Patent ID: 7733565
Filing Date: 2010-06-08
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A laser microscope comprising: an observation light path for guiding an observation laser beam; an optical stimulation light path for guiding an optical stimulation laser beam; and a light-path combining unit configured to combine said light paths; wherein the laser microscope further comprises, in at least the optical stimulation light path: at least one of a focal-position adjusting unit configured to adjust a focal position of the laser beam and a spot-diameter adjusting unit configured to adjust a spot diameter of the laser beam; an optical-axis misalignment detector configured to detect an amount of misalignment of an optical axis between at least one of the focal-position adjusting unit and the spot-diameter adjusting unit, and the light-path combining unit; and an alignment unit configured to adjust the optical axis so that irradiation positions of the observation laser beam and the optical stimulation laser beam are not relatively shifted on a plane perpendicular to the optical axis on a specimen, based on the amount of misalignment of the optical axis detected by the optical-axis misalignment detector.