An automatic focus system for an optical microscope that facilitates faster focusing by using at least two cameras. The first camera can be positioned in a first image forming conjugate plane and receives light from a first illumination source that transmits light in a first wavelength range. The second camera can be positioned at an offset distance from the first image forming conjugate plane and receives light from a second illumination source that transmits light in a second wavelength range.

The present invention relates to a measuring device having a structure for adjusting inclination of an observation surface of a sample with respect to a reference surface which is orthogonal to an optical axis of an objective lens, and the like. The measuring device includes a scanner, arranged on a propagation path of illumination light traveling from a light source toward the sample, configured to change an emission angle of the illumination light, and inclination information of the sample is obtained by associating a signal value of a detection signal for reflected light from the sample and the emission angle of the illumination light, while changing the emission angle of the illumination light by the scanner.

Before an observation region of the imaging optical system reaches an observation position in a culture container, a vertical position of the culture container at the observation position is precedently detected by an auto-focus displacement sensor. In a case where an auto-focus control is performed on the basis of the position, an error between the precedently detected vertical position of the container at the observation position and a vertical position of the container at a time point when an observation region of the imaging optical system is scanned up to the observation position is acquired, and an objective lens is moved in an optical axis direction on the basis of the error.

A surface position detection device that information of a detected surface along an axis that intersects the detected surface includes: a light transmission unit having a modulated intensity in the detected surface in a first direction within the detected surface are radiated and superimposed onto the detected surface obliquely from a direction having a direction component in the first direction and forms an irradiation region on the detected surface; a light reception unit arranged with respect to the detected surface, receives at a different position of each light reception surface, the plurality of detection lights reflected by a detection region of which a width in the first direction is a predetermined value in the irradiation region, and outputs photoelectric conversion signal of the plurality of detection lights; and calculates the detected surface based on the photoelectric conversion signal of the plurality of detection lights output from the light reception unit.

A microscope includes an optical imaging system with an adjustable corrector, a microscope drive, a position sensitive detector, an optical measuring system and a control unit. The optical measuring system configured to form first and second measuring light beams, direct the measuring light beams into an entrance pupil of the optical imaging system eccentrically with first and second distances to the optical axis thereof, receive first and second reflection light beams, and direct the reflection light beams onto the position sensitive detector. The control unit is configured to record positions of the reflection light beams on the position sensitive detector, and determine an aberration based on the recorded positions.

An imaging system includes a body, a stage coupled to the body, and a focal plane array including one or more detectors and coupled to the stage. The imaging system also includes a lens assembly including an objective lens and a rear lens group. The lens assembly is coupled to the body and optically coupled to the focal plane. The imaging system further includes a transparent plate coupled to the body and optically coupled to the objective lens and the focal plane array. The transparent plate is disposed between the objective lens and the focal plane array. Additionally, the imaging system includes an actuator coupled to the transparent plate and configured to rotate the transparent plate relative to an optical axis of the imaging system.

A method and a device are provided which enables a simple and fast Raman and/or fluorescence measurement even on uneven specimen surfaces; additionally, the invention should make it possible to confocally image a plane or a surface, in particular a surface of a specimen, i.e. with the aid of confocal microscopy.

An observation apparatus includes an acquisition unit that acquires positional information indicating a position of a bottom surface of a support for supporting an observation target, an imaging optical system that forms an optical image showing the observation target supported by the support on an image plane, a focus adjustment unit that adjusts a focal position of the imaging optical system based on the positional information acquired by the acquisition unit, and a control unit that performs control for matching an inclination of the image plane on which the optical image is formed to an inclination of an imaging surface of an imaging element based on the positional information acquired by the acquisition unit.

An optical system used in a charged particle beam inspection system. The optical system includes one or more optical lenses, and a compensation lens configured to compensate a drift of a focal length of a combination of the one or more optical lenses from a first medium to a second medium.

A microscope-autofocus device for feedback-controlling a focal position of an imaging system of a microscope apparatus, wherein the imaging system includes a microscope objective, a monitoring beam source for creating a monitoring beam, a detector device for detecting a drift variation of an axial objective distance between the microscope objective and a sample by sensing the monitoring beam directed through the imaging system to the sample and reflected by the sample, and a feedback loop device for controlling the imaging system in dependency on the detected objective distance variation of the microscope objective.