Patent ID: 7948629

Claim:
A microscope for total internal reflection microscopy, the microscope comprising: at least one light source configured to provide an illumination light to an illumination beam path for an evanescent illumination of a specimen, the illumination light being reflected at an interface to the specimen or a specimen cover so as to return reflection light into the illumination beam path; an objective through which the illumination light and detection light are directable; a coupling device including a mirror disposed in the illumination beam path, the mirror having a reflecting surface and a hole, the hole being configured to pass the illumination light therethrough so as to couple the illumination light into the illumination beam path, the reflecting surface couples out at least a part of the reflection light and directs the coupled-out reflection light to a detection device configured to detect a position of the coupled-out reflection light so as to enable determination of at least one of a quantifiable parameter and a qualifiable parameter of at least one of the evanescent illumination and an evanescent field created in the specimen, and an adjustment unit disposed in the illumination beam path downstream of the coupling device and configured to adjust the illumination light based on the detected position of the coupled-out reflection light so as to provide the evanescent illumination of the specimen.