JP2008249805A - Light monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress the quality deterioration in a specific light component and the upsizing of a light monitoring device, in using the light monitoring device for an apparatus making good use of the specific light component. <P>SOLUTION: The light monitoring device is used for the apparatus 200 including a wavelength filter 216 configured to extract the specific light component Le having a prescribed wavelength range out of light Lz emitted from a light source 212, and also, to propagate an unnecessary light component LF other than the specific light component Le outside the optical path of the specific light component Le. The state of the specific light component Le is monitored by detecting the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf propagated outside the optical path of the specific light component Le. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical monitor device, and more particularly to an optical monitor device used in an apparatus that uses a specific light component extracted from light emitted from a light source.

  Conventionally, a laser beam emitted from a light source is separated into a measuring laser beam and a monitoring laser beam by a beam splitter or the like, and the measuring laser beam is used for measurement and the monitoring laser beam is used for measurement. An optical monitor device used for monitoring (monitoring) the intensity of laser light is known (see Patent Document 1). According to such an optical monitor device, for example, a part of the light components that can be used for measurement is extracted for monitoring, and the light source is controlled so that the light intensity of the light component becomes constant. This makes it possible to stabilize the light intensity of another light component for measurement different from some of the light components available for measurement.

In addition, in a fluorescence detection device that detects fluorescence emitted from a sample irradiated with excitation light, a laser beam emitted from a light source is passed through a wavelength filter to extract a light component in a specific wavelength range and wavelength-separated. A device that uses an extracted light component (hereinafter also referred to as a specific light component) as excitation light is known (see Patent Document 2). That is, when the sample is irradiated with a light component in an unnecessary wavelength range other than the wavelength range of the excitation light (hereinafter also referred to as an unnecessary light component), the return light of the unnecessary light component is detected together with the fluorescence to be detected. As a result, the S / N ratio of fluorescence detection may decrease. Therefore, the unnecessary light component is removed so that the sample is not irradiated with the unnecessary light component.
JP-A-10-93165 JP 2003-228004 A

  By the way, it is conceivable to monitor a specific light component by applying an optical monitor device to a device that extracts and uses a light component in a specific wavelength range from light emitted from a light source. That is, for example, it is conceivable that the extracted specific light component is separated in light quantity by a beam splitter or the like and a part of the specific light component is used as monitor light.

  However, an optical unit including a wavelength filter for wavelength separation or the like is already disposed in an apparatus that uses a specific light component extracted by wavelength separation of light emitted from a light source. If an optical unit including a beam splitter for light quantity separation is further arranged in the vicinity of the optical unit for wavelength separation, unnecessary light components that are not used in the above apparatus are reflected between the optical units. Thereby, the generation | occurrence | production opportunity of the stray light which consists of an unnecessary light component with which an optical path is not decided increases remarkably. If stray light composed of unnecessary light components is mixed in the propagation path of the specific light component used in the apparatus, the S / N of the specific light component may be reduced. In addition, there arises a problem that the apparatus size becomes large in order to secure a space for accommodating the optical unit for light quantity separation. For this reason, there is a demand for suppressing the increase in the size of the apparatus while suppressing the mixing of unnecessary light components into the optical path through which a specific light component propagates.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when applied to an apparatus that extracts and uses a light component in a specific wavelength range from light emitted from a light source, the quality of the specific light component It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical monitor device that can suppress the decrease in size and the size of the device.

  An optical monitoring device of the present invention is an optical monitoring device used for an apparatus that has a wavelength filter that extracts a light component in a predetermined wavelength range from light emitted from a light source and uses the extracted specific light component. The wavelength filter causes the unnecessary light component other than the specific light component to propagate outside the optical path of the specific light component, and detects the light intensity of the unnecessary light component propagated outside the optical path. And monitoring the state of the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter using the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means.

  The state of the specific light component can be the light intensity or wavelength of the specific light component.

  The device using the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that reflects the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter, and the light monitor device leaks the specific light component that has passed through the dichroic mirror. The apparatus further comprises a leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the light component, and uses the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means to determine the state of the wavelength of the specific light component. It can be monitored.

  The device using the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that transmits the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter, and the light monitor device is reflected by the dichroic mirror in the specific light component. A leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the leakage light component is further provided, and the wavelength state of the specific light component using the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means Can also be monitored.

  The state of the wavelength of the specific light component can be a wavelength that indicates the peak intensity in the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the specific light component.

  The apparatus using the specific light component includes a light irradiation means for irradiating the sample with the specific light component, and a fluorescence detection means for detecting the fluorescence emitted from the sample irradiated with the specific light component. It can be.

  The wavelength filter may be a multilayer filter.

  According to the optical monitor device of the present invention, a specific light component is extracted from the light emitted from the light source by the wavelength filter, and the unnecessary light component detected by being propagated outside the optical path through which the specific light component propagates is detected. Since the state of the specific light component is monitored using the light intensity, the deterioration of the quality of the extracted specific light component and the increase in the device size in the device using the specific light component are suppressed. Application of the optical monitoring device to this device can be carried out.

  In other words, since the wavelength filter also serves as an optical system that extracts unnecessary light components that become monitor light components, an optical member or the like for extracting monitor light in the optical path of the extracted specific light components is added. Therefore, the generation of stray light composed of unnecessary light components due to the addition of an optical member or the like can be suppressed. At the same time, an increase in the device size to which the optical monitor device is applied can be suppressed. As a result, in an apparatus that uses a specific light component, it is possible to prevent the unnecessary light component from being mixed into the optical path through which the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter propagates, and to suppress an increase in the size of the apparatus. it can.

  Here, for example, if the light emitted from the light source does not cause wavelength fluctuation, the light intensity of the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter is proportional to the light intensity of the unnecessary light component. By detecting the light intensity of the component, the light intensity of the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter can be monitored more accurately.

  In addition, the device that uses the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that reflects the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter, and the light monitor device has the leakage light in the specific light component that has passed through the dichroic mirror. A leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the component is provided, and the state of the wavelength of the specific light component is monitored using the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means. If so, the state of the wavelength of the specific light component can be detected without being affected by fluctuations in the amount of light emitted from the light source, and the state of the specific light component can be monitored more accurately. it can.

  That is, for example, if the ratio between the detected light intensity of the unwanted light component and the light intensity of the leaked light component is constant, there is no wavelength variation in the light emitted from the light source, and the light of the specific light component It can be seen that there is no variation in the intensity wavelength distribution.

  Further, for example, if the ratio of the detected light intensity of the unnecessary light component and the light intensity of the leaked light component varies, the wavelength variation occurs in the light emitted from the light source, and the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the specific light component It can be seen that there are fluctuations.

  In addition, for example, if the ratio of the light intensity of the unwanted light component to the light intensity of the detected leaked light component is constant and both light intensity increases or decreases, wavelength variation occurs in the light emitted from the light source. It can be seen that the light intensity increases or decreases. That is, it can be seen that only the light intensity is increased or decreased without fluctuation in the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of a specific light component.

  The device using the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that transmits the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter, and the light monitor device is reflected by the dichroic mirror. A specific light component having leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the leakage light component and transmitted through the dichroic mirror using the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means If this state is monitored, the same effect as that obtained when the dichroic mirror that reflects the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter is employed in the device using the specific light component can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus to which an optical monitor apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the laser light on coordinates where the vertical axis indicates light intensity and the horizontal axis indicates wavelength. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the wavelength distribution of light intensity, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the light intensity of the excitation light component on the vertical axis and the light intensity of the unnecessary light component on the horizontal axis.

  An optical monitoring device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 is an optical monitoring device used for a confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus 200. The confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus 200 has a wavelength filter 216 that extracts a light component in a predetermined wavelength range from the laser light Lz that is light emitted from the light source 212, and is a specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter 216. A certain excitation light component Le is used. The confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus 200 irradiates the sample 1 with the excitation light component Le and detects the fluorescence Le emitted from the sample 1 that has been irradiated with the excitation light component Le.

  The wavelength filter 216 is a multilayer filter, and an unnecessary light component Lf other than the excitation light component Le that is a specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter 216 is propagated outside the optical path through which the excitation light component Le propagates. It is something to be made.

  The optical monitoring device 100 includes an unnecessary light detection unit 10 that detects the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf propagated out of the optical path through which the excitation light component Le propagates, and is detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10. The state of a specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter 216 is monitored using the light intensity.

  That is, the state of the excitation light component Le that is the specific light component and the state of the sample irradiation light component Lei that is separated from the excitation light component Le and irradiated onto the sample 1 are monitored. The states of the excitation light component Le and the sample irradiation light component Lei to be monitored are the light intensity and wavelength of each light component.

  In addition, the confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus 200 includes a dichroic mirror 218 that reflects the excitation light component Le extracted by the wavelength filter 216, and the light monitoring apparatus 100 includes the extracted excitation light component Le. The leakage light detection unit 20 that detects the light intensity of the leakage light component Lem that has passed through the dichroic mirror 218 and the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 and the leakage light detection unit 20 And a calculation unit 30 for obtaining a ratio of the leaked light component Lem to the light intensity.

  The calculation unit 30 outputs a signal indicating a result obtained based on the calculation of the ratio and the like. That is, the calculation unit 30 outputs a signal Sg indicating the wavelength state of the excitation light component Le or the sample irradiation light component Lei. The signal Sg output from the arithmetic unit 30 is input to the display unit 40 and the result is displayed on the display unit 40.

  Although the wavelength state of the excitation light component Le can be known only by detecting the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10, the leakage light component Lem in the leakage light detection unit 20. By adding the detection of the light intensity, it is possible to know the state of the light intensity of the excitation light component Le more accurately.

  As described above, the sample irradiation light component Lei and the leakage light component Lem are light components separated from the excitation light component Le by the dichroic mirror 218, and are light components that constitute a part of the excitation light component Le. However, the light intensity of the leakage light component Lem is extremely smaller than that of the sample irradiation light component Lei. Therefore, the excitation light component Le and the sample irradiation light component Lei can be regarded as having substantially the same light intensity and wavelength distribution in the measurement with the confocal fluorescence microscope 200.

  Next, the configuration of the confocal fluorescence microscope 200 will be described.

  The confocal fluorescence microscope 200 is emitted from the excitation light irradiation unit 210 that irradiates a predetermined object position Po with the sample irradiation light component Lei (excitation light Le), and the excitation light irradiation unit 210 at the predetermined object position Po. And a fluorescence detection unit 230 that detects fluorescence Lk emitted from the sample 1, which is a test object irradiated with the sample irradiation light component Lei (excitation light Le).

  The excitation light irradiation unit 210 includes a laser light source 212 that emits the laser light Lz, a converging lens 214 that converges the laser light Lz emitted from the laser light source 212, and an unnecessary wavelength in the laser light Lz that has passed through the converging lens 214. The wavelength filter 216 that blocks the component and transmits the light component within the wavelength range of the excitation light Le, the dichroic mirror 218 that reflects the excitation light Le extracted by the wavelength filter 216, and the excitation reflected by the dichroic mirror 218 An object point side condensing lens 222 that condenses the sample irradiation light component Lei, which is a light component, on one point on the sample 1 is provided.

  The dichroic mirror 218 reflects the excitation light Le and transmits the fluorescence Lk.

  The excitation light irradiation unit 210 and the fluorescence detection unit 230 share the dichroic mirror 218 and the object-side condenser lens 222.

  The fluorescence detection unit 230 includes an object point side condensing lens 222 that condenses the fluorescence Lk emitted from the sample 1 that has been irradiated with the sample irradiation light component Lei that is the condensed excitation light component, and the object point. The dichroic mirror 218 that transmits the fluorescent light Lk emitted from the side condenser lens 222 and reflects the excitation light component, and the noise light that is mixed into the fluorescent light Lk that passes through the dichroic mirror 218 and that passes through the fluorescent light Lk An image point side collector that collects the light cut filter 232, the pinhole plate 236 formed with the pinhole Ho, and the fluorescence Lk that has passed through the noise light cut filter 232 into the pinhole Ho formed on the pinhole plate 236. The optical lens 234 and the detection part 238 which detects the fluorescence Lk which passed through the pinhole Ho are provided.

  The object point side condensing lens 222 and the image point side condensing lens 234 form an image of one point on the sample 1 located at the object point side focal point Fb in a pinhole Ho located at the image point side focal point Fz. The optical system 246 is configured. With respect to the imaging optical system 246, one point on the sample 1 located at the object point side focal point Fb and the pinhole Ho located at the image point side focal point Fz have a conjugate positional relationship.

  Note that the sample irradiation light component Lei emitted from the excitation light irradiation unit 210 is focused on the object point side focal point Fb.

  Next, the operation of the optical monitor device will be described.

  The laser light Lz emitted from the laser light source 212 of the excitation light irradiation unit 210 is converged through the converging lens 214 and is wavelength-separated by the wavelength filter 216.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the wavelength filter 216 separates the incident light at the wavelength λo, reflects the unnecessary light component Lf exceeding the wavelength λo in the laser light Lz, and reflects the wavelength in the laser light Lz. The excitation light component Le of λo or less is transmitted.

  The wavelength filter 216 removes the light component of the region Rf1 corresponding to the unnecessary light component Lf exceeding the wavelength λo in the wavelength distribution H1 of the light intensity of the laser light Lz (hereinafter also referred to as the wavelength distribution H1 of the laser light Lz). The light component of the region Re1 corresponding to the excitation light component Le having a wavelength λo or less is transmitted.

  When the wavelength distribution H1 of the laser beam Lz does not vary, that is, when the peak wavelength λp1 does not vary, or when the variation is slight, as shown in FIG. 3, the light intensity E (e of the excitation light component Le ) And the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf are constant as shown by a straight line M1 in the figure. Therefore, the light intensity E (e) of the excitation light component Le changes in proportion to the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf. For example, when the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 is the light intensity Ef1, the light intensity of the excitation light component Le can be obtained as the light intensity Ee1.

  For example, although the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf is increased by 10%, the light intensity E (e) of the excitation light component Le is also increased by 10%.

  When the wavelength distribution H1 fluctuates, the ratio between the light intensity E (e) of the excitation light component Le and the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf fluctuates, and the light intensity E (e ) And the light intensity E (f) deviate from the relationship indicated by the straight line M1 in the figure. Accordingly, an error occurs in the light intensity E (e) of the excitation light component Le obtained from the detected value of the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf according to the variation, and therefore the peak wavelength λp1 of the laser light Lz For example, the fluctuation is desirably 1% or less.

  The relationship indicated by the straight line M1 is stored in the calculation unit 30, and the calculation unit 30 to which the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 is input is the light intensity of the excitation light component Le. Can be requested. A signal Sg indicating the light intensity of the excitation light component Le output from the calculation unit 30 is input to the display unit 40 and displayed on the display unit 40.

  As described above, from the light intensity E (f) of the unnecessary light component Lf reflected by the wavelength filter 216 detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10, the light intensity E of the excitation light component Le which is a specific light component state. (E) can be obtained. Thereby, it is not necessary to provide a separate optical member or the like for detecting the light intensity E (e) of the unnecessary light component Lf in the optical path of the excitation light component Le, and an optical member or the like disposed in the optical path. It is possible to suppress the generation of stray light composed of unnecessary light components reflected by.

  By the above, it is possible to suppress the mixing of the unnecessary light component Lf into the optical path through which the excitation light component Le extracted by the wavelength filter 216 of the confocal fluorescence microscope 200 propagates, and the apparatus size of the confocal fluorescence microscope 200 Increase in size can be suppressed.

  Next, monitoring of the excitation light component when the wavelength variation occurs in the laser light Lz will be described. That is, the state of the wavelength of the excitation light component Le using the light intensity of the excitation light component Lf detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 in addition to the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10. A case of obtaining the above will be described.

  FIG. 4 is a graph showing changes in wavelength distribution of laser light in which wavelength variation occurs on the coordinates indicating light intensity on the vertical axis and wavelength on the horizontal axis, and FIG. It is a figure which shows the relationship between a peak wavelength and a ratio on the coordinate which shows the ratio of the light intensity of an unnecessary light component, and the light intensity of an excitation light component.

  As shown in FIG. 4, similarly to the above, the wavelength distribution of the laser light Lz emitted from the light source 212 forms the wavelength distribution H1. Further, the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 is the light intensity Ef1 corresponding to the region Rf1 in the wavelength distribution H1 in the figure, and the leaked light detected by the leaked light detection unit 20 The light intensity of the component Lem is the light intensity Eem1 corresponding to the region Re1 in the wavelength distribution H1 in the drawing.

  Here, it is assumed that the wavelength distribution H1 of the laser light Lz is shifted to the long wavelength side, and the wavelength distribution H1 having the peak wavelength λ1p is shifted to the wavelength distribution H2 having the peak wavelength λ2p. Thereby, the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 becomes the light intensity Ef2 corresponding to the region Rf2 in the wavelength distribution H2, and the leakage light component Lem detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 is detected. The light intensity becomes the light intensity Eem2 corresponding to the region Re2 in the wavelength distribution H2.

  The shape of the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser light Lz is constant even if the light intensity or wavelength changes. Therefore, the shape of the wavelength distribution H1 matches the shape of the wavelength distribution H2.

  As described above, when the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser light Lz is shifted to the long wavelength side, the ratio of the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 to the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 increases. .

  When the laser light Lz having the wavelength distribution H1 is emitted from the light source 212, the ratio of the light intensity Ef1 detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 to the light intensity Eem1 detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 is a value K1. is there. The ratio of the light intensity Ef2 detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 to the light intensity Eem2 detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 when the laser light Lz having the wavelength distribution H2 is emitted from the light source 212 is a value K2. is there. Here, since the value K2 of the ratio is larger than the value K1 of the ratio, it can be seen that the wavelength distribution of the laser light Lz has shifted to the long wavelength side. The calculation unit 30 determines the ratio value.

  By knowing the fluctuation of the ratio value obtained by the arithmetic unit 30, the fluctuation of the peak wavelength of the laser light Lz can be known.

  Further, the calculation unit 30 obtains the values of the peak wavelengths λp1 and λp2 in the wavelength distributions H1 and H2 from the ratio, the wavelength λo for wavelength separation, and the shape formed by the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser light Lz acquired in advance. You can also.

  That is, since the shape of the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser light Lz (which is also referred to as the wavelength distribution of the laser light Lz) is constant, the light intensity of the unnecessary light component on the longer wavelength side exceeding the wavelength λo and the wavelength λo The shape of the wavelength distribution of the laser beam Lz based on the wavelength λo can be obtained from the ratio of the light intensity of the leakage light component on the short wavelength side below. The value of the peak wavelength in this wavelength distribution can be determined from the shape of the wavelength distribution thus determined.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 5, a curve S1 indicating the relationship between the ratio value K and the peak wavelength λp is obtained in advance, and the peak is determined from the ratio value obtained by the arithmetic unit 30 with reference to the curve S1. The wavelength value can be determined. Further, from the increase / decrease of the ratio, it is possible to know the fluctuation direction and the fluctuation amount of the wavelength of the laser light Lz.

  Hereinafter, monitoring of the excitation light component when the light amount fluctuation occurs in the laser light will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a graph showing changes in the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser light in which the light intensity fluctuates on the coordinates indicating the light intensity on the vertical axis and the wavelength on the horizontal axis, and FIG. It is a figure which shows both relationship on the coordinate which shows intensity | strength and the light intensity of an unnecessary light component on a horizontal axis.

  As shown in FIG. 6, similarly to the above, the wavelength distribution of the laser light Lz emitted from the light source 212 forms the wavelength distribution H1. Further, the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 is the light intensity Ef1 corresponding to the region Rf1 in the wavelength distribution H1 in the figure, and the leaked light detected by the leaked light detection unit 20 The light intensity of the component Lem is the light intensity Eem1 corresponding to the region Re1 in the wavelength distribution H1 in the drawing.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 6, the light intensity of the laser light Lz changes, and the wavelength distribution H1 shifts in the vertical axis direction indicating the light intensity, so that the wavelength distribution H1 having the peak wavelength λ1p is the same as described above. Is shifted to a wavelength distribution H3 having a peak wavelength λ1p. Thereby, the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 becomes the light intensity Ef3 corresponding to the region Rf3 in the wavelength distribution H3, and the leakage light component Lem detected by the leakage light detection unit 20 is detected. The light intensity becomes the light intensity Eem3 corresponding to the region Re3 in the wavelength distribution H3.

  Here, the ratio of the light intensity Ef1 to the light intensity Eem1 matches the ratio of the light intensity Ef3 to the light intensity Eem3. That is, the equation Ef1 / Eem1 = Ef3 / Eem3 holds.

  As shown in FIG. 6, when the light intensity of the laser light Lz fluctuates without causing a wavelength fluctuation in the laser light Lz emitted from the light source, it indicates that no wavelength fluctuation has occurred in the laser light Lz. This can be confirmed by checking whether the ratio between the light intensity of the component and the light intensity of the leakage light component is constant.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the ratio between the light intensity Ee of the excitation light component Le and the light intensity Ef of the unnecessary light component Lf is constant as shown by a straight line M3 in the figure. That is, the light intensity Ee of the excitation light component Le changes in proportion to the light intensity Ef of the unnecessary light component Lf.

  For example, when the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 is the light intensity Ef1, the light intensity of the excitation light component Le can be obtained as the light intensity Ee1 with reference to the straight line M3. it can. Thereafter, when the light intensity of the laser light Lz fluctuates without causing wavelength fluctuation in the laser light Lz, and the light intensity of the unnecessary light component Lf detected by the unnecessary light detection unit 10 becomes the light intensity Ef3, With reference to the straight line M3, the light intensity of the excitation light component Le can be obtained as the light intensity Ee3.

  Since the sample irradiation light component Lei is obtained by separating a part of the excitation light component Le, the wavelength distribution of the sample irradiation light component Lei and the excitation light component Le is the same. As for the light intensity, the ratio of the two light intensities is always constant. Therefore, if the wavelength or light intensity state of either the sample irradiation light component Lei or the excitation light component Le is obtained, the other wavelength or light intensity state can be obtained.

  In the above embodiment, the state of the specific light component reflected by the dichroic mirror is monitored, but the state of the specific light component transmitted through the dichroic mirror may be monitored. That is, a device that uses a specific light component has a dichroic mirror that transmits the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter, and the light monitor device leaks light in the specific light component that is reflected by the dichroic mirror. A state of a specific light component that has passed through the dichroic mirror using the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection unit, provided with a leakage light detection unit that detects the light intensity of the component Can also be monitored. Thereby, the same effect as the case of having a dichroic mirror that reflects the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter can be obtained.

The conceptual diagram which shows schematic structure of the confocal fluorescence microscope apparatus to which the optical monitor apparatus by embodiment of this invention is applied The figure which shows wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser beam Diagram showing the relationship between the light intensity of the unwanted light component and the light intensity of the excitation light component The figure which shows the change of wavelength distribution of the laser beam where wavelength fluctuation occurs The figure which shows the relationship between the peak wavelength of a laser beam, and the ratio of the light intensity of an unnecessary light component, and the light intensity of an excitation light component The figure which shows the change of the wavelength distribution of the light intensity of the laser beam where the light quantity fluctuation occurs The figure which shows the line showing the relationship between the light intensity of an excitation light component, and the light intensity of an unnecessary light component

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Unwanted light detection part 20 Leakage light detection part 100 Optical monitor apparatus 200 Confocal microscope apparatus 210 Excitation light irradiation part 212 Light source 216 Wavelength filter 230 Fluorescence detection part Lz Laser light Le Specific light component Lf Unnecessary light component

Claims (5)

An optical monitor device used in a device having a wavelength filter for extracting a light component in a predetermined wavelength range from light emitted from a light source and using the extracted specific light component,
The wavelength filter propagates unnecessary light components other than the specific light component out of the optical path of the specific light component,
Unnecessary light detecting means for detecting the light intensity of the unnecessary light component propagated out of the optical path, and monitoring the state of the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter using the detected light intensity. An optical monitor device characterized by the above. The apparatus using the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that reflects the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter,
The light monitoring device further includes leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the leakage light component in the specific light component that has passed through the dichroic mirror, and the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means and the light intensity 2. The optical monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength state of the specific light component is monitored using the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means. The device using the specific light component has a dichroic mirror that transmits the specific light component extracted by the wavelength filter,
The light monitoring device further comprises leakage light detection means for detecting the light intensity of the leakage light component in the specific light component reflected by the dichroic mirror, and the light intensity detected by the unnecessary light detection means 2. The optical monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength state of the specific light component is monitored using the light intensity detected by the leakage light detection means.   The apparatus using the specific light component includes: a light irradiation unit that irradiates the sample with the specific light component; and a fluorescence detection unit that detects fluorescence emitted from the sample that has been irradiated with the specific light component. The optical monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the optical monitor device is provided.   5. The optical monitor device according to claim 1, wherein the wavelength filter is a multilayer filter.

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