Leica Microsystems Heidelberg Gmbh

Thomas Zapf

Johann Engelhardt

William F Hug

Heinrich Ulrich

In order to extend the life of the laser light source and to reduce the operating costs, a method for operating a laser light source, in particular for scanning in a confocal scanning laser microscope, the laser light source being supplied with electricity via a power pack, is one wherein the laser light source is operated with the requisite power essentially only during the working beam time, preferably during the data acquisition. When a pulsed laser light source is used, the working beam time, in particular the data acquisition, is essentially synchronized with the emission cycle of the laser light source.

Method for operating a laser light source

The invention relates to a method for measuring surfaces by confocal microscopy using the reflection method, specially to measure the superficial profiles (,) of treated or drilled teeth (,). The invention seeks to eliminate mistakes occurring when very inclined areas are measured. To this end, the method disclosed is characterized by a confocal representation with enhanced dynamics (relative sensitivity) enabling it to project both the retro-reflections and the weak scattered light (,) or fluorescent light of each focal plane (,).

Method for measuring surfaces by confocal microcopy

The invention concerns a device for the confocal measuring of surfaces inside cavities of the body, specially to measure the surface profile (,) of teeth (,) in the mouth cavity. Said device has a probe (,) that can be introduced into the cavity of the body, a light source feeding the probe (,), a detector picking up a light signal (,) and a processor (,) to digitalize the detected signal transforming it into a tridimensional representation. The device is designed using a simple construction and enabling an error free scanning of the surfaces. To this end, the probe (,) is designed as a rotary scanner having at least one deviating device (,) deflecting the light beam (,) in the direction of the surface that is to be measured (,), the deviating device (,) can be positioned in another scanning axis (,) to forward the rotating light beam (,), and the detector (,) comprises a device for sequential or simultaneous scanning of several focal planes, both with regards to specular reflection and to weak scattered light or fluorescent light of the focal plane concerned.

Growing community of inventors

Speyer, Germany

Thomas Zapf