US5081349A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scanning microscope and scanning mechanism for the same
Assignee: Fujifilm Holdings Corp
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Filing: 1990-11-05
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Granted: 1992-01-14
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Expires: 2010-11-05
Abstract
Abstract A scanning microscope comprises an objective lens for converging a laser beam, which serves as a light beam irradiated to a sample, to a small light spot on the sample, and a scanning mechanism for scanning the light spot on the sample in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction. The light beam, which is radiated out of the sample during the scanning, is photoelectrically detected and converted into an image signal representing an enlarged image of the sample. The scanning mechanism is provided with a main scanning device comprising a beam splitter, which splits the laser beam into two laser beams such that their center points deviate from each other, a light modulating device, which regularly modulates the intensity of at least one of the two laser beams such that the modulation frequency varies for the two laser beams, and an optical device, which adjusts the beam profiles of the laser beams on the sample such that the beam profiles have a flat shape which is long in the direction along which the two laser beams are lined up.
Inventors
- 👤 Osamu Iwasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 15:38
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B21/00; G02B21/0004; G02B21/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A scanning microscope comprising: i) an objective lens for converging a laser beam, which serves as a light beam irradiated to a sample, to a small light spot on said sample, ii) a scanning mechanism for scanning said light spot on said sample in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, and iii) a means for photoelectrically detecting the light beam, which is radiated out of said sample during the scanning, and thereby generating an image signal representing an enlarged image of said sample, wherein said scanning mechanism is provided a) a beam splitting means, which splits said laser beam into two laser beams such that center points of two said laser beams deviate from each other, two said laser beams being caused to impinge upon said objective lens, b) a light modulating means, which regularly modulates the intensity of at least one of two said laser beams such that the modulation frequency varies for two said laser beams, and c) an optical device, which adjusts the beam profiles of the laser beams on said sample such that the beam profiles have a flat shape which is long in the direction along which two said laser beams are lined up.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
A scanning microscope comprising: i) an objective lens for converging a laser beam, which serves as a light beam irradiated to a sample, to a small light spot on said sample, ii) a scanning mechanism for scanning said light spot on said sample in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, and iii) a means for photoelectrically detecting the light beam, which is radiated out of said sample during the scanning, and thereby generating an image signal representing an enlarged image of said sample, wherein said scanning mechanism is provided a) a beam splitting means, which splits said laser beam into two laser beams such that center points of two said laser beams deviate from each other, two said laser beams being caused to impinge upon said objective lens, b) a light modulating means, which regularly modulates the intensity of at least one of two said laser beams such that the modulation frequency varies for two said laser beams, and c) an optical device, which adjusts the beam profiles of the laser beams on said sample such that the beam profiles have a flat shape which is long in the direction along which two said laser beams are lined up.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A scanning microscope as defined in claim 1 wherein said light modulating means is constituted of at least one acousto-optic modulator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A scanning microscope as defined in claim 1 wherein said optical device is constituted of a cylindrical lens and said objective lens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
187 words
A scanning mechanism having an objective lens for converging a laser beam, which serves as a light beam irradiated to a material to be scanned, to a small light spot on said material to be scanned, said light spot being caused to scan said material, which is to be scanned, in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, wherein the improvement comprises the provision of a main scanning means which is composed of: a) a beam splitting means, which splits said laser beam into two laser beams such that center points of two said laser beams deviate from each other, two said laser beams being caused to impinge upon said objective lens, b) a light modulating means, which regularly modulates the intensity of at least one of two said laser beams such that the modulation frequency varies for two said laser beams, and c) an optical device, which adjusts the beam profiles of the laser beams on said material to be scanned such that the beam profiles have a flat shape which is long in the direction along which two said laser beams are lined up.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
187 words
A scanning mechanism having an objective lens for converging a laser beam, which serves as a light beam irradiated to a material to be scanned, to a small light spot on said material to be scanned, said light spot being caused to scan said material, which is to be scanned, in a main scanning direction and a sub-scanning direction, wherein the improvement comprises the provision of a main scanning means which is composed of: a) a beam splitting means, which splits said laser beam into two laser beams such that center points of two said laser beams deviate from each other, two said laser beams being caused to impinge upon said objective lens, b) a light modulating means, which regularly modulates the intensity of at least one of two said laser beams such that the modulation frequency varies for two said laser beams, and c) an optical device, which adjusts the beam profiles of the laser beams on said material to be scanned such that the beam profiles have a flat shape which is long in the direction along which two said laser beams are lined up.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A scanning mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said light modulating means is constituted of at one acousto-optic modulator.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A scanning mechanism as defined in claim 4 wherein said optical device is constituted of a cylindrical lens and said objective lens.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-01-13 | 1995-07-15 | 1996-01-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-01-13 | 1999-07-15 | 2000-01-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-01-13 | 2003-07-15 | 2004-01-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |