Patent ID: 7742226

Claim:
A method for operating an interference microscope including a first and a second objective, the method including: providing at least one specimen support unit associated with a specimen, the specimen support unit including a planar area configured to support a specimen in a specimen region of the microscope with the first and second objectives disposed on opposite sides of the specimen; positioning the specimen support unit so as to dispose the planar area in a focus region of the first objective; reflecting or inducing light at the planar area so as to provide interfering light in the specimen region; providing a beam splitter for distributing an illuminating light to opposite sides of the planar area so as to provide an interference microscope; providing an intensity signal profile as a function of an axial position of the planar area by detecting the reflected or induced light; determining a phase position of the interfering light in the specimen region based on the provided intensity signal profile; and aligning the interference microscope as a function of the determined phase position.