Patent ID: 7646481
Filing Date: 2010-01-12
Classification: G01N,G02B

Abstract:
1. A method for high spatial resolution examination of a sample, the sample to be examined comprising a substance that can be repeatedly converted from a first state into a second state, the first and the second states differing from one another in at least one optical property, comprising: bringing a sample region of the substance to be recorded into the first state; and inducing the second state using an optical signal, wherein spatially delimited subregions are specifically excluded within the sample region to be recorded by the inducing, wherein the optical signal is provided in such a way that a standing wave with defined intensity zero points is formed in the sample region to be recorded, the sample being illuminated by an objective, wherein at least two coherent light beams are focused into the entrance pupil of the objective in order to produce a standing wave, wherein standing waves are superposed in two directions by focusing four pairwise coherent light beams into the entrance pupil of the objective.