JP2004258691A - Scanning microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize cost reduction and miniaturization of a color laser microscope and to provide a scanning microscope providing a color video in focus strictly. <P>SOLUTION: The scanning microscope is equipped with a 1st optical system 1 condensing a laser beam L1 on a sample (w) by an objective 17 and also making the laser beam L1 two-dimensionally scan along the surface of the sample (w) and receiving the reflected light L1 of the laser beam L1 by using a photodetector 19b, and a 2nd optical system 2 irradiating the sample (w) with white light L2 and receiving the reflected light L2 of the white light L2 by using a color two-dimensional imaging device 24. By utilizing luminance information from the photodetector 19b of the 1st optical system 1 and color imaging information from the color two-dimensional imaging device 24 of the 2nd optical system 2, a signal for a color video is obtained. The scanning microscope is also equipped with a means for storing the height of a sample stage at a focusing point. Furthermore, the scanning microscope is equipped with a means for storing the color imaging information when the focusing point is attained. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a scanning microscope using the confocal principle.

  Conventionally, there is a scanning microscope using the confocal principle. The scanning microscope is provided with an objective lens and a pinhole, and when a sample is located at the focal position of the objective lens, the laser light that has passed through the pinhole is received by the first light receiving element. Only the image (confocal image) of the portion is clearly displayed (the resolution is increased). Such a confocal image is a black-and-white (achromatic) image. However, such black-and-white images have little information, that is, information about the color of the sample cannot be obtained, and it may be difficult to perform detailed observation such as discrimination of the type of a scratch or an attached substance. Therefore, there is a color (chromatic) scanning microscope conventionally.

  However, a conventional color scanning microscope scans the sample surface using laser beams of three primary colors from three light sources. Therefore, the optical system becomes complicated, and the microscope becomes expensive and large.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a laser scanning optical system and an optical system for illuminating light for color imaging information to reduce the cost and size of a color scanning microscope.
Further, the height (Z coordinate) of the sample stage is also movable, and the color imaging information of the focal point is stored for each pixel (imaging unit) so that a focused image can be obtained.

A novel scanning microscope according to the present invention includes: a luminance information from a first light receiving element of a first optical system using laser light; and a luminance information from a second light receiving element of a second optical system using illumination light for color imaging information. It is configured to obtain a color video signal based on the color imaging information.
The present invention includes a sample stage that can move the sample three-dimensionally with respect to the objective lens, and a unit that stores the height of the sample stage when the first optical system is focused.
Further, the present invention includes means for storing the focused color imaging information from the second light receiving element at the stored height of the sample stage.
Further, in the present invention, the second light receiving element is a color CCD, and a focused color video signal is obtained for each pixel by using color imaging information when the first optical system is focused. Is configured.
By the way, in the present invention, the term “signal for color image” refers to a video signal composed of the intensities of the three primary colors of light (red, green, blue), a signal composed of a luminance signal and a color difference signal, a horizontal synchronization signal and a color signal. A signal capable of displaying a color image as it is or after being processed, such as a composite color image signal including a burst signal.
The “color imaging information” is information obtained by imaging and includes information including “luminance information” and “color information”. The “luminance information” refers to information relating to luminance that does not include a color, and the “color information” refers to information relating to the balance of color intensities, such as a color difference signal.
In the following description, “luminance information from the first light receiving element” and “color information from the second light receiving element” mean that a signal for a color image is obtained as described below. Sometimes. That is, in the following description, the color video signal may include luminance information from the first light receiving element and color information of the color imaging information from the second light receiving element. . Further, the color video signal may include corrected luminance information based on the luminance information from the first light receiving element and color information of the color imaging information from the second light receiving element. Further, the color video signal may include luminance information from the first light receiving element and correction color information based on the color information of the color imaging information from the second light receiving element. In some cases, the color video signal includes the corrected luminance information and the corrected color information.
When the condensed laser light has a point shape, the laser light can be relatively scanned two-dimensionally along the sample surface. On the other hand, when the collected laser light is a linear line laser light, the line laser light can be relatively scanned along the sample surface in a direction substantially orthogonal to the collected line laser light. Here, “relatively scan along the sample surface” refers to a case where the sample is stopped and the laser beam or the line laser beam is scanned, or the sample is moved without scanning the laser beam or the line laser beam. This means that there are at least three cases: scanning by scanning the laser beam in the X direction and moving the sample in the Y direction (a direction orthogonal to the X direction).

According to the scanning microscope of the present invention, color imaging information is obtained by the second optical system using illumination light for color imaging different from the laser light of the first optical system. Since the optical system has a significantly simpler structure than a laser microscope, cost and size can be reduced.
By providing a means for storing the height of the sample stage when the first optical system is in focus, the height of the sample stage at the focus can be stored.
Further, by providing a means for storing the in-focus color imaging information from the second light receiving element at the stored height of the sample stage, a strictly focused image can be obtained.
Further, since a color CCD is used as the light receiving element of the second optical system, and color imaging information at the focal point of the first optical system is used for each pixel, a signal for a color image is obtained. An image that matches is obtained.
Although the resolution of color information is lower than that of a conventional color laser microscope, obtaining luminance information by using a laser beam has a higher resolution than a normal enlarged image, and thus has a sufficiently high utility value. That is, when the luminance information from the first optical system using the laser light is used, the resolution is higher than a simple enlarged image using the white light, and a color image is formed using the color information from the second light receiving element. As a result, detailed observation of scratches and deposits becomes possible.
In addition, the maximum luminance of the response light incident on the first light receiving element is obtained while changing the distance from the objective lens to the sample, and is used as the luminance information of the maximum luminance. There is no danger of becoming extremely dark.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 to 4 are drawings showing a first embodiment of the scanning microscope of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the first embodiment.
In FIG. 1, the scanning microscope includes a laser optical system (first optical system) 1 and a white light optical system (second optical system) 2.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the first embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating an imaging region according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 4 shows a flowchart according to the first embodiment.

  First, the laser optical system 1 will be described. The laser optical system 1 is a confocal optical system that can detect information on the depth of the sample w, and uses, for example, a He-Ne laser 10 that emits red laser light L1 as a light source. On the optical axis of the laser 10, a first collimating lens 11, a polarizing beam splitter 12, a quarter-wave plate 13, a two-dimensional scanning device 14, a first relay lens 15, a second relay lens 16, and an objective lens 17 are provided. Are arranged in order. A sample stage 30 is provided near the focal position of the objective lens 17, and the objective lens 17 focuses the laser light L1 on the surface of the sample w. The above-described two-dimensional scanning device 14 includes, for example, two galvanometer mirrors, and deflects the laser beam L1 so that the condensing position on the sample w is two-dimensionally (X, Y) along the surface of the sample w. Direction). The sample stage 30 is driven and controlled in a Z (up and down) direction by a stage control circuit 40, and can be moved by a manual handle in the X and Y directions.

  The laser light (response light) L1 reflected by the sample w passes through the objective lens 17, the second relay lens 16 and the first relay lens 15, and again passes through the two-dimensional scanning device 14 to the quarter wavelength plate 13 and The light passes through the polarization beam splitter 12 and travels to the second imaging lens 18. The laser light L1 is condensed by the second imaging lens 18, passes through the optical aperture 19a having a pinhole, and enters the first light receiving element 19b. The first light receiving element 19b is formed of, for example, a photomultiplier or a photodiode, photoelectrically converts the incident laser light L1, and outputs an analog light quantity signal via an output amplifier and a gain control circuit (not shown). Output to 1A / D converter 41.

  Next, luminance information obtained by the laser optical system 1 will be described. The above-mentioned optical diaphragm 19a is disposed at the focal position of the second imaging lens 18, while the pinhole of the optical diaphragm 19a is extremely small, so that the laser beam L1 is focused on the sample w. Is formed, the reflected light L1 forms an image at the pinhole of the optical diaphragm 19a, and the amount of light received by the first light receiving element 19b becomes extremely large. Conversely, the laser light L1 focuses on the sample w. Otherwise, the reflected light L1 hardly passes through the pinhole of the optical diaphragm 19a, so that the amount of light received by the first light receiving element 19b is significantly reduced. Therefore, a bright image can be obtained for a focused portion (imaging unit at the focused point) in an imaging region (scanning region) of the laser optical system 1, and a dark image can be obtained for a portion having a height other than that. Can be Since the laser optical system 1 is a confocal optical system using the monochromatic laser light L1, luminance information with excellent resolution can be obtained.

  Next, the white light optical system 2 will be described. The white light optical system 2 uses a white light source 20 that emits white light (illumination light for color information) L2 as a light source. On the optical axis of the white light source 20, a second collimating lens 21, a first half mirror 22, and the objective lens 17 are provided. In the first half mirror 22, two optical systems 1 and 2 are provided. The white light optical system 2 is disposed so that the two optical axes coincide. Therefore, the white light L2 is focused on the same place as the scanning area of the laser light L1. The white light (response light) L2 reflected by the sample w passes through the objective lens 17, the first half mirror 22, and the second relay lens 16, and is further reflected by the second half mirror 23 to be a color CCD ( An image is formed on the surface of the second light receiving element 24. That is, the color CCD 24 is disposed at a position conjugate with or close to the conjugate with the light stop unit 19a. The image captured by the color CCD 24 is read out by the CCD drive circuit 43 as analog color imaging information and output to the second A / D converter 42.

  Next, the color video signal generating means 5 of FIG. 2 which operates in the color confocal image mode described later will be described. The color image signal creating means 5 creates digital signals ro, go, bo for color images by combining the luminance information from the first light receiving element 19b and the color information from the color CCD 24. The color video signal generating means 5 includes first and second area circuits 51 and 52, a luminance conversion circuit 53, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second area circuits 51 and 52 respectively select a predetermined common part of the imaging areas A1 and A2 of the laser optical system 1 and the white light optical system 2 as an image area A0. And outputs a digital signal for the selected portion. That is, the first area circuit 51 in FIG. 2 stores the luminance signal i in the luminance memory Mi with the resolution corresponding to each pixel of the color CCD 24 for the video area A0. On the other hand, the second area circuit 52 stores the red, green, and blue color intensity signals rm, gm, bm for each pixel in the first color intensity memories Mr1, Mg1, Mb1 for the image area A0. Note that the color intensity signal refers to a signal including luminance (intensity) of the three primary colors.

The luminance conversion circuit 53 converts the luminance information of the color intensity signals rm, gm, bm for each pixel into luminance information of a luminance signal i according to the following arithmetic expressions (1), (2), (3). By substituting the converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo, the signals are stored in the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2.
Ro = I · Rm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (1)
Go = I · Gm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (2)
Bo = I · Bm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (3)
I: luminance of luminance signal i Rm, Gm, Bm: luminance of color intensity signals rm, gm, bm
Ro, Go, Bo: luminance (intensity) of converted color intensity signals ro, go, bo
The first and second color intensity memories Mr1 to Mb1 and Mr2 to Mb2 have storage units corresponding to the pixels of the above-described image area A0 in the color CCD 24.

  The converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo thus obtained are signals obtained by replacing the luminance information in the color imaging information from the color CCD 24 with the luminance information from the first light receiving element 19b. The converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo are read from the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2, output to the D / A converter 60, and further added with the synchronization signal a in the adder 61. Thus, an analog composite color video signal c is obtained. The composite color video signal c is output to the monitor 62, and an image of the sample w is displayed.

  Next, how to use the present scanning microscope will be described. The scanning microscope selects and uses one of three modes, an area search mode, a black-and-white (achromatic) confocal image mode, and a color confocal image mode. These modes are set by operating the operation unit 63.

  When the area search mode is selected, the color video signal generating means 5 stops the laser drive circuit 44 in FIG. 1 and activates the CCD drive circuit 43 to cause the color CCD 24 to take an image. In this area search mode, the color intensity signals rm, gm, bm stored in the first color intensity memories Mr1, Mg1, Mb1 are output from the second area circuit 52 of FIG. 2 to the D / A converter 60 as they are. A normal enlarged image having a large depth of field is displayed on the monitor 62. Therefore, by moving the sample stage 30 in FIG. 1 in the X and Y directions, it is possible to find an area to be imaged.

  When the monochrome confocal image mode is selected, the color video signal generating means 5 (FIG. 2) operates the laser drive circuit 44 and the two-dimensional scanning device 14 of the laser optical system 1 to cause the laser optical system 1 to perform imaging. . In the black-and-white confocal image mode, the luminance signal i stored in the luminance memory Mi from the first area circuit 51 in FIG. 2 is output to the D / A converter 60 as it is, and the high-resolution black and white (achromatic) Is displayed on the monitor 62.

  When the color confocal image mode is selected, the laser drive circuit 44 and the CCD drive circuit 43 are alternately driven as described below. That is, when the mode is selected in step S1 of FIG. 4, the process proceeds to step S2, and after scanning of one screen by the laser beam L1, the process proceeds to step S3. In step S3, the laser drive circuit 44 of FIG. 1 stops, and the laser beam L1 is no longer emitted from the laser 10. In this state, the process proceeds to step S4 in FIG. In the color intensity signals rm, gm, bm of FIG. 2 obtained in step S4, the luminance information included in the signals is replaced with the luminance information of the luminance signal i obtained in step S2, and the converted color intensity signal ro , Go, and bo. The converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo are stored in the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2, respectively, and then output to the D / A converter 60, where an enlarged color image is displayed on the monitor 62. Note that, after step S4 in FIG. 4, the process proceeds to step S5, in which the scanning with the laser light L1 and the accumulation and readout of charges by the CCD drive circuit 43 are repeated.

  Since the color confocal image obtained in this way has a low resolution for color information, it has a slightly lower resolution than a conventional color laser microscope using laser light of three primary colors, but has a higher resolution than a normal enlarged image. In this way, images with sufficiently high utility value can be obtained.

  In addition, since color information is obtained by the white light optical system 2 using the white light source 20 and the color CCD 24 in FIG. 1, the optical system has a significantly simpler structure than a conventional color laser microscope using laser light of three primary colors. Therefore, the cost and size of the scanning microscope can be reduced.

  Further, in the case of the present embodiment, when an image is captured by the color CCD 24 of FIG. 1 (charges are stored in the color CCD 24), the laser driving circuit 44 is stopped so that the laser light L1 does not enter the color CCD 24. . Accordingly, an image having a color close to the actual color of the sample w can be obtained without an image having the color of the laser beam L1.

  As a means for preventing the laser light L1 from being incident on the color CCD 24, various means such as using a shutter for blocking the laser light L1 or setting the scanning range of the laser light L1 outside the imaging area of the color CCD 24 are used. A method can be adopted. Further, even if the laser light L1 is incident on the color CCD 24 and takes on the color of the laser light L1, a color image can be obtained, which is included in the scope of the present invention.

  By the way, if the color of the sample w and the color of the laser beam L1 in FIG. 1 are similar colors, the amount of the reflected light L1 at the sample w (the luminance I in the equations (1) to (3)) becomes large. The amount of light incident on the light receiving element 19b increases. Therefore, in such a case, the image becomes whitish more than the actual color of the sample w. Therefore, the second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 has a function of obtaining a color close to the color of the actual sample even in the case of such similar colors.

The second embodiment shown in FIG. 5 differs from the first embodiment in that the luminance conversion circuit 53 includes a determination means 53a and a correction variable storage unit 53b for storing three correction variables. In the present embodiment, the luminance conversion circuit 53 corrects the luminance Rm, Gm, Bm of the color intensity signals rm, gm, bm according to the following arithmetic expressions (11) to (13), and converts the converted color intensity signals ro, go. , Bo, the luminances (intensities) Ro, Go, Bo are determined.
Ro = Kr · I · Rm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (11)
Go = Kg · I · Gm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (12)
Bo = Kb · I · Bm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (13)
Kr, Kg, Kb: correction variables

The discriminating means 53a of the luminance conversion circuit 53 compares the red ratio Rc shown in the following equation (14) with a predetermined threshold value Sr, and for each imaging unit (each pixel of the color CCD 24) in the imaging area of the sample w. In addition, it is determined whether or not the portion of each imaging unit is redder than a predetermined threshold value Sr.
Rc = Rm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (14)
That is, when the red luminance Rm received by each pixel of the color CCD 24 is larger than the total value (Rm + Gm + Bm) of the three colors, the determination unit 53a determines that the portion of the imaging unit is reddish. Is what you do.

  When the red ratio Rc in the equation (14) is smaller than the threshold value Sr, the luminance conversion circuit 53 sets Kr = Kg = Kb = 1, and converts the converted color intensity signal in the same manner as in the first embodiment. Get ro, go, and bo. On the other hand, when the red ratio Rc is equal to or larger than the threshold value Sr, the luminance conversion circuit 53 reads out the correction variables Kr, Kg, and Kb from the correction variable storage unit 53b, and converts the conversion color intensity according to the above equations (11) to (13). The signals ro, go, and bo are obtained.

  FIG. 5B is a graph showing the correction variables Kr, Kg, and Kb. Each of the correction variables Kr, Kg, and Kb is set, for example, so as to become smaller than "1.0" as the red ratio Rc of the imaging unit of the sample w increases. Therefore, by multiplying the correction variables Kr, Kg, and Kb as in the equations (11) to (13), the luminance is reduced. Therefore, even when the red ratio Rc is large, the image does not become whitish, and the actual image does not become whitish. An image of a color close to the color of the sample w is obtained.

  By the way, when the sample w having irregularities is observed in the above-mentioned color confocal image mode, an image of a portion where the focus (height) is out of focus darkens. Therefore, the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is provided with a color confocal image mode for unevenness suitable for observing the sample w having such unevenness.

  Next, the configuration of the third embodiment having the concavo-convex color confocal image mode will be described. As shown in FIG. 6, in the third embodiment, the color video signal creating means 5 includes a memory including a maximum luminance storage unit Mmax and a Z coordinate storage unit Mz. The maximum luminance storage unit Mmax stores the maximum luminance Imax received by the first light receiving element 19b (FIG. 5) for each image pickup unit (a unit corresponding to each pixel of the color CCD 24) in the scanning area. The Z coordinate storage unit Mz stores the Z coordinate (the height of the sample stage 30) when the luminance I reaches the maximum luminance Imax for each imaging unit. The second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2 constitute a combined imaging information storage unit, and store color imaging information received by each pixel of the color CCD 24 at the Z coordinate stored in the Z coordinate storage unit Mz. . In other words, the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2 store the color imaging information when the height of the sample stage 30 shown in FIG. 1 changes and the first optical system 1 is in focus at each pixel (imaging unit). Remember each time.

  The brightness conversion circuit 53 includes a brightness comparison unit 53c. The luminance comparing means 53c compares the maximum luminance Imax stored in the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax with the luminance I newly stored in the luminance memory Mi for each imaging unit. As a result of the comparison, if the luminance I newly stored in the luminance memory Mi is larger than the maximum luminance Imax for each imaging unit, the luminance conversion circuit 53 sets the luminance I as the maximum luminance and sets the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax To memorize. The other configuration is the same as that of the above-described second embodiment of FIG. 5, and a detailed description and illustration thereof will be omitted.

  Next, the color confocal image mode for unevenness will be described. 7, first, in step S11, the sample stage 30 of FIG. 1 is moved to the rising end. Next, in step S12, an image is picked up by the second optical system 2, and charges are accumulated in the color CCD 24 to obtain color image pickup information. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S13 in FIG. 7, in which the first optical system 1 scans the laser beam L1 for imaging, thereby obtaining luminance information, and stores the content in the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax in FIG. (A unit corresponding to a pixel of the color CCD 24), the Z coordinate at the time of the imaging is stored in the Z coordinate storage unit Mz, and the converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo that have been subjected to luminance conversion are stored in the second color. It is stored in the intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, Mb2.

  Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S14, where the sample stage 30 (FIG. 1) is lowered by one stage, and then proceeds to step S15 in FIG. In step S15, color imaging information is obtained again by the second optical system 2, and the contents are stored in the first color intensity memories Mr1, Mg1, and Mb1 of FIG. 6 for each pixel, and the process proceeds to step S16 of FIG.

  In step S16, while scanning the laser beam L1 with the first optical system 1, the maximum brightness Imax of the maximum brightness storage unit Mmax is updated and stored while the maximum brightness Imax is updated as described below. The converted color intensity signals ro, go, bo stored in the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, Mb2 are updated and stored. That is, by scanning the laser light L1, the luminance I newly stored in the luminance memory Mi of FIG. 6 and the maximum luminance Imax stored in the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax are compared for each image pickup unit. Means 53c compares. As a result of the comparison, if I> Imax, for the imaging unit, the luminance conversion circuit 53 stores the luminance I as a new maximum luminance Imax in the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax and the first color intensity memory Mr1, The color intensity signals rm, gm, bm stored in Mg1, Mb1, that is, the color imaging information are subjected to luminance conversion and converted into the color intensity signals ro, go, bo in the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, Mb2. An update is stored at the address of the imaging unit. On the other hand, as a result of the comparison, if the luminance I is equal to or less than the maximum luminance Imax, the maximum luminance Imax and the converted color intensity signals ro, go, and bo are not updated for the imaging unit.

Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S17 in FIG. 7, and if the sample stage 30 is not at the lower end, the process returns to step S14. If the sample stage 30 is at the lower end, the process proceeds to step S18, where the converted color intensity signals ro, After the go and bo are output to the D / A converter 60 (FIG. 5), a composite color video signal c (FIG. 5) is obtained. That is, by repeating steps S14 to S17 in FIG. 7, the updating of the maximum luminance Imax of the maximum luminance storage unit Mmax and the conversion color intensity signals ro, go, and bo of FIG. 6 is repeated. Therefore, the luminance of the converted color intensity signals ro, go, bo output in step S18 is represented by the following equations (21) to (23), which are similar to the above equations (11) to (13).
Ro = Kr · Imax · Rm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (21)
Go = Kg · Imax · Gm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (22)
Bo = Kb · Imax · Bm / (Rm + Gm + Bm) (23)
If the mode is OFF in step S19 in FIG. 7, the mode ends.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, color imaging information on the Z coordinate when the first optical system 1 is in focus is used for each pixel of the color CCD 24 in FIG. Since an in-focus image is obtained for each pixel, an in-focus image is obtained compared to a normal color enlarged image.

By the way, in each of the above embodiments, the luminance conversion is performed, but in the present invention, the luminance conversion is not necessarily performed. That is, the color imaging information stored in the first color intensity memories Mr1, Mg1, and Mb1 is stored in the second color intensity memories Mr2, Mg2, and Mb2 without performing luminance conversion in steps S13 and S16 in FIG. The composite color video signal c may be obtained by outputting, that is, according to the following equations (31) to (33).
Ro = Rm ... (31)
Go = Gm ... (32)
Bo = Bm ... (33)

  Also in this case, as in the third embodiment, color imaging information about the Z coordinate when the first optical system 1 is in focus is used for each pixel of the color CCD 24 in FIG. Unlike images, strictly focused images can be obtained.

  By the way, in each of the above embodiments, the laser light L1 condensed in a point shape on the surface of the sample w and the first light receiving element 19b is used. However, in the present invention, a linear light beam is formed on the surface of the sample w and the first light receiving element 19b. Alternatively, the line laser light L1 condensed on the light source may be used. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, a line laser beam L1 long in the Y direction is used instead of the laser beam L1, and a one-dimensional CCD 19A long in the Y direction is used instead of the point-like first light receiving element 19b. A one-dimensional scanning device 14A is used instead of the one-dimensional scanning device 14. In this case, as shown in FIG. 8B, the line laser light L1 is scanned in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction when the line laser light L1 is condensed on the surface of the sample w. The light stop 19a is formed in a slit shape (groove shape).

  By the way, in each of the above-described embodiments, the light stop 19a is provided in front of the first light receiving element 19b of the laser optical system 1 in FIG. 1, but the light stop 19a is not necessarily provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, a one-dimensional CCD 19A for black and white may be provided at the focal position of the second imaging lens 18. In this case, the first one-dimensional scanning device 14A is provided between the first collimating lens 11 and the polarizing beam splitter 12, and the second one-dimensional scanning device 14B is connected to the quarter-wave plate 13 and the first relay lens 15. Provided between

  Further, in each of the embodiments, the color CCD 24 is used as the second light receiving element of the second optical system 2 in FIG. 1, but another light receiving element may be used. For example, the reflected light L2 may be decomposed into three primary colors by using a dichroic mirror, and the reflected lights of the three primary colors may be made incident on three two-dimensional CCDs for monochrome images. Although the optical system is different, a one-dimensional scanning device for one-dimensionally scanning white response light using a color line CCD as the second light receiving element may be provided. Further, as the second light receiving element, three line CCDs (for R, G, B) for black and white video can be used, and three point light receiving elements (for R, G, B) can also be used. it can. In these cases, the scanning device that scans the white response light can also be used as the scanning device that scans the laser light L1.

  Further, as the second light receiving element, in addition to the color CCD, another solid-state imaging element such as a MOS type, a television camera combining a plurality of imaging tubes, and the like can be used.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the reflected light of the laser light L1 and the reflected light of the white light L2 are received by the first light receiving element 19b and the color CCD 24, respectively. It may receive light or fluorescence obtained by replacing the reflected light.

  In the above embodiment, the color is separated into the three primary colors of light. However, in the present invention, the color may be separated into complementary colors (yellow, cyan, green). Further, a color difference signal may be used as the color information.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the laser optical system 1 and the white light optical system 2 are provided with the second relay lens 16 to adopt the infinite correction system. However, the second relay lens 16 is not provided, and the finite correction system is used. You may.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a first embodiment of a scanning microscope of the present invention. It is a block diagram of a 1st embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating an imaging region according to the first embodiment. 3 is a flowchart of the first embodiment. It is a figure showing a block diagram and a correction variable concerning a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a color video signal creating unit according to a third embodiment. It is a flowchart of 3rd Embodiment. It is a schematic structure figure showing a 4th embodiment of a scanning microscope. It is a schematic structure figure showing a 5th embodiment of a scanning microscope.

Explanation of reference numerals

1: first optical system 17: objective lens 19b: first light receiving element 19A: first light receiving element 2: second optical system 20: illumination light for color information (white light source)
24: second light receiving element L1: laser light L2: illumination light ro, go, bo: signal for color image c: signal for color image (composite color image signal)

Claims (3)

A first optical system that focuses the laser light on the sample by an objective lens and relatively scans the laser light along the surface of the sample, and causes the first light receiving element to receive the response light;
A second optical system that irradiates the sample with illumination light for color imaging information different from the laser light, and causes a second light receiving element to receive response light thereof;
A sample stage capable of moving the sample three-dimensionally with respect to the objective lens,
Means for storing the height of the sample stage when the first optical system is in focus;
A scanning microscope comprising: The scanning microscope according to claim 1,
A scanning microscope comprising means for storing in-focus color imaging information from the second light receiving element at the stored height of the sample stage. In the scanning microscope according to claim 1 or 2,
The second light receiving element is a color CCD, and is configured to obtain a focused color video signal using color imaging information when the first optical system is focused on each pixel. A scanning microscope.

Images