Patent EP0167410A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0167410A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical scanning microscope
Assignee: Leland Stanford Junior University
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Filing: 1985-07-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-07-05
Abstract
Abstract An optical scanning microscope utilises a Bragg cell (2) controlled by an input acoustic signal (12) to split a beam of light from a laser (4) into two beams (8, 10) which are focused onto a sample (16), one (10) of the beams being scanned across the sample (16) at the frequency of the input acoustic signal (12). The two beams (8, 10) are compared after reflection from the sample (16), the phase shift of the scanned beam (10) relative to the other beam (8) representing surface variation on the sample (16).
Inventors
- 👤 Roger Lee Jungerman
- 👤 Gordon Stanley Kino
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 18:49
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B21/00; G02B21/0004; G02B21/002; G01; G01J; G01J9/00; G01J9/04; G01N; G01N21/00; G01N21/84; G01N21/8422; G01N21/88; G01N21/95
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
An optical scanning microscope characterised by means (2,14) for focusing at least two optical beams (8,10) on a sample (16) under study, means (12) for optically scanning one (10) of said beams (8,10) across the sample (16), and means for comparing the phases of the beams after reflection from the sample (10) to determine the phase shift of the scanned beam (10) relative to the other beam (8) as representing surface variation on the sample (16).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
76 words
An optical scanning microscope characterised by means (2,14) for focusing at least two optical beams (8,10) on a sample (16) under study, means (12) for optically scanning one (10) of said beams (8,10) across the sample (16), and means for comparing the phases of the beams after reflection from the sample (10) to determine the phase shift of the scanned beam (10) relative to the other beam (8) as representing surface variation on the sample (16).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 1, characterised by a laser (4) for suppluing an input beam of collimated light form which said two beams (8,10) are derived.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterised in that said focussing means comprises a Bragg cell (2) responsive to the optical input beam (12).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 3, characterised in the said focussing means comprises a diffraction grating (40) for splitting the input beam into said two output beams comprising an undiffracted beam (44) and a diffracted beam (46).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 2, Claim 3 or Claim 4, characterised in that said input beam has a given frequency f 0 , said scanning means (12) comprising frequency shifiting means for modifying the frequency of one of said output beams to a frequency f0 + fB,fB being the acoustic output frequency of said scanning means (12).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by a microscope objective lens (14) arranged between said scanning means (2) and said sample (16) for focussing said beams (8,10) on the sample (16).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised in that said comparing means comprise a photodetector means (38) for receiving said reflected beams, and means coupled to the output of said photodetector means for determining the phase shift of the scanned beam (10) relative to the other beam (8).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 7, characterised in that said reflected beans return through said focussing means (2), there being means (36) for focussing said reflected beams on said photodetector means (38).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 8, characterised by means (36) providing a pinhole opening for focussing said reflected beams on said photodetector means (38).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
44 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in any preceding claim, characterised by means (40) for supplying first and second input beams to said focussing means (2), said focussing means (2) being responsive thereto to focus two additional beams (44, 46) on the sample (16).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 10, characterised in that said first and second input beams lie in a plane perpendicular to the direction of scanning of said one (10) of said optical beams.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 11, characterised by means for magnifying said two additional optical beams to a size larger than the sample area of interest.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 12, characterised by means for comparing said first mentioned refected information bearing beams with said additonal reflected reference beams.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 13, characterised by means (60) for mixing said reflected reference beam signal with a substantially higher intermediate signal frequency, and means for combining said mixed signal with said first mentioned reflected beam signal, said comparing means responding to said combining means to develop phase information.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
An optical scanning microscope as claimed in Claim 14, characterised in that said comparing means further comprise means (62) responsive to said combining means to develop a signal indicating changes in amplitude in said scanned beam signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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