An embodiment of a microscope system is described that comprises a sample stage configured to position a sample; and a spectrometer comprising an interferometer configure to provide a light beam to the sample stage and one or more detectors configured to detect light spectra in response to the light beam, wherein the spectrometer sends a notification to the sample stage after a scan comprising an acceptable measure of quality has been acquired from the detected light spectra at a first location, and the sample stage is further configured to count the notifications and initiate movement of the sample stage to a second location when a count value reaches a pre-determined number.

In high-resolution scanning microscopy, a sample is excited by illumination radiation to emit fluorescence radiation in such a way that the illumination radiation is focused at a point in or on the sample to form a diffraction-limited illumination spot. The point is imaged in a diffraction-limited manner into a diffraction image on a spatially resolving surface detector, wherein the surface detector has a spatial resolution that resolves a structure of the diffraction image. The sample is scanned by means of different scanning positions with an increment of less than half the diameter of the illumination spot. An image of the sample is generated from the data of the surface detector and from the scanning positions assigned to said data, said image having a resolution that is increased beyond a resolution limit for imaging. For the purposes of distinguishing between at least two predetermined wavelength regions in the fluorescence radiation from the sample, a corresponding number of diffraction structures are generated on the surface detector for the at least two predetermined wavelength ranges, said diffraction structures differing but having a common center of symmetry. The diffraction structures are evaluated when generating the image of the sample.

An imaging system includes a probe device configured to make displacement measurements of a sample. A mounting stage to support the sample, where at least one of the probe device or mounting stage comprises a rotatory actuator that rotates the one of the probe device or mounting stage. A processing system is coupled to at least one of the probe or the mounting system and comprises a memory coupled to a processor configured to be capable of executing programmed instructions to: initiate the displacement measurements with the probe device; initiate with the rotary actuator a change in a rotational position of the sample for the displacement measurements; determine a lateral position of features of the sample based on the displacement measurements and the different rotational positions; and generate an image of the sample based on the determined lateral position of the features.

An optical microscope device includes: a first illumination optical system including a light source that emits illumination light for illuminating a specimen an LCOS spatial light modulation element that controls a polarization state of the illumination light, a first illumination optical member that uniformly illuminates the LCOS spatial light modulation element, and a polarization optical element that controls a transmission state of the illumination light directed to the specimen from the LCOS spatial light modulation element in response to the polarization state of the illumination light; a second illumination optical system including a second illumination optical member that images a light flux from the first illumination optical system on a specimen surface; and an imaging optical system for imaging the specimen surface.

A spectral confocal measurement device includes a light source portion, configured to emit a broad-spectrum light beam with a certain wavelength range in a first predetermined path; an optical sampling portion, configured to converge the broad-spectrum light beam emitted from the light source portion on different measurement surfaces of an object to be measured, and output a reflected light in a second predetermined path that is different from a reverse direction of the first predetermined path; and a measurement portion, configured to receive and process the reflected light from the optical sampling portion to obtain a measurement result. The device can improve measurement accuracy and reduce production costs. In addition, a spectral confocal measurement method is also provided.

A system can be used for imaging volumetric samples using a camera array to capture images under different illumination patterns at different axial planes of focus, and at optionally varying lateral fields of view. The sequence of images taken under the different illumination patterns and optional varying lateral fields of view can be processed to generate an image representation of the sample at a focus plane of the sample. Multiple image representations at different focus planes are assembled to form a 3D volumetric representation of the sample.

An optical device comprises a shared phase modulation mask configured to impart a first phase modulation to light of a first wavelength, and imparts a second phase modulation to light of a second wavelength, an irradiation optical system configured to cause the light of the first wavelength and the light of the second wavelength to enter the same incident region in the phase modulation mask, and a light collecting optical system configured to collect the light of the first phase-modulated first wavelength and the light of the second phase-modulated second wavelength to form an image corresponding to a point spread function.

Devices, systems and methods for use in confocal imaging systems are described that enable lateral and axial scans at high speeds and without a moving scanner while producing high quality images. One chromatic confocal optical head includes an illumination source, such as an addressable point source array, to provide a wide spectrum illumination including multiple wavelengths. The optical head also includes a beamsplitter to allow the light to be directed toward an object, to receive the reflected light from the object and to direct the reflected light toward a detector. The optical head further includes a pinhole mask that is positioned to receive the light that is reflected from the object after passing through the beamsplitter, and a dispersion element that is positioned to receive the light after passing through the pinhole mask, and to separate the light into multiple spectral components for reception by the detector.

A method for infrared chemical imaging through nondegenerate two-photon absorption includes a step of providing pulsed or continuous wave radiation having pumping photons at near-infrared wavelength and providing pulsed or continuous wave radiation that having mid-infrared photons at a mid-infrared wavelength with peak intensities less than 50 W/cm.sup.2. The mid-infrared photons are directed onto a target sample. The method also includes a step of spatially and temporally overlapping the mid-infrared photons with the pumping photons. The mid-infrared photons and the pumping photons are directed onto a camera having an array or matrix of imaging devices. Characteristically, the sum of photon energy for each temporally and spatially overlapping mid-infrared photons and pumping photons is greater than or equal to the bandgap energy.

An optical apparatus for examining a sample includes: an illumination unit for emitting illumination light in an illumination wavelength range onto the sample; a detection unit for collecting detection light in a detection wavelength range from the sample, the illumination wavelength range and the detection wavelength range partially overlapping in an intermediate wavelength range; and a light separating device for separating the illumination light and the detection light, the light separating device including a beam splitter having: a first splitting characteristic with one of transmitting and reflecting light of at least a first polarization state in the illumination wavelength range excluding the intermediate wavelength range; and a polarization-dependent second splitting characteristic with the one of transmitting and reflecting light of the first polarization state and the other of transmitting and reflecting light of a second polarization state in the intermediate wavelength range.