimen by converting an optical property of the specimen other than contrast and color into a contrast in brightness or color. The visually observing optical system may be formed as phase contrast microscope, dark field microscope, polarizing microscope, differential interference microscope, or fluorescent microscope. Then, alignment and focus adjustment can be performed by observing the visible image of the specimen without irradiating the specimen with the soft X-rays even if the specimen has substantially no contrast and color.

Abstract: A vacuum optical system has a vacuum chamber for housing an optical system used in a vacuum. The vacuum chamber is equipped with a member, on which the optical system is at least mounted, supported by such parts that when a pressure in the vacuum chamber changes to deform the vacuum chamber, the amount of displacement transmitted to the optical system is smaller than a predetermined tolerance depending on an accuracy necessary for the optical system. Thus, the vacuum optical system can be obtained which does away with the need for readjustment of optical alignment and is compact.

Abstract: A soft X-ray detector includes a surface electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a semiconductor detector having an electrode connected to the photoelectric conversion layer, for detecting an electric charge produced In the photoelectric conversion layer. The photoelectric conversion layer and the surface electrode layer have thicknesses satisfying conditionsdA.gtoreq.0.183.lambda./KAdB.ltoreq.0.183.lambda./KBwhere dA is a thickness of the photoelectric conversion layer, dB is a thickness of the surface electrode layer, KA is an extinction coefficient of radiation of a wavelength .lambda. in a substance constituting the photoelectric conversion layer, and KB is an extinction coefficient of radiation of the wavelength .lambda.in a substance constituting the surface electrode layer. Thus, the soft X-ray detector has a high sensitivity to soft X rays and a lower sensitivity to visible light, so that only soft X rays can be selectively detected.

Abstract: An X-ray microscope is equipped with an X-ray source generating radiation including X rays ranging in wavelength from 400 to 600 .ANG., a beam splitter composed of a thin film which reflects a part of the X rays from the X-ray source and transmits the remainder, an objective, and an X-ray detector. Thus, the X-ray microscope allows the reflected radiation from an sample to be observed in a soft X-ray region, and enables high resolution microscopy even in a thick sample.

Abstract: A soft X-ray microscope comprising a soft X-ray radiation source which is substantially a spot radiation source, a condenser for leading soft X-rays from the radiation source to a sample, a reflecting mirror for grazing incidence which is disposed between the radiation source and the condenser, and has a rough reflecting surface, an objective optical system for forming a magnified image of the sample, and a soft X-ray detector for receiving the soft X-rays from the objective optical system. This microscope exhibits excellent imaging characteristic even when it uses a spot radiation source.

Abstract: A Schwarzschild optical system comprising a concave mirror having an opening formed at the center thereof and a convex mirror arranged in opposite to the opening of the concave mirror, and has a numerical aperture of at least 0.25 on the object side, the concave mirror being formed to have an aspherical surface. This Schwarzschild optical system has a relatively large numerical aperture, a relatively large departure between the centers of curvature of the concave mirror and the convex mirror, and favorably corrected aberrations.

Abstract: A condenser optical system is provided for bringing a beam of light from a light source to a focus at a desired position. The condenser optical system has a reflecting surface including a quadric surface of revolution represented by Equation (1) described below. The reflecting surface satisfies the conditions of Equations (2) and (3) described below when the condenser optical system is disposed so that the light beam from the light source is incident, substantially parallel to a rotary axis of the quadric surface, on the reflecting surface:z=Cy.sup.2 /{1+(1-pC.sup.2 y.sup.2).sup.1/2 } (1)Ch<22 (2)78-4.theta..sub.

Abstract: An imaging X-ray microscope having an X-ray radiation source, a condenser for condensing X-rays radiated from the X-ray source on an object, an objective for forming an image of the object by the X-rays transmitted through or diffracted by the object, and an X-ray detector for receiving the image formed by the objective, the objective comprising a Schwarzschild optical system in which a concave mirror with an opening in the center thereof and a convex mirror are coaxially arranged in such a manner that the convex mirror opposes to the opening of the concave mirror, the object-side numerical aperture is at least 0.24, and the following condition is satisfied:(N.A.-0.6)/12.ltoreq.(W.sub.2 -W.sub.1)/f.ltoreq.-0.005where N.A. is the object-side numerical aperture of the Schwarzschild optical system, W.sub.1 is the distance from the object to the center of curvature of the concave mirror, W.sub.

Abstract: In order to make possible a high-speed measurement of the surface structure of a sample of any shape or any weight and also to make feasible a direct observation of the surface portion requiring measurement, the surface structure measuring apparatus comprises: a laser light beam source; an objective lens collecting the laser light beam emitting from the light source onto the surface of the sample; a pair of light deflectors disposed at positions conjugate with the pupil of the objective lens, respectively, to perform two-dimensional scanning of the surface of the sample by altering the incidence angle of the laser light beam impinging onto the objective lens; an observation optical system incorporated between the objective lens and the light deflectors for the observation of the surface of the sample; focus detecting device receiving the light reflected at the surface of the sample for detecting a displacement of the surface portion of the sample requiring measurement from a predetermined focal position; and

Abstract: A scanning optical microscope comprises a light source, an objective lens for focusing light emitted from the light source upon an object to be observed, a light deflecting optical system provided between the light source and the objective lens and including a light deflector formed by an acousto-optic light deflector (AOD), photoelectric transducing means for detecting light from the object, and light shielding means having an elongated aperture provided between the object and the photoelectric transducing means. Light from the light source is deflected by the AOD to scan the object at a high speed, and light from the object is led to the photoelectric transducing means through the aperture of the light shielding means, without passing through the AOD, to realize confocal microscopy.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting a focus condition of an optical system forms two images of an object, the images propagating along two different optical paths. The two images are received with a plurality of photosensitive elements. The photosensitive elements are disposed in a plurality of sections, each section having a plurality of elements, each element outputting a signal corresponding to received light. The element output signals from the first image are stored in a first memory while the element output signals from the second image are stored in a second memory. A processor calculates the image light contrast for each section from the stored element signals. Then, the section displaying the highest contrast is selected for use in the correlation process. The correlation process is carried out by correlating the stored first image element signals with the stored second image element signals from the selected section.

Abstract: In order to make it feasible to obtain a differential phase image having a uniform brightness and good quality, a scanning type optical microscope comprises: a laser light source; an objective lens for collecting, onto an object under observation, a light beam emitting from the laser light source; a scanning light deflector disposed between the laser light source and the objective lens; a light detector comprised of a plurality of photoelectric converters receiving a light from the object and being separated into two sections; a signal processing circuit for calculating the difference between the signals coming from the two sections of the light detector to thereby obtain a differential phase signal; and adjusting means for adjusting the differential phase signal with a signal varying with an image height and being synchronous with the scanning of the light beam.

Abstract: A lens system comprising a front lens group consisting of a first, second and third lens components respectively of positive meniscus lenses with the convex surfaces on the object side and a fourth lens component of a negative meniscus lens and a rear lens group consisting of a fifth lens component of a positive or negative cemented meniscus lens with the convex surfaces on the image side and a sixth lens component of a positive lens. In this lens system, the entire lens system is moved along an optical axis to focus and an airspace between the fourth and fifth lens component and an airspace between the fifth and sixth lens components are respectively varied non-linearly to correct the collapse of aberrations. The front lens group may consist of a first lens component of a positive lens, a second lens component of a negative lens and a third lens component of a positive lens and the rear lens group may consist of a fourth lens component of a negative lens and a fifth lens component of a positive lens.

Abstract: In order to enable an easy acquisition of a bright excellent differential image and an excellent ordinary image of an object requiring observation, the photoelectric microscope using a position sensitive device in accordance with the present invention comprises: a laser light source; an objective lens for collecting, onto the object requiring observation, a laser light emitting from the light source; a beam splitter disposed between the light source and the objective lens; a position sensitive device receiving the laser light emitting from the light source and having transmitted through the object requiring observation; and a position sensitive device receiving, through the beam splitter, the laser light reflected from the object requiring observation. To allow two-dimensional scanning, a pair of opposing galvanometric mirrors may be disposed at a pupil position between the beam splitter and the objective lens.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for detecting a focus condition for an optical system sequentially forms two images of an object, the images propagating along two different optical paths. The two images are sequentially received with a plurality of photosensitive elements. The photosensitive elements are disposed in a plurality of sections, each section having a plurality of elements, each element outputting a signal corresponding to received light. The element output signals from the first image are stored in a first memory, while the element output signals from the second image are stored in a second memory. A processor calculates the image light contrast for each section from the stored element signals. Then, the section displaying the highest contrast is selected for use in the correlation process. The correlation process is carried out by correlating the stored first image element signals with the stored second image element signals from the selected section.

Abstract: A focus detecting device comprising a light source means capable of alternating producing a pair of infrared light bundles, a light path changing means leading the infrared lights emitted alternately from the light source means toward an objective so as to pass through the periphery of the pupil of the objective through different courses, a contracting optical system arranged between the objective or a tube lens and the image forming surface of the objective or tube lens and having a positive refractive power contracting the position deviations of the infrared light images formed in positions different with the objectives to be used, a light receiving element capable of detecting the position of the infrared light image reflected from the object and a signal processing means detecting the position deviation from the in-focus position of the objective or an imaging lens with the output signal from the light receiving element, in order to enable to obtain a high detecting precision and detecting sensitivity on

Abstract: A scanning type optical microscope comprising a pair of light deflectors disposed between a laser light source and an objective lens for performing two-dimensional scanning of an object requiring observation by varying the incidence angle of a light entering the objective lens, and a pair of split detectors receiving a light coming from said object, wherein the light deflectors are disposed at the position of the pupil of the objective lens or at a position conjugate therewith or in their vicinity. This microscope has a high resolving power and allows an easy performance of a special microscopy and is convenient to handle. The paired detectors are arranged to be rotatable about an optical axis and allows free alteration of the orientation of differentiation of the differential observation image. A light-blocking plate can be provided within the detecting optical system for removing O-order diffraction light contained in the detection light, whereby permitting dark field microscopy at a very low cost.

Abstract: A focus detecting device comprising a light source means alternately producing a pair of light beams directed to the surface of an object, a light receiving element arranged on an image surface and detecting the image positions of the pair of light beams reflected on the object surface and a signal processing means detecting the displacements of the image positions of the pair of light beams with signals from the light receiving element, in order to simplify the formation of the entire device and to be able to quickly focus even a dark object.

Abstract: An automatic focus detecting device comprising a photoelectric converting device formed by arranging many elements, a pupil divider capable of forming two object images on the photoelectric converting device through different light paths, a device capable of detecting an in-focus position by processing two image data obtained as output signals from the photoelectric converting device, a device for determining the reciprocal numbers of the output signals obtained by applying a uniform light onto the photoelectric converting device and a device for receiving the image data to correct the signals for output multiplying the image data by these reciprocal numbers in order to enable accurate focusing. The photoelectric converting device is so arranged as to receive the light having passed through an infrared cut filter or a band pass filter.

Abstract: A focusing device for optical systems provided with a rotatable light interrupting plate having a first light passing zone and second light passing zone, an image sensor receiving two kinds of images formed by light bundles having passed through the light interrupting plate and converting the respective light intensity distributions to photoelectric signals, a central operation circuit digital-converting the photoelectric signals from the image sensor, then operating them according to a predetermined evaluating function and able to display the state of focusing and the amount and direction of deviation from the focus position and an image information processing circuit able to feed only proper photoelectric signals from the image sensor to the central operation circuit, in order to be able to detect accurately and with a high sensitivity whether focusing is made or not and to detect the amount and direction of deviation from the focus position.