Hitachi, Ltd.

Masao Takai

Ryusei Nakano

Nobuo Kimura

Sei Murakami

Katsuzi Ikenaga

Nobuyuki Nakashima

Koji Umemoto

An inverted microscope is adapted so that a specimen thereon e.g. cells can be irradiated by a laser beam. The laser beam is guided from a laser source by a series of adjustably movable reflectors which introduce it into the microscope optical pathway at a parallel-beam region thereof, and through the objective lens of the microscope. A point to be irradiated can be selected by moving the reflectors which may be galvanometrically-movable. The laser beam can be focused together with the microscope image. The movable reflectors are kept within 200 mm behind the objective lens principal plane (PP) to ensure that the laser can be applied all over the microscope viewing field.

Apparatus and method for applying a laser beam through a microscope

An ultrasonic microscope has an optical microscope disposed in juxtaposition therewith so that the optical microscope can directly observe a specimen to be observed by the ultrasonic microscope, by moving the specimen toward the optical microscope. The optical microscope can also observe a region where an acoustic lens of the ultrasonic microscope and the specimen face each other. For that purpose, the optical microscope is provided with an optical reflector for suiting the view of field of the optical microscope to the region where the acoustic lens and the specimen face each other. Alternatively, the optical microscope is swingably supported so that the view of field of the optical microscope is suited to the region where the acoustic lens and specimen face each other.

Ultrasonic microscope with optical microscope incorporated therein

Growing community of inventors

Kudamatsu, Japan

Masao Takai