The invention relates to a device for multispot scanning microscopy, having a multicolor light source for providing at least one illumination light beam, having a splitting device for splitting the illumination light beam into a plurality of illumination sub-beams, having first optical means for providing an illumination optical path for guiding and focusing the individual illumination sub-beams respectively into a light spot on or in a specimen to be examined, having a scan unit for guiding the light spots over the probe, having a detection unit for detecting detection light emitted by the specimen in detection sub-beams after irradiation with the individual illumination sub-beams, having second optical means for providing a detection optical path for guiding the detection sub-beams to the detector unit, having a control and evaluation unit for controlling the scan unit and for evaluating the detection light detected by the detection unit. The device is characterized in that in the illumination optical path for at least two of the illumination sub-beams a controllable beam manipulation means is present for independent setting of a spectral composition of the respective illumination sub-beam, and the control and evaluation unit is designed to control the beam manipulation means. The invention further relates to a method for multispot scanning microscopy.

A method and apparatus for actuating an acousto-optical component for manipulating light passing therethrough, in particular for manipulating the illumination and/or detection light in the beam path of a microscope, preferably a laser scanning microscope, where the illumination and/or detection wavelength is adjusted by means of at least one frequency generator connected to the acousto-optical component and controlling the manipulation, the frequency generator generates a signal which generates a spectral spread for the intensity distribution of the wavelength of the illumination and/or detection light for ensuring a temperature-independent manipulation. Actuation is effected by two or more actuation signals in such a way that two or more overlapping and/or superposing main lobes of the transfer function of the acousto-optical component or main maxima are generated.

A polarization-independent liquid crystal micro-lens array, comprising, an optically transparent, dielectric planar panel, an optically transparent upper planar electrode deposited upon the planar panel top surface and bottom surface, a top substrate positioned adjacent to the planar panel top surface, a top pattern electrode deposited on the top substrate internal surface, a top liquid crystal layer disposed between the planar panel top surface and the top substrate internal surface, the top liquid crystal layer having a first polarization, a bottom substrate positioned adjacent to the planar panel bottom surface, a bottom pattern electrode deposited on the bottom substrate internal surface, a bottom liquid crystal layer disposed between the planar panel bottom surface and the bottom substrate internal surface, the bottom liquid crystal layer having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

A polarization-independent liquid crystal micro-lens array, comprising, an optically transparent, dielectric planar panel, an optically transparent upper planar electrode deposited upon the planar panel top surface and bottom surface, a top substrate positioned adjacent to the planar panel top surface, a top pattern electrode deposited on the top substrate internal surface, a top liquid crystal layer disposed between the planar panel top surface and the top substrate internal surface, the top liquid crystal layer having a first polarization, a bottom substrate positioned adjacent to the planar panel bottom surface, a bottom pattern electrode deposited on the bottom substrate internal surface, a bottom liquid crystal layer disposed between the planar panel bottom surface and the bottom substrate internal surface, the bottom liquid crystal layer having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization.

A viewing angle control film includes, in order, a first polarizer in which an absorption axis is in a direction perpendicular to a film surface; a first phase difference plate which is a /4 plate and has a patterned optical anisotropic layer; and a second phase difference plate which is a /4 plate and has a patterned optical anisotropic layer, in which the patterned optical anisotropic layers have a constant phase difference and are divided into a plurality of belt-like regions in the same plane, directions of slow axes in one belt-like region match each other and directions of slow axes of belt-like regions adjacent to each other are different from each other in the patterned optical anisotropic layer, and the belt-like region of the first phase difference plate and the belt-like region of the second phase difference plate are disposed so as to intersect with each other in a plane direction.

A method for actuating an acousto-optic element comprising an acousto-optic crystal and a piezoelectric converter for setting the acousto-optic crystal into mechanical oscillation includes exciting the piezoelectric converter by at least two different frequencies simultaneously. The piezoelectric converter is also excited by at least one mixed frequency from the at least two different frequencies.

Provided are an optical laminate in which a large diffraction angle can be obtained, a light guide element, and an AR display device. The optical laminate includes, in the following order: a first optically-anisotropic layer that is formed of a composition including a liquid crystal compound and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound changes while continuously rotating in at least one in-plane direction; a cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is obtained by immobilizing a cholesteric liquid crystalline phase; and a second optically-anisotropic layer that is formed of a composition including a liquid crystal compound and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates in at least one in-plane direction, in which in the first optically-anisotropic layer and the second optically-anisotropic layer, the one in-plane directions in which the direction of the optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates are the same, and rotation directions of the direction of the optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound in the one in-plane direction are the same.

Provided are an optical laminate in which a large diffraction angle can be obtained, a light guide element, and an AR display device. The optical laminate includes, in the following order: a first optically-anisotropic layer that is formed of a composition including a liquid crystal compound and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates in at least one in-plane direction; a phase difference layer; and a patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer that is formed of a composition including a liquid crystal compound and has a liquid crystal alignment pattern in which a direction of an optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates in at least one in-plane direction, the liquid crystal compound being cholesterically aligned, in which in the first optically-anisotropic layer and the patterned cholesteric liquid crystal layer, the one in-plane directions in which the direction of the optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound continuously rotates are the same, and rotation directions of the direction of the optical axis derived from the liquid crystal compound in the one in-plane direction are the same.

A microscope with at least one illumination beam that is phase modulated in a section along its cross-section with a modulation frequency and a microscope lens for focusing the illumination beam into a test as well as a detection beam path and at least one means of demodulation, wherein at least one polarization altering item is scheduled in the illuminating beam path, for which a phase plate is subordinated that exhibits at least two areas with different phase influence.

The invention relates to a microscope having an acousto-optic apparatus (13) that, with a mechanical wave that is characterized by a preferably adjustable frequency, removes from a polychromatic and collinear detected light bundle (18) portions of illuminated light, scattered and/or reflected at a sample, having an illuminating light wavelength associated with the frequency. The microscope is notable for the fact that a crystal (30) of the acousto-optic apparatus in which the mechanical wave propagates, and the propagation direction of the mechanical wave, are oriented relative to the detected light bundle incident into the crystal in such a way that the acousto-optic apparatus deflects, with the mechanical wave, both the portion of the detected light bundle having the illuminating wavelength and a first linear polarization direction, and the portion of the detected light bundle having the illuminating wavelength and a second linear polarization direction perpendicular to the first polarization direction, and thereby removes them from the detected light bundle.