Patent ID: 6459484
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: G01J,G01N,G02B

Abstract:
A scanning optical apparatus comprising:a light source unit; an objective lens for collecting illumination light emitted from said light source unit on a specimen; scanning means for relatively moving collected light and said specimen; an imaging optical system for imaging light emanating from said specimen; a confocal aperture placed at a position conjugate with a focal point of said objective lens; a plurality of photodetectors for detecting the light from said specimen, passing through said confocal aperture; a first spectrum decomposing element for spatially decomposing the light passing through said confocal aperture into a spectrum; and a light-deflecting microelement array comprised of a plurality of light-deflecting microelements, receiving light from said first spectrum decomposing element through a first collecting optical system to deflect the light toward said photodetectors, wherein said light source unit is located at a position where the illumination light is incident through said light-deflecting microelement array on said confocal aperture and each of said light-deflecting microelements has deflection angles for selectively deflecting the light passing through said confocal aperture toward said plurality of photodetectors and an deflection angle for deflecting the light from said light source unit toward said confocal aperture so that each of said light-deflecting microelements is capable of selecting one of these deflection angles.