Patent ID: 6781752
Filing Date: 2004-08-24
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A confocal scanning microscope comprising:at least one light source; a fiber defining a light entrance and a light exit and having a core, wherein the light of the light source is coupled into the fiber via the light entrance, laser transitions being induced in the fiber, light exiting the fiber via a light exit; an excitation pinhole positioned after the light exit of the fiber laser so as to provide an illuminating light beam adapted for specimen illumination; a beam deflection apparatus configured to scan the illuminating light beam in two directions that are substantially perpendicular to one another; a dichroic beam splitter configured to couple the light of the illuminating light beam into an illuminating beam path and direct the illuminating light beam to the beam deflection apparatus so as to form a deflected light beam; a microscope objective configured to focus the deflected light beam, wherein the dichroic beam splitter, the beam deflection apparatus and the microscope objective are disposed in the illuminating beam path; and a detector arranged downstream of the dichroic beam splitter and configured to detect fluorescent light collected by the microscope objective.