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:
Dec. 17, 2002
Filed:
Apr. 03, 2000
Hideyuki Takaoka, Hachioji, JP;
Olympus Optical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A scanning microscope allowing fluorescence observation and morphological observation to be simultaneously performed on the same region of interest and permitting both a fluorescence observation image and a morphological observation image to be obtained within a reduced period of time. The scanning microscope includes a device for splitting low-coherence light from a low-coherence light source between a first optical path and a second optical path. A frequency modulator is placed in at least one of the first and second optical paths to produce a frequency difference between light passing through the two optical paths. An objective optical system is placed in the first optical path to apply light to a sample and to collect light from the sample. A scanning device is placed in the first optical path to scan the sample and the light applied by the objective optical system relative to each other in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis. A combining device combines together the first and second optical paths. An interference signal detecting system detects an interference signal having the frequency difference from the combined light. A fluorescence branching device branches fluorescence from the sample excited by the low-coherence light. A fluorescence detecting system detects the branched fluorescence.