Patent Document ID: 7485875
Application ID: 11491781
Patent Status: 1

Claim One:
1. A resolution-enhanced luminescence microscopy method, wherein a sample (P, 24 ) is excited to emit a given luminescence radiation (F) by irradiation of exciting radiation (A) and an image of the luminescent sample (P, 24 ) is obtained, wherein the luminescent sample (P, 24 ) is transferable from a first state of luminescence ( 5 ), in which first state the sample's excitability for emission of the given luminescence radiation (F) increases up to a maximum value ( 18 ) as the exciting radiation power increases, into a second state of luminescence ( 6 ), in which second state the sample (P, 24 ) has reduced excitability for emission of the given luminescence radiation (F) relative to the first state ( 5 ), wherein the maximum value ( 18 ) is assigned to a threshold value ( 19 ) of exciting radiation power and the sample (P, 24 ) is transferable into the second state ( 6 ) by irradiation of exciting radiation power above the threshold value ( 19 ), partial areas (B 1 ) of the sample (P, 24 ) are brought into the first state ( 5 ) and adjacent partial areas (B 2 ) thereof are brought into the second state ( 6 ), due to irradiation of exciting radiation (A) being effected with an exciting radiation distribution having at least one spatial power maximum above the threshold value ( 19 ) and at least one spatial, local power minimum ( 45 ) below the threshold value, the image of the luminescent sample (P, 24 ) comprises sample areas (B 1 ) being in the first state ( 5 ) and sample areas (B 2 ) being in the second state ( 6 ), sample areas (B 1 ) in the first state ( 5 ) contributing predominantly to the image of the luminescent sample (P, 24 ) and the image thus having an enhanced spatial resolution with respect to the exciting radiation distribution.