Patent ID: 6185035
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
In a confocal optical microscope for observing an image of a sample by optically scanning said sample, said microscope comprising:a light source for providing an incident light;polarizer means for polarizing said incident light;rotatable disk means comprising:a microlens disk having a plurality of microlenses arranged in a first pattern;a Nipkow disk having a plurality of pin holes arranged in a second pattern, said second pattern being similar to said first pattern; andmeans for connecting said microlens disk to be parallel to and at a predetermined distance from said Nipkow disk and to be concurrently rotatable;a beam splitter disposed between said microlens disk and said Nipkow disk for branching incident light from said light source through said microlens to said pin holes and to an objective lens to said sample, and for branching reflected light from said sample through said pin holes to an output terminal;analyzer means for analyzing reflected light from said sample which is outputted from said beam splitter; andsaid objective lens used to illuminate said sample by focusing said polarized light onto said sample; the improvement whereindisposed between said objective lens and said sample is a quarter wavelength plate only which is positioned at an azimuthal angle of 45.degree., and wherein said polarizer means and said analyzer means are adjusted to azimuthal angles which produce an extinguished state for reflected light from components of said microscope other than reflected light from said sample of about 10.sup.-6 and ratio of surface reflection at said objective lens of 10.sup.4 or less, so that signal to noise ratio is improved with reflected light from said sample being 100% transmitted and background light including light reflected from said objective lens and other components of said microscope other than said sample being reduced so that measurement of a sample of low reflectivity is made possible.