Abstract: An optical information detection apparatus includes: a needle-shaped light spot irradiation part that is configured to generate needle-shaped light spot concentrated over a length dimension g greater than a width dimension w along an optical axis, a shifting light spot conversion part that is configured to convert emission light emitted from positions of a detection object into shifting light spot, a shifting light spot reception part that is configured to receive the shifting light spot along a light-receiving plane, and an optical information acquisition part that is configured to acquire optical information from the positions from the shifting light spot.

Abstract: An illumination device 11 has: a light source 1 for emitting polarized light having a Gaussian beam profile and including a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component orthogonal to each other; and a spiral phase element for imparting a phase modulation amount which increases for each predetermined step amount along a circumferential direction about an optical axis OA to the first polarized light component of transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and making the beam profile of the first polarized light component a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile, and forming a composite beam having a top-hat-shaped beam profile in which the second polarized light component of the transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and the first polarized light component having a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile are synthesized.

Abstract: An optical information detection apparatus includes: a needle-shaped light spot irradiation part that is configured to generate needle-shaped light spot concentrated over a length dimension g greater than a width dimension w along an optical axis, a shifting light spot conversion part that is configured to convert emission light emitted from positions of a detection object into shifting light spot, a shifting light spot reception part that is configured to receive the shifting light spot along a light-receiving plane, and an optical information acquisition part that is configured to acquire optical information from the positions from the shifting light spot.

Abstract: An illumination device 11 has: a light source 1 for emitting polarized light having a Gaussian beam profile and including a first polarized light component and a second polarized light component orthogonal to each other; and a spiral phase element for imparting a phase modulation amount which increases for each predetermined step amount along a circumferential direction about an optical axis OA to the first polarized light component of transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and making the beam profile of the first polarized light component a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile, and forming a composite beam having a top-hat-shaped beam profile in which the second polarized light component of the transmitted polarized light from the light source 1 and the first polarized light component having a Laguerre-Gaussian beam profile are synthesized.

Abstract: The microscope apparatus includes a light source which outputs linear polarization having a first wavelength, a polarization conversion element which includes a liquid crystal layer, and by causing linear polarization to pass the liquid crystal layer, converts linear polarization to radial polarization, an objective lens which focuses the radial polarization onto an object surface, a condenser lens which collimates the light reflected from the object surface, a light receiving element which receives light collimated by the condenser lens and outputs signal in accordance with the intensity of light, and a controller which applies electric voltage in accordance with the first wavelength to the liquid crystal layer of the polarization conversion element. The polarization conversion element is disposed in the pupil plane of the objective lens on the light source side.

Abstract: The microscope apparatus includes a light source which outputs linear polarization having a first wavelength, a polarization conversion element which includes a liquid crystal layer, and by causing linear polarization to pass the liquid crystal layer, converts linear polarization to radial polarization, an objective lens which focuses the radial polarization onto an object surface, a condenser lens which collimates the light reflected from the object surface, a light receiving element which receives light collimated by the condenser lens and outputs signal in accordance with the intensity of light, and a controller which applies electric voltage in accordance with the first wavelength to the liquid crystal layer of the polarization conversion element. The polarization conversion element is disposed in the pupil plane of the objective lens on the light source side.