Patent ID: 7561328

Claim:
A laser microscope comprising: a laser source which generates a laser beam; a rectilinear light beam generating device comprising a micromirror device having a light entrance surface and a plurality of micromirror elements arranged on the light entrance surface in a two-dimensional matrix shape to convert a coherent laser beam emitted from the laser source into an incoherent rectilinear light beam diverging in a first direction by oscillation of a mirror surface of each said micromirror element; a driving circuit for the micromirror device which supplies a driving signal repeatedly and equally to each said micromirror element; a beam deflecting device which periodically deflects the rectilinear light beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; an objective lens which focuses and projects the rectilinear light beam emitted from the beam deflecting device on a sample; a linear image sensor having a plurality of light receiving elements arranged in a direction corresponding to the first direction so as to receive light which is reflected on the sample and passes through the beam deflecting device; and a signal processing circuit which sequentially reads out electric charge stored in each light receiving element of the linear image sensor and outputs a video signal, wherein the laser beam is perpendicularly incident upon the light entrance surface of the micromirror device.