Patent ID: 8289622

Claim:
A structured illumination system ( 8 ) for the three-dimensional microscopy of a sample ( 14 ) comprising: a beam generation device ( 9 , 10 ) capable of generating at least one coherent light beam (I N , I âˆ’N , I O ); an objective lens ( 12 ) having a rear focal plane (PFA), a front focal plane and an optical axis, the lens being arranged so that the sample ( 14 ) can be placed in the front focal plane (PMP) of the objective lens; a focusing lens ( 19 ) arranged for focusing the coherent light beam at the rear focal plane (PFA) so that the coherent light beam interferes in a collimated manner at the front focal plane (PMP) of the objective lens ( 12 ); wherein the beam generation device ( 9 , 10 ) includes a spatial light modulator ( 10 ) programmed to diffract the coherent light beam ( 22 ) in order to generate at least two different diffracted beams (I N , I O ), (I âˆ’N , I O ) that are not symmetrical relative to the optical axis of the objective lens; wherein the spatial light modulator includes a calculator capable of applying a constant phase to each of said at least two diffracted beams.