The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 09, 2002
Filed:
Sep. 21, 1999
Hiroshi Ishiwata, Hachioji, JP;
Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A detection apparatus includes a differential interference microscope having a light source, an illumination optical system for splitting light from the light source into two polarized components, which are introduced onto an observation object and an imaging optical system for forming an image of the observation object; a device for changing the amount of retardation between the two polarized components; a device for photographing the image of the observation object; and a device for performing a calculation on the image captured by this photographing device. In the detection apparatus, amounts of retardation between the two polarized components are detected to form two differential interference images relative to the observation object in which the amounts of retardation between the polarized components are equal, but signs are different. Image information is extracted from these two differential interference images and thereby the profile of the observation object can be detected.