Patent ID: 7593158

Claim:
A method for examining specimens through the use of a microscope, the method comprising the steps of: generating spatially coherent light in at least one continuous wavelength range or a continuously tunable wavelength range for illumination of a specimen; selecting one or more wavelengths or wavelength ranges of the illumination light in dependence on at least one of the specimen and a prespecified method of examination; illuminating the specimen with the illumination light with the selected wavelengths or wavelength ranges; separating the illumination light and the emission light radiated back by the specimen into different beam paths, based on the selected wavelengths or wavelength ranges; suppressing the illumination light radiated back by the specimen, based on the selected wavelengths or wavelength ranges; following suppressing of the illumination light radiated back by the specimen, detecting the emission light; and configuring the microscope according to a maximum value of a prespecified control variable R, wherein the control variable R is based on the mean intensity of the detected emission light coming from the sample; wherein the selection of the wavelengths or the wavelength ranges of the illumination light is tuned with the separation of the detection light and the illumination light and the suppression of the illumination light in such a manner that the control variable R assumes the maximum value.