JP2004163555A - Vertical illumination microscope and objective for vertical illumination microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vertical illumination microscope equipped with a deflecting member such as a half mirror or a half prism in its optical path and capable of eliminating the difference of resolution and the difference of contrast caused by the vertical and horizontal line patterns, and an optical member such as an objective used in the vertical illumination microscope. <P>SOLUTION: The vertical illumination microscope is provided with an illuminating light source 1, the half mirror 3 guiding illuminating light from the light source 1 to an object to be observed (sample 8) side and also guiding the light from the object to be observed to an image (electronic image pickup element 9) side, an illumination optical system 2 making the illuminating light from the light source 1 incident on the mirror 3 while keeping a polarized state at the time of exiting from the light source 1, and an observation optical system 4 including the objective 5 and forming the image of the sample 8 illuminated with the illuminating light, and has a constitution where a depolarization element 9 is arranged between the mirror 3 and the sample 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical member such as an epi-illumination microscope for performing bright field observation, and an objective lens used for the epi-illumination microscope, in particular, using a deflecting member such as a half mirror or a half prism.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, in a normal epi-illumination microscope, a deflecting member such as a half mirror is provided in an optical path to guide illumination light from an illumination light source to an object to be observed and to guide light from the object to be observed to an image side. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-5-203880 [Patent Document 2]
JP-A-5-173078
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram common to the epi-illumination microscopes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2.
The epi-illumination microscope includes an illumination light source 1, an illumination optical system 2, a half mirror 3, and an observation optical system 4. The illumination optical system 2 includes lenses 2a and 2a '. The half mirror 3 guides a part of the illumination light from the illumination light source 1 to the object to be observed (the specimen 8 side), and also directs a part of the light from the object to be observed to the image side (the imaging lens 6 side). It is configured to guide. The observation optical system 4 includes an objective lens 5 and an imaging lens 6.
[0005]
According to the epi-illumination microscope thus configured, the light emitted from the light source 1 is guided to the half mirror 3 via the lenses 2a and 2a '. Part of the light incident on the half mirror 3 is reflected by the half mirror 3 and deflected toward the sample 8, and irradiates the sample 8 via the objective lens 5. The light reflected by the sample 8 enters the half mirror 3 via the objective lens 5. The light transmitted through the half mirror 3 forms an image by the imaging lens 6. The observer observes the formed image through the eyepiece 7.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the half mirror constituting the deflecting member has a polarization characteristic that the reflectance and the transmittance are different between the P-polarized light and the S-polarized light. Therefore, the illumination light to the object to be observed (sample) via the half mirror is not a random light, but a light flux having a polarization characteristic in which one of the P-polarized component and the S-polarized component is somewhat larger. Become.
[0007]
However, when the object to be observed is illuminated with linearly polarized light such as P-polarized light or S-polarized light, the contrast differs between a line pattern parallel to the linearly polarized light and a line pattern perpendicular to the linearly polarized light.
For this reason, in the conventional epi-illumination microscopes described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, when an object to be observed is illuminated via a deflecting member such as a half mirror, the vertical line pattern and the horizontal line pattern have large contrast. It was making a difference.
Also, when an optical path splitting prism (half prism) is used instead of a half mirror as a deflecting member, similarly to the case where a half mirror is used, the amount of one of the P-polarized component and the S-polarized component is reduced. It is difficult to eliminate the polarization characteristic that the number increases. For this reason, even in an epi-illumination microscope using an optical path splitting prism as the deflecting member, there is a difference in contrast between the vertical line pattern and the horizontal line pattern.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in an epi-illumination microscope including a deflection member such as a half mirror or a half prism in an optical path, it is possible to eliminate a difference in resolution and a difference in contrast due to vertical and horizontal line patterns. It is an object to provide an optical member such as an epi-illumination microscope and an objective lens used for the epi-illumination microscope.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the microscope according to the first aspect of the present invention provides an illumination light source, and guides illumination light from the illumination light source to an object to be observed and guides light from the object to be observed to an image side. A deflecting member, an illumination optical system that causes the illumination light from the illumination light source to enter the deflection member while maintaining a polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source, and an object illuminated by the illumination light including an objective lens. An epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system for forming an image of an observation object, wherein a depolarizing element is arranged between the deflection member and the object to be observed.
[0010]
As a second aspect of the present invention, in the microscope according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the depolarizing element is disposed so as to be approximately 45 ° with respect to the optical axis of the illumination optical system.
[0011]
The microscope according to the third aspect of the present invention includes an illumination light source, a deflecting member that guides illumination light from the illumination light source to the object to be observed, and guides light from the object to be observed to the image side, Illumination light from an illumination light source, an illumination optical system that enters the deflection member while maintaining the polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source, and an image of an object to be observed illuminated by the illumination light including an objective lens. An epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system to be formed, wherein a λ / 4 plate is arranged between the deflection member and the object to be observed.
[0012]
The epi-illumination microscope according to the fourth aspect of the present invention includes an illumination light source, and a deflecting member that guides illumination light from the illumination light source to the object to be observed and guides light from the object to be observed to the image side. An illumination optical system that causes illumination light from the illumination light source to enter the deflecting member while maintaining a polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source; and an image of an object to be observed illuminated by the illumination light, including an objective lens. When observing an object having a spatial frequency that satisfies the following conditional expression (1) in an epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system that forms a depolarizing element or a λ / 4 between the deflecting member and the object to be observed. It is characterized in that a plate can be arranged.
NA / λ <P <2NA / λ (1)
Here, NA is the NA of the objective lens, λ is the center wavelength of the epi-illumination microscope, and P is the spatial frequency of the observation object.
[0013]
The objective lens for an epi-illumination microscope according to the fifth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a depolarizing element.
[0014]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Prior to the description of the embodiments, the operation of the present invention will be described.
In the ordinary epi-illumination bright-field microscope as in the first invention, if a depolarizing element is arranged between the deflecting member and the object to be observed, the P-polarized light component is passed through a deflecting member such as a half mirror or a half prism. Light having polarization characteristics such that the ratio of one of the S-polarized components is increased is converted into random light to illuminate the observed object. Therefore, the image of the object to be observed can be observed with a substantially constant vertical and horizontal line pattern without being affected by the arrangement of the object to be observed.
[0015]
Further, when the depolarizing element in the first invention is made of quartz crystal as in the second invention, processing and acquisition become easy.
[0016]
Further, if a λ / 4 plate is arranged between the deflecting member and the object to be observed as in the third aspect of the present invention, the deflecting member such as a half mirror or a half prism having different reflectance / transmittance characteristics can be used. Illumination light having the above-mentioned polarization characteristics by being guided to the object side becomes circularly polarized light when illuminating the observation object by passing through the λ / 4 plate. For this reason, the contrast difference due to the difference between the vertical and horizontal line patterns is reduced.
[0017]
When observing an object having a spatial frequency that satisfies the conditional expression (1) as in the fourth invention, a depolarizing element or a λ / 4 plate is arranged between the deflecting member and the object to be observed. Then, the effect of making the contrast of the vertical and horizontal line patterns constant is increased.
NA / λ <P <2NA / λ (1)
Here, NA is the NA of the objective lens, λ is the center wavelength of the epi-illumination microscope, and P is the spatial frequency of the object to be inspected.
When the spatial frequency P of the object to be observed falls below NA / λ, there is no difference between the resolution and the contrast between the polarized light and the S-polarized light, so that it is not necessary to use the present invention.
If the spatial frequency P of the observation object exceeds 2NA / λ (cutoff frequency), the observation optical system cannot resolve the image.
[0018]
Further, if the objective lens for a microscope is provided with a depolarizing element as in the fifth invention, by using this objective lens in the same microscope as in the first invention, the deflecting member and the object to be observed can be obtained. The same effect as that of the first invention can be obtained without disposing a single depolarizing element in the optical path between the object and the object.
[0019]
In addition, the present invention may be configured as follows in addition to the configuration of the above-described invention.
As a sixth aspect of the present invention, the objective lens for a microscope may be provided with a λ / 4 plate.
Even in this case, the same effect as that of the third invention can be obtained without disposing a single λ / 4 plate in the optical path between the deflecting member and the object to be observed.
[0020]
By using these fifth and sixth inventions, an epi-illumination microscope as in the following seventh and eighth inventions can be constructed.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the objective lens includes a depolarizing element.
[0021]
As an eighth invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to the third invention, it is preferable that the objective lens includes a λ / 4 plate.
[0022]
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to the first aspect, the deflecting member is provided in a unit that can be inserted into and removed from an optical path, and the unit is polarized more toward the object to be observed than the deflecting member. It is preferred to have a cancellation element.
[0023]
When a unit including a deflecting member and a depolarizing element is configured as in the ninth aspect of the present invention, the first depolarizing element is not disposed in the optical path between the deflecting member and the object to be observed. The same effect as the invention can be obtained.
[0024]
According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to the ninth aspect, it is preferable that the depolarizing element is arranged along a surface of the deflecting member on the observation object side.
[0025]
Even if the depolarizing element is arranged along the surface of the deflecting member on the side of the object to be observed as in the tenth aspect of the present invention, as in the ninth aspect of the present invention, the depolarizing element is disposed in the optical path between the deflecting member and the object to be observed. The same effect as the first invention can be obtained without disposing a single depolarizing element.
[0026]
Further, as an eleventh invention, in any one of the seventh, ninth, and tenth inventions, the depolarization element is arranged such that an optical axis is approximately 45 ° with respect to an illumination optical axis. Preferably, it is a quartz crystal.
When the depolarizing element is made of quartz, it can be easily processed and obtained as in the second invention.
[0027]
As a twelfth invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to the third invention, the deflecting member is provided in a unit that can be inserted into and removed from an optical path, and the unit is closer to the object to be observed than the deflecting member. It is preferable to provide a λ / 4 plate.
Even in this case, the same effect as that of the eighth aspect can be obtained without disposing a single λ / 4 plate in the optical path between the deflecting member and the object to be observed.
[0028]
Further, as a thirteenth invention, in the epi-illumination microscope according to any of the ninth to twelfth inventions, it is preferable that the deflection member is constituted by a beam splitter.
[0029]
Note that the microscope to which the present invention is applied has a configuration in which the deflecting member reflects illumination light from an illumination light source toward the object to be observed and transmits light from the object to be observed to the image side, or The illumination light from the light source may be transmitted to the observation object side, and the light from the observation object may be reflected to the image side.
[0030]
【Example】
First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention. 2A and 2B are views showing the depolarizing element of the present embodiment, in which FIG. 2A is a partial view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an optical axis when the depolarizing element 10 is viewed from the sample 8 side in the configuration of FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship with a polarization component.
The epi-illumination microscope according to the first embodiment includes an illumination light source 1, an illumination optical system 2, a half mirror 3, and an observation optical system 4. Further, an imaging optical system 9 such as an electronic imaging system or a photographing system is provided.
The illumination optical system 2 has lenses 2 a and 2 a ′, and is configured to make the illumination light from the illumination light source 1 enter the half mirror 3 while maintaining the polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source 1. I have.
The half mirror 3 guides a part of the illumination light from the illumination light source 1 to the object to be observed (the specimen 8 side), and also directs a part of the light from the object to be observed to the image side (the imaging lens 6 side). It is configured to guide.
The observation optical system 4 includes an objective lens 5, an imaging lens 6, and an eyepiece 7.
In the epi-illumination microscope according to the present embodiment, the depolarizing element 10 is arranged between the half mirror 3 and the objective lens 5.
As shown in FIG. 2 (b), the depolarizing element 10 is set so that its optical axis is at 45 ° to the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light components such as the polarized light components 1 and 2 (the P-polarized light component and the S-polarized light component). It is composed of placed quartz and has the function of converting polarized light into light in a random state.
[0031]
According to the epi-illumination microscope of the first embodiment configured as described above, the light emitted from the light source 1 is guided to the half mirror 3 via the lenses 2a and 2a '. At this time, the light is kept in a random state because the polarization state immediately after emission from the light source 1 is maintained. Part of the light incident on the half mirror 3 is reflected and deflected to the specimen 8 side. At this time, due to the polarization characteristics of the half mirror 3, the ratio of the P-polarized light component and the S-polarized light component included in the light deflected toward the sample 8 changes, and one of the polarized light components is increased. .
At this time, in the epi-illumination microscope of this embodiment, since the depolarizing element 10 is provided between the half mirror 3 and the sample 8, the light deflected toward the sample 8 by the half mirror 3 passes through the depolarizing element 10. Is converted into light in a random state and enters the objective lens 5. The light that has entered the objective lens 5 irradiates the sample 8 while maintaining a random state.
The light reflected by the sample 8 enters the half mirror 3 via the objective lens 5 and the depolarizing element 10. The light transmitted through the half mirror 3 forms an image by the imaging lens 6. The observer observes an image formed by a part of the light through the eyepiece 7. Other light transmitted through the imaging lens 6 forms an image on an imaging surface or an imaging surface via the imaging optical system 9.
[0032]
As described above, according to the epi-illumination microscope of the first embodiment, even if the ratio of the P-polarized light component and the S-polarized light component included in the light deflected toward the sample 8 via the half mirror 3 is deviated to one direction. The depolarizing element 10 converts the polarization state into random light. For this reason, the sample 8 is irradiated with random light.
Therefore, according to the epi-illumination microscope of the present embodiment, the image of the specimen 8 can be observed with a substantially constant vertical and horizontal line pattern without being affected by the arrangement of the specimen 8.
Further, according to the epi-illumination microscope of the present embodiment, the depolarizing element 10 is made of quartz, so that it is easy to process and obtain.
In the epi-illumination microscope according to the present embodiment, a beam splitter may be used instead of the half mirror 3.
[0033]
Second Embodiment FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
In the epi-illumination microscope of the second embodiment, a λ / 4 plate 11 is arranged instead of the depolarizing element 10 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.
[0034]
According to the epi-illumination microscope of the second embodiment configured as described above, the light emitted from the light source 1 is guided to the half mirror 3 via the lenses 2a and 2a '. At this time, the light is kept in a random state because the polarization state immediately after emission from the light source 1 is maintained. Part of the light incident on the half mirror 3 is reflected and deflected to the specimen 8 side. At this time, due to the polarization characteristics of the half mirror 3, the ratio of the P-polarized light component and the S-polarized light component included in the light deflected toward the sample 8 changes, and one of the polarized light components is increased. .
At this time, in the epi-illumination microscope of this embodiment, since the λ / 4 plate 11 is provided between the half mirror 3 and the sample 8, the light deflected to the sample 8 side by the half mirror 3 is , And enters the objective lens 5 as circularly polarized light. The light incident on the objective lens 5 irradiates the specimen 8 while maintaining the polarization state of the circularly polarized light.
The light reflected by the sample 8 enters the half mirror 3 via the objective lens 5 and the λ / 4 plate 11. The light transmitted through the half mirror 3 forms an image by the imaging lens 6. The observer observes an image formed by a part of the light through the eyepiece 7. Other light transmitted through the imaging lens 6 forms an image on an imaging surface or an imaging surface via the imaging optical system 9.
[0035]
As described above, according to the epi-illumination microscope of the second embodiment, even if the ratio of the P-polarized light component and the S-polarized light component included in the light deflected toward the sample 8 via the half mirror 3 is biased to one direction. The λ / 4 plate 11 converts the light into circularly polarized light. For this reason, the sample 8 is irradiated with circularly polarized light.
Therefore, according to the epi-illumination microscope of the present embodiment, the image of the specimen 8 can be observed with a substantially constant vertical and horizontal line pattern without being affected by the arrangement of the specimen 8.
[0036]
Third Embodiment FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
In the epi-illumination microscope of the third embodiment, the depolarizing element 10 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is incorporated in the lens barrel of the objective lens 5 on the image side (imaging lens 6 side). Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.
If the objective lens 5 is provided with the depolarizing element 10 as in the present embodiment, the first embodiment can be performed without disposing a single depolarizing element in the optical path between the half mirror 3 and the sample 8. The same effect as the example can be obtained.
[0037]
Fourth Embodiment FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
The epi-illumination microscope according to the fourth embodiment is provided with the half mirror 3 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 inside a cube 12 configured as a unit that can be inserted into and removed from the optical path. Is provided on the object to be observed side (sample 8 side) with respect to the half mirror 3 inside.
If the unit includes the half mirror 3 and the depolarizing element 10 in the unit as in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to dispose a single depolarizing element in the optical path between the half mirror 3 and the sample 8. The same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
The depolarizing element 10 in the epi-illumination microscope according to the present embodiment is arranged to be slightly inclined from the optical axis from the light source 1 by more than 90 °. This is to prevent the reflection direction from being deviated from the imaging lens 6 and adversely affecting the observation even when some light is reflected on the surface when the light is incident on. Therefore, even in the epi-illumination microscope according to the other embodiment, the configuration in which the depolarizing element is arranged perpendicular to the optical axis is actually as shown in the de-polarizing element 10 in the epi-microscope according to the present embodiment. It is preferable that the light source 1 be disposed at an angle of 90 ° with respect to the optical axis from the light source 1.
[0038]
Fifth Embodiment FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fifth embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged explanatory view of a main part of FIG. FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams showing the relationship between the optical axis and the polarization component of the depolarizing element in FIG. 7, and FIG. 8A shows a state when the depolarizing element 13b is viewed vertically from the arrow A side in FIG. 7) shows the state when viewing the deflection elimination element 13b from the same side as FIG. 7, and FIG. 7C shows the state when viewing the deflection elimination element 13b from the arrow B side in FIG.
The epi-illumination microscope of the fifth embodiment uses the member 13 having both the half mirror 3 and the depolarizing element 10 of the fourth embodiment. This member 13 has a configuration in which a half mirror surface 13a is provided integrally with a depolarizing element 13b.
The half mirror surface 13a is provided on the image side of the depolarizing element 13b. The depolarizing element 13b is configured using quartz crystal such that its optical axis is at 45 ° to the polarization direction of a linearly polarized light component such as a P-polarized light component or an S-polarized light component. It has the function of converting light. An AR coat 13c is applied to the surface of the depolarization element 13b on the sample 8 side so as to prevent surface reflection of incident light from the light source 1. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.
If the half mirror surface 13a is provided integrally with the depolarizing element 13b as in this embodiment, a single depolarizing element can be provided in the optical path between the half mirror surface and the sample 8 with a small number of parts. Can be obtained without arranging them.
[0039]
Sixth Embodiment FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sixth embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
In the epi-illumination microscope of the sixth embodiment, a beam splitter 3 'is arranged instead of the half mirror 3 in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and a depolarizing element 10 is provided on the specimen 8 side of the beam splitter 3'. Are joined.
If the beam splitter 3 'is provided with the depolarizing element 10 as in the present embodiment, as in the fourth embodiment, a single depolarizing element is provided in the optical path between the beam splitter 3' and the sample 8. Can be obtained without arranging them.
[0040]
Although not shown in the drawings, as another embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope of the present invention, in the configuration of the epi-illumination microscope according to the third to sixth embodiments, the epi-illumination is performed by using a λ / 4 plate instead of the depolarizing element. A microscope may be configured.
With such a configuration, the same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained without disposing a single λ / 4 plate in the optical path between the half mirror or the beam splitter and the sample.
[0041]
As described above, the epi-illumination microscope and the objective lens for the epi-illumination microscope of the present invention have the following features in addition to the invention described in the claims.
[0042]
(1) An objective lens for a microscope comprising a λ / 4 plate.
[0043]
(2) The epi-illumination microscope according to claim 1, wherein the objective lens includes a depolarizing element.
[0044]
(3) The epi-illumination microscope according to claim 3, wherein the objective lens includes a λ / 4 plate.
[0045]
(4) The deflecting member is provided in a unit that can be inserted into and removed from an optical path, and the unit includes a depolarizing element closer to the object to be observed than the deflecting member. Epi-illumination microscope.
[0046]
(5) The epi-illumination microscope according to the above (4), wherein the depolarizing element is arranged along a surface of the deflecting member on the side of the object to be observed.
[0047]
(6) The depolarizing element is a crystal arranged such that the optical axis is at 45 ° to the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light component included in the illumination light deflected via the light deflecting member. The epi-illumination microscope according to any one of the above (2), (4) and (5), which is characterized by the following.
[0048]
(7) The deflecting member is provided in a unit that can be inserted into and removed from the optical path, and the unit includes a λ / 4 plate closer to the object to be observed than the deflecting member. The epi-illumination microscope according to 1.
[0049]
(8) The epi-illumination microscope according to any one of the above (4) to (7), wherein the deflection member is constituted by a beam splitter.
[0050]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to observe an object to be observed with uniform resolution and contrast regardless of the vertical and horizontal patterns.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a first embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing a depolarizing element of the present embodiment, wherein FIG. 2A is a partial view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is an optical axis when the depolarizing element 10 is viewed from the sample 8 side in the configuration of FIG. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between and polarization components.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a fifth embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged explanatory view of a main part of FIG. 6;
8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams illustrating a relationship between an optical axis and a polarization component of the depolarizing element in FIG. 7; FIG. 8A illustrates a state when the depolarizing element 13b is viewed vertically from an arrow A side in FIG. 7B shows a state when the deflection elimination element 13b is viewed from the same side as FIG. 7, and FIG. 9C shows a state when the deflection elimination element 13b is viewed from the arrow B side in FIG.
FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram of a sixth embodiment of an epi-illumination microscope according to the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram of a conventional epi-illumination microscope.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Illumination light source 2 Illumination optical systems 2a, 2a 'Lens 3 Half mirror 3' Beam splitter 4 Observation optical system 5 Objective lens 6 Imaging lens 7 Eyepiece optical system 8 Sample 9 Imaging optical system 10 Depolarization element 11 λ / 4 plate 12 Cube 13 A member 13a having both a deflecting action and a deflecting action 13a Half mirror surface 13b Depolarizing element 13c AR coated surface

Claims (5)

An illumination light source,
A deflecting member that guides the illumination light from the illumination light source to the observation object side and guides the light from the observation object to the image side,
An illumination optical system that causes the illumination light from the illumination light source to enter the deflection member while maintaining a polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source,
An epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system that forms an image of an object to be observed illuminated by the illumination light and includes an objective lens,
An epi-illumination microscope wherein a depolarizing element is arranged between the deflecting member and the object to be observed. The epi-illumination microscope according to claim 1, wherein the depolarizing element is disposed so as to be approximately 45 ° with respect to an optical axis of the illumination optical system. An illumination light source,
A deflecting member that guides the illumination light from the illumination light source to the observed object side, and guides the light from the observed object to the image side,
An illumination optical system that causes the illumination light from the illumination light source to enter the deflection member while maintaining a polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source,
An epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system that forms an image of an object to be observed illuminated by the illumination light and includes an objective lens,
An epi-illumination microscope, wherein a λ / 4 plate is arranged between the deflection member and the object to be observed. An illumination light source,
A deflecting member that guides the illumination light from the illumination light source to the observed object side, and guides the light from the observed object to the image side,
An illumination optical system that causes the illumination light from the illumination light source to enter the deflection member while maintaining a polarization state when emitted from the illumination light source,
An epi-illumination microscope having an observation optical system that forms an image of an object to be observed illuminated by the illumination light and includes an objective lens,
An epi-illumination microscope characterized in that when observing an object having a spatial frequency satisfying the following conditional expression, a depolarizing element or a λ / 4 plate is arranged between the deflecting member and the object to be observed.
NA / λ <P <2NA / λ
Here, NA is the NA of the objective lens, λ is the center wavelength of the epi-illumination microscope, and P is the spatial frequency of the observation object. An objective lens for an epi-illumination microscope comprising a depolarizing element.

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