Patent ID: 6191885
Filing Date: 2001-02-20
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A confocal microscope apparatus comprising:a light-emitting portion for emitting a light beam with which a specimen to be observed is irradiated;a rotatable disk scanner having a plurality of pinholes formed in a disk for the light beam to pass therethrough between said light-emitting portion and the specimen, said pinholes being arranged to move through a first position facing said light-emitting portion and scan the specimen with the light beam having passed through said pinholes, along with rotation of said disk scanner;a confocal optical system for conjugating said first position and a second position on the specimen to cause the light beam having passed through said pinholes to be radiated onto the specimen, and to cause a light beam from the specimen to form an image on said disk;a camera for photographing a still image of the image formed by said confocal optical system;means for generating an exposure time signal representing an exposure time of said camera;means for generating a rotational period signal representing a rotational period of said disk scanner;means for comparing the exposure time signal with the rotational period signal to generate based on a comparison result a signal concerning at least one certain condition which must be changed among conditions of said disk scanner, said confocal optical system, and said camera;wherein said certain condition comprises a rotational speed of said disk scanner;means for automatically changing said certain condition on the basis of the comparison result; andmeans for switching whether to control the rotational speed of said disk scanner in association with the exposure time.