Patent ID: 6903347
Filing Date: 2005-06-07
Classification: G02B,G03F

Abstract:
1. In apparatus for irradiating a selected region of a target material containing an excitable species in order to produce a state of excitation in members of said species, including a source of exciting radiation adapted to producing a state of excitation in said members and focusing means to focus said radiation to said selected region, a method of increasing the resolution of said apparatus including the steps of: providing a second type of radiation able to reduce said state of excitation; and applying said second type of radiation preferentially to a chosen part of said selected region such that the net intensity of said second type of radiation on at least one point in said selected region is substantially zero, except radiation of said second type arriving on said point because of optical imperfections not feasible to completely eliminate, such as scattering and reflection within said apparatus and said material, thereby increasing the resolution of said apparatus.