Patent ID: 9176309
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: A61B,G01J,G02B

Abstract:
1. A flexible nonlinear laser scanning microscope for noninvasive three-dimensional detection comprising: at least one radiation source which generates an excitation beam of pulsed laser radiation for initiating a secondary radiation; a measuring head having at least one detector system and focusing optics for focusing the excitation beam in a measurement object, collecting secondary radiation emitted from the object, and directing the secondary radiation to the at least one detector system; flexible transmission optics for transmitting the excitation beam from the at least one radiation source to the measuring head and enabling the measuring head to be freely pivotable and rotatable in space and flexibly positionable for carrying out upright microscopy, inverted microscopy, and microscopy at any solid angle; at least one controllable tilt mirror receiving the excitation beam from the at least one radiation source, and deflecting and aligning the excitation beam through the flexible transmission optics to the measuring head to keep the excitation beam arranged concentrically to an aperture-limited optical element of the focusing optics of the measuring head in response to movement of the measuring head; a beamsplitter for coupling a test beam split from the excitation beam, the beamsplitter being disposed in the measuring head in front of the focusing optics; a spatially resolving photodetector for determining a beam position of the excitation beam, the photodetector being disposed in a position to receive the test beam from the beamsplitter conjugate to a target position of the excitation beam in relation to the aperture-limited optical element of the measuring head, wherein a center alignment position of the test beam on the photodetector corresponds to a normal orientation and stabilization of the excitation beam in the target position; and a control unit for driving the at least one controllable tilt minor, in response to receiving the test beam from the spatially resolving photodetector, by determining a deviation of the test beam from the center alignment position and adjusting the at least one controllable tilt minor to direct the test beam to the center alignment position to achieve stabilization of the excitation beam in the target position.