Patent ID: 9134521
Filing Date: 2015-09-15
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A selective plane illumination microscope comprising: a) a laser unit producing a light beam; b) a beam path switcher alternately directing the light beam along two distinct paths producing two alternating light beams; c) two illumination units producing from the two alternating light beams two respective counter-propagating, coplanar, alternating light sheets; wherein the two alternating light sheets alternately illuminate the focal plane from opposite directions, d) a detection unit focused on a focal plane for detecting images of a cross-section positioned in the focal plane while the cross-section is illumined by the alternating light sheets produced by the two illumination units; wherein the focal plane is coplanar with the alternating light sheets; wherein the detection unit has a detection axis perpendicular to an axis of propagation of the alternating light sheets; e) an image processor for producing fused image data from the images of the cross-section positioned in the focal plane detected while the cross-section was illumined by the alternating light sheets produced by the two illumination units, wherein the fused image data represents an image of the cross-section having improved image quality.