Patent ID: 8451446

Claim:
A differential polarization laser-scanning microscope (DP-LSM) for determining differential polarization quantities of a material, comprising: a laser light source (L) for scanning the sample and illuminating it with a coherent and monochromatic light, a microscope unit (ME) with a sample holder for providing a preselected optical magnification and imaging, a polarization state setting unit (PAA) positioned in the illuminating beam path (between the light source and the sample holder), wherein detectors (D 1 , D 2 ) in the observing beam path and at least one filter holder in front of the detectors, and a signal-processing unit (VE) for processing the electric signals of the detectors, and an optical element (DP), located in the common beam path comprising the illuminating and the observing beams, for separating the orthogonal polarization components, wherein optical elements for separating the illuminating and observing light beam are provided on both sides of the photo-elastic modulator (PEM) or electro-optical unit.