Patent ID: 6449039
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A laser scanning system for use with an optical microscope comprising:(a) a laser light source emitting a pulsed light beam; (b) a fluorescent light detector; (c) optical elements forming an optical path from the light source to a position from which the beam may be received by an objective lens of a microscope and focussed on a specimen and such that light reflected or emitted from the specimen is received by the objective lens and returned on the optical path, the optical elements including an acousto-optical deflector and a second deflector arranged to scan the laser light beam in an X and Y direction onto the specimen, means for directing fluorescent light emitted from the specimen at a different wavelength than the wavelength of the laser light source on a path to the fluorescent light detector, the acousto-optical deflector having an input face which receives the light beam from the laser light source and an exit face from which the light beam exits the acousto-optical deflector, and a dispersive prism mounted to receive the beam exiting from the exit face of the acoustic-optical deflector and to converge the spectral components of the beam exiting from the acousto-optical deflector caused by spatial dispersion of wavelengths in the light beam.