Microscope

Claim 1

A microscope, arranged to illuminate an object for observation with a source of illuminating light producing a light beam which passes through one half of an objective lens divided in two halves by a split plane substantially including the optical axis of said microscope and to effect magnified observation or photography of said object with an imaging light passing through the other half of said objective lens in a direction opposite to said illuminating light with negligible light scattering which interferes with the image; characterized by an iris fixedly positioned in the vicinity of a point which is conjugate with the entrance pupil of said objective lens and having a configuration conforming substantially with the configuration of said one half of said objective lens for confining incidence of said illuminating light into said objective lens to a part of said one half, a lens system for focusing the light source at the position of the iris, said lens system including a first condenser lens adjoining said light source, a strobotron positioned at the point of collection of light from said first condenser lens, a thermal protection filter following said strobotron, and a second condenser lens following said thermal protection filter, optical means in close proximity to said objective lens for directing said illuminating light through said lens and means in close proximity to said optical means and said objective lens for shielding said illuminating light from said imaging light.