JPH0814833A - Measurement microscope - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To measure the size or the like of an observation object, independent of the magnification of an optical system, and easily compose or separate a microscale with or from a sample image. CONSTITUTION:Regarding a measurement microscope where a beam incident from a measurement object through an objective lens is introduced to an imaging optical system to form an observation object image on the prescribed imaging surface for the subsequent formation of an observation image with a microscale superposed on the observation object image, the features of the microscope are that a plurality of interference fringes due to coherent light are formed on observation object surface 10, and the interference fringes are used as microscales.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a measuring microscope for measuring the size of a specimen observed by a microscope and the amount of movement of the specimen using a microscale.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a microscope is often used to observe living cells. Depending on the sample, a reaction (a change in morphology due to swelling or movement of cells) when a stimulus is applied from the outside may be observed under a microscope and the dimensional change of the sample or the amount of movement of the sample due to stimulation may be measured.

When measuring a change in the size of a specimen being observed with a microscope or the amount of movement of the specimen due to a stimulus, a microscale is inserted in the image plane of the microscope, and an image obtained by superimposing the specimen image and the microscale on each other. I was trying to observe.

As a method of superimposing the sample image being observed and the microscale in the same visual field, there is a method of arranging the microscale at the image forming position in the eyepiece lens. In addition, a reference microscale image is picked up by an electronic image pickup device such as a television camera through an optical system of a microscope, and the image is stored in a storage device such as a frame memory.
Then, at the time of observation, an image of the sample is picked up by an electronic image pickup device through the same optical system as the microscale, and the microscale image and the sample image are electrically combined to superimpose them in the same visual field. You can

[0005]

However, the method of measuring the size and movement amount of the sample by inserting the microscale in the image plane of the microscope is changed when the imaging magnification of the optical system of the microscope changes. The standard microscale must be replaced according to the later magnification. In particular, when the zoom magnification of the microscope is used to continuously change the observation magnification depending on the situation, it is difficult to calibrate the microscale without impairing the temporal continuity of the observation.

The method of preliminarily picking up a microscale image with a television camera or the like and superimposing it on a sample image requires a computer having an image processing function and continuously changes the observation magnification by a zoom magnification mechanism. If it is, it is difficult to calibrate on a microscale without impairing the temporal continuity of observation.

Further, depending on the condition of the sample, it may be difficult to observe the details of the sample because the microscale overlaps the observed image. In such a case, it is necessary to separate the microscale from the observed image. In the method of superimposing the microscale and the sample image by the above-described electrical synthesis, the microscale can be easily erased from the observed image by cutting the microscale signal. However, in the method of arranging the microscale directly on the image plane, it is necessary to devise a mechanism so as not to change the optical characteristics due to the movement of the scale, which complicates the structure of the microscope.

If it is desired to keep the microscale to be superposed on the observed image constant regardless of the observation magnification, the microscale may be arranged on the object to be observed. However, if you create a microscale on the surface of a slide glass or cover glass and overlay it on the object to be observed as it is, the information of the microscale and the observed object will remain combined, and the information of the observed object can be separated. There is a problem that you can not do it.

Further, by disposing the microscale at a position conjugate with the sample surface of the illumination optical system of the microscope and projecting the scale image on the sample surface, the microscale and the observation sample can be superposed. However, a high-performance illumination optical system is required to project a precise microscale on the sample surface. In addition, it is necessary to devise a mechanism so that the change of the optical characteristics due to the movement of the scale does not occur when the scale information is separated, similar to the case where the microscale is arranged in the eyepiece, and the structure of the microscope is complicated. Will end up.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and it is possible to measure the size and movement amount of an object to be observed under a microscope, regardless of the magnification of the optical system, according to a fixed standard. An object of the present invention is to provide a measuring microscope which can be easily combined with and separated from an observation object.

[0011]

The present invention has taken the following means in order to achieve the above object. The present invention corresponding to claim 1 forms an observed object image on a predetermined image forming surface by guiding a light flux from the observed object that has entered from the objective lens to the imaging optical system, and the microscale is used as the observed object. In a measuring microscope that forms an observation image superimposed on an object image, interference fringes due to a plurality of coherent light beams are formed on the observed object surface, and the interference fringes are used as the microscale.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a light beam from an object to be observed, which has entered from an objective lens, is guided to an image forming optical system to form an image of the object to be observed on a predetermined image forming surface, and a micro scale is formed. In a measurement microscope that forms an observation image superimposed on the observed object image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, and a plurality of light guides coherent light emitted from the coherent light source to a plurality of locations facing the observed object surface. An optical fiber; and a fiber holding means for holding the exit side end face of each optical fiber toward the observed object surface so that the optical axis of the optical fiber forms a predetermined angle with respect to the perpendicular of the observed object surface. It was configured to do.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a light beam from an object to be observed, which has entered from an objective lens, is guided to an image forming optical system to form an image of the object to be observed on a predetermined image forming surface, and the micro scale is used. In a measurement microscope that forms an observation image superimposed on an observed object image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, and coherent light emitted from the coherent light source is guided to a plurality of locations facing the observed object surface, and these coherent A light guiding optical system that allows light to enter the same region of the observed object surface at a predetermined angle, and a small incident angle for coherent light that is provided in the light guiding optical system and that is guided to the observed object surface. And a diffractive optical element that exerts a diffractive action on.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, an object to be observed is illuminated by an illumination optical system having a condenser lens arranged to face the objective lens, and a light flux from the object to be observed incident from the objective lens is formed into an image forming optical system. Forming an observed object image on a predetermined image plane by guiding the system, in a measurement microscope that forms an observation image in which a microscale is superposed on the observed object image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light,
An optical branching element that is disposed between the condenser lens and the observed object, branches the coherent light incident from the coherent light source into a plurality of beams, and is disposed between the condenser lens and the observed object. A plurality of mirrors for making a plurality of coherent light beams branched by the branching element incident on the observed object surface at a predetermined angle are adopted.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, an object to be observed is illuminated by an illumination optical system having a condenser lens arranged to face the objective lens, and a light beam from the object to be observed incident from the objective lens is formed into an image forming optical system. Forming an observed object image on a predetermined image plane by guiding the system, in a measurement microscope that forms an observation image in which a microscale is superposed on the observed object image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light,
A half arranged between the condenser lens and the object to be observed, which reflects coherent light incident from the coherent light source to the condenser lens side at a predetermined angle with respect to the observation optical axis and transmits a part of the coherent light. A mirror, a mirror arranged between the condenser lens and the object to be observed, and reflecting coherent light transmitted through the half mirror to the condenser lens side at the same angle as the half mirror with respect to the observation optical axis; It is configured to include a coherent light beam reflected by the half mirror and a diffractive optical element for making the coherent light beam reflected by the mirror incident on the same position on the observed object surface.

The present invention corresponding to claim 6 is characterized in that any one of the above measuring microscopes is provided with an optical path opening / closing means for opening / closing the optical path of the coherent light. The present invention corresponding to claim 7 is characterized in that, in any one of the above-described measurement microscopes, a power supply for supplying electric power to the coherent light source can be turned on and off.

[0017]

The present invention has the following effects by taking the above measures. According to the present invention corresponding to claim 1, the interference fringes formed by causing a plurality of coherent light beams to interfere with each other are projected on the observed object plane. The interference fringes projected on the surface of the object to be observed are imaged together with the image of the object to be observed through the imaging optical system, and an observation image in which the interference fringes as a microscale are superimposed on the image of the object to be observed is formed. When the magnification of the imaging optical system is changed, the interference fringes are relayed to the image plane with the same magnification as the observed object image, so the measurement of the observed object without changing the microscale length standard. It can be performed.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the plurality of coherent light beams are guided by the optical fiber to a position facing the object to be observed, and are incident on the surface of the object to be observed at an angle held by the fiber holding means. Interference fringes are formed.

According to the present invention corresponding to claim 3, when a plurality of coherent light beams pass through the diffractive optical element provided in the light guiding optical system, they are diffracted and deflected. Therefore, coherent light having an angle larger than the numerical aperture of the objective lens can be incident on the surface of the observed object at an angle smaller than the numerical aperture.

According to the present invention corresponding to claim 4, a plurality of coherent light beams split by the light splitting element are incident on the illumination light flux from between the condenser lens and the object surface to be observed by the plurality of mirrors. Interference fringes are formed on the observation object plane.
As a result, a microscale composed of interference fringes is projected onto the object to be observed during transmission illumination observation.

According to the present invention corresponding to claim 5, the two light beams divided into the transmission component and the reflection component by the half mirror are diffracted by the first and second diffractive optical elements, and the coherent light is obtained. Is deflected so that the angle with respect to the observation optical axis becomes small, and is incident on a predetermined portion of the surface of the observed object to form an interference fringe. Therefore, even if the coherent light is incident on the transmitted illumination light flux from between the condenser lens and the surface of the object to be observed at an angle larger than the numerical aperture of the objective lens, the coherent light is deflected to an angle smaller than the same numerical aperture and the object to be observed is deflected. It can be incident on a surface.

According to the present invention corresponding to claim 6, if the optical path of the coherent light is opened by the optical path opening / closing means,
A microscale is projected onto the surface of the observed object. Also,
When the optical path of the coherent light is closed by the optical path opening / closing means,
The coherent light is blocked there and the interference fringes disappear.

According to the present invention corresponding to claim 7, when the power is turned off, the interference fringes on the surface of the observed object disappear.
When the power is turned on, interference fringes are formed on the surface of the observed object.

[0024]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a measuring microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In the measuring microscope of the present embodiment, the objective lens 2 is arranged on the upper surface of the microscope stage 1 so as to face it, and the light flux from the objective lens 2 is branched into two directions on the optical axis of the objective lens 2 inserted on the observation optical axis. An optical path branching member 3 is arranged. One light flux branched by the optical path branching member 3 is guided to the eyepiece lens 4, and the other light flux is guided to the photographing optical system.
The imaging optical system is provided with an image forming lens 5 for forming a sample image, and a TV camera 6 having an image pickup surface arranged at the image forming position of the image forming lens 5. Hereinafter, the observation optical system from the objective lens 2 to the eyepiece lens 4 and the objective lens 2 to the TV
The image pickup optical system up to the image forming plane of the camera 6 is called an image forming optical system. A display device 7 is connected to the TV camera 6. A slide glass 8 is placed on the microscope stage 1, and a cover glass 9 is placed on the slide glass 8 to prepare the specimen 1.
It is placed so as to sandwich 0.

On the other hand, below the microscope stage 1, a scale generation optical system for generating a microscale composed of interference fringes on the sample surface 10 and a transmission illumination optical system for Koehler illumination of the sample surface 10 are arranged. There is.

The scale generation optical system includes a coherent light source 11 composed of a He-Ne laser, a beam splitter 12 for splitting the coherent light into two beams, and auxiliary mirrors 13, 2 for adjusting the incident angle of the coherent light incident on the beam splitter 12. It is composed of first and second mirrors 14 and 15 for making one split coherent light incident on the sample surface, and a shutter 16 provided on the optical path between the coherent light source 11 and the beam splitter 12.

The transmitted illumination optical system has the structure shown in FIG. Light source 20 in the lamp house attached to the base of the microscope
The relay optical system 2 for illumination is stored inside the microscope base.
1 is stored. The relay optical system for lighting 2 in the base
The deflection mirror 22 is provided at a position on the optical axis of 1 and corresponding to the observation optical axis. The condenser lens 2 is placed on the optical axis of the illumination optical system bent vertically upward by the deflection mirror 22.
3 is provided.

Next, the operation of this embodiment configured as described above will be described. The light emitted from the light source 20 of the transmission illumination optical system is projected onto the pupil plane of the condenser lens 23 by the relay optical system 21, and the condenser lens 23 uniformly illuminates the sample surface 10 with Koehler illumination. The light emitted by the condenser lens 23 is diffracted by the sample surface 10 and enters the objective lens 2, and the light passing through the objective lens 2 is formed by the imaging optical system on the image pickup surface of the TV camera 6 and in front of the eyepiece lens 4, respectively. Form an image.

On the other hand, the coherent light emitted from the coherent light source 11 enters the beam splitter 12 through the shutter 16 in the open state and is split into two light beams. One of the light fluxes is incident on the first mirror 14, is reflected, and is incident on the sample surface 10 at an angle θ with respect to the observation optical axis.
Similarly, the other light beam split by the beam splitter 12 enters the second mirror 15 and is reflected and then enters the same region of the sample surface 10 at an angle θ with respect to the observation optical axis.
As a result, interference fringes due to the two light beams are formed on the sample surface 10.

Here, when two coherent parallel light beams are caused to interfere with each other at an angle 2θ as shown in FIG. 3, an interference fringe having a distance d given by the following equation is formed on the A surface. d = λ / (2 · sin θ) (1) From the equation (1), the interval d of the interference fringes formed on the A surface can be adjusted by changing the wavelength λ of the incident light beam or the angle θ. I know that I can do it. In the present embodiment, the interference fringes are used as a microscale by adjusting the incident angle θ of the coherent light and adjusting the interval d of the interference fringes to an arbitrary size.

If the incident angle θ of the coherent light forming the interference fringes on the sample surface 10 is smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2, the interference fringes formed on the sample surface 10 will be image-forming optical system of a microscope. The sample image being observed is relayed to the image forming plane, and interference fringes are formed again on the image forming plane. TV
When an image in which interference fringes are superimposed on the sample image is projected on the imaging surface of the camera 6, the image is converted into an image signal and the display device 9
Is displayed in.

FIG. 4 shows an observation image of a sample image on which interference fringes are projected. A He-Ne laser is used as the coherent light source 11, the incident angle θ of the coherent light is set to 60 degrees, and a polystyrene microsphere of 7.2 μm is observed by the 100 × objective lens 2. On the observed image, interference fringes are formed at intervals of 0.63 μm for the 7.2 μm microspheres. The observer can measure the diameter of the microsphere using the interference fringe as a microscale.

To eliminate the microscale interference fringes from the observed image, the shutter 6 disposed between the coherent light source 11 and the beam splitter 12 is closed. By closing the shutter 6, the coherent light incident on the beam splitter 12 is blocked, and as a result, the coherent light incident on the sample surface disappears and the interference fringes disappear.

When the magnification of the imaging optical system changes, if the incident angle θ of the coherent light forming the interference fringes is smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2 and is constant, the interference fringes are formed on the sample surface. Therefore, the sample image and the interference fringes are relayed to the image forming plane of the image forming optical system at the same magnification. Therefore, the observation object can be measured without changing the size of the microscale formed of the interference fringes.

As described above, according to this embodiment, a plurality of coherent light beams are made incident on the sample surface to form interference fringes, and the interference fringes are used as a microscale. Therefore, the magnification of the imaging optical system is increased. Since the sample image and the microscale of the interference fringes are relayed at the same magnification even when changes in, there is no need to calibrate the microscale and workability can be improved.
In particular, when the zoom magnification is used to change the observation magnification, there is no need to calibrate the microscale, so there is no problem such as disrupting the temporal continuity of the observation.

Further, according to this embodiment, the interference fringes formed on the sample surface are used as a microscale, and the shutter 16 capable of blocking the coherent light incident on the sample surface 10 is provided. The microscale can be separated from the observed image without any change and without complicating the mechanism.

The shutter 16 is used in the first embodiment.
Is provided between the coherent light source 11 and the auxiliary mirror 13, but any other position may be used as long as it can shield the coherent light incident on the sample surface 10 as necessary. Alternatively, the interference fringes may be erased from the observed image by turning off a power source (not shown) that supplies power to the coherent light source 11.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 5 shows only the main part of the second embodiment, and the structures of the microscope main body and the illumination optical system are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the fiber holding base 24 is incorporated in the microscope stage 1. Fiber holder 2
No. 4 has an opening formed in its center for passing illumination light. The optical fibers 25a and 25b have their exit side end faces projecting from the opening side face of the fiber holding base 24 between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10, and the optical axis angles of the optical fibers with respect to the perpendicular of the sample surface 10 respectively. It is fixed to the fiber holding base 24 so as to be θ. In addition, the fiber holder 24 is an optical fiber 25.
The optical axis angles of a and 25b can be adjusted.

In this embodiment, the coherent light generated by the coherent light source 11 is split into two light beams, and the respective light beams are made incident on the incident end faces of the optical fibers 25a and 25. The coherent light emitted from the exit side end faces of the optical fibers 25a and 25 is incident on the sample surface 10 at an angle θ.
To form interference fringes. Optical fibers 25a, 2
By setting the angle between the optical axis of 5b and the perpendicular of the sample surface 10 to be smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2, it is possible to project a microscale composed of interference fringes on the sample image during transmission illumination observation. . The interval of the interference fringes can be adjusted to an arbitrary interval by adjusting the optical axis angles of the optical fibers 25a and 25b by the fiber holding table 24.

According to this embodiment, a plurality of coherent light beams are guided between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10 by using the optical fibers 25a and 25b, and are made to interfere on the sample surface at a predetermined angle. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the same effect as that of the first embodiment, and there is an advantage that the size can be reduced as compared with the case where the first and second mirrors 14 and 15 directly interfere with each other.

In the second embodiment, the two optical fibers 25a and 25b are used to guide the light into the transmitted illumination light beam. However, as shown in FIG. 6, four optical fibers 25 are used.
A to 25d may be arranged so as to be orthogonal to each other, and interference fringes that are orthogonal to each other may be formed on the sample surface 10.
A two-dimensional microscale can be formed by such interference fringes orthogonal to each other.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 7 shows only the main parts of the third embodiment, and the structures of the microscope main body and the illumination optical system are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the diffractive optical element 30 is horizontally arranged between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10. On the other hand, on the optical axis of the coherent light emitted horizontally from the coherent light source 11, a beam whose semi-transmissive surface is inclined at 45 degrees with respect to the optical axis at a position horizontally ahead of the condenser lens 23 by a predetermined distance. A splitter 31 is arranged. A mirror 32 tilted by 45 degrees is installed on the optical axis of the light transmitted through the beam splitter 31 and at a position horizontally separated from the condenser lens 23 by a predetermined distance. Furthermore, condenser lens 2
The first and second mirrors 33 and 34 are arranged at the same height position around the periphery of the light source 3 and at positions where the respective light beams vertically bent by the beam splitter 31 and the mirror 32 respectively enter. Since the first and second mirrors 33 and 34 are arranged apart from each other so as not to interfere with the condenser lens 23, the incident angle of the light flux entering the diffractive optical element 30 from the first and second mirrors 33 and 34. Is larger than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2. Also, the first and second mirrors 3
3, 34 are configured so that their angles can be adjusted.

In this embodiment having such a configuration, the coherent light emitted from the coherent light source 11 is split into two light beams by the beam splitter 31, and is vertically bent by the beam splitter 31 and the mirror 32. It is incident on the mirrors 33 and 34. The first and second mirrors 33,
The light flux reflected by 34 is deflected by being diffracted when passing through the diffractive optical element 30, and the angle with respect to the observation optical axis becomes smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2. Such light beams interfere with each other on the sample surface 10 to form interference fringes. The interference fringes are relayed to the image plane of the microscope by the image forming optical system together with the sample image.

Here, since the diffractive optical element 30 can be regarded as an aggregate of diffraction gratings, the diffractive optical element 3 is formed as shown in FIG.
When the incident angle to 0 is θi, the outgoing angle is θo, and the pitch of the diffraction grating of the incident light ray portion is T, the deflection angle by the diffractive optical element 30 is given by the following equation.

Sin θi−sin θo = ± λ / T (2) Therefore, from the equations (1) and (2), the diffractive optical element 30 is obtained.
The angle of the light beam incident on the first and second mirrors 33, 3
It is possible to adjust the interval of the interference fringes by adjusting using 4.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the diffractive optical element 30 is provided between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10, and the diffractive optical element 30 reduces the incident angle of the coherent light on the sample surface 10. Therefore, coherent light having an angle larger than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2 can be adjusted to an angle smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2, and the interference fringes can be relayed together with the sample image to the image plane of the microscope. You can In addition, the first and second mirrors 33 and 34 can calibrate the microscale interval formed of interference fringes.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that FIG. 9 shows only the main parts of the fourth embodiment, and the structures of the microscope main body and the illumination optical system are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36 are arranged between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10 so as to sandwich the observation optical axis. The coherent light from the coherent light source is incident on the beam splitter 35, and the light flux transmitted through the beam splitter 35 is incident on the mirror 36. The beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36 are angle-adjusted so as to reflect the respective incident lights toward the observation optical axis at an angle θ.
Mirrors 38 and 39 are embedded in a transparent plate 37 arranged between the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36 and the condenser lens 23. The mirrors 38 and 39 are at two positions with the observation optical axis sandwiched therebetween, and the beam splitter 35,
It is fixed at the incident position of the light from the mirror 36.

In this embodiment constructed as described above, the coherent light emitted from the coherent light source is split into two light beams by the beam splitter 35, one light beam is incident on the mirror 38, and the other light beam is reflected by the mirror 38. After being reflected by 36, it is incident on the mirror 39. The light reflected by the mirrors 38, 39 is incident on the sample surface 10 at an angle θ with respect to the optical axis, and forms interference fringes at intervals according to the angle θ.

By adjusting the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36, the incident angles to the mirrors 38 and 39 are changed and the incident angle θ of the light beam to the sample surface 10 is changed. Therefore, the adjustment amounts of the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36 are changed. Can adjust the microscale spacing.

In the above embodiment, the mirrors 38 and 39 are used.
Embedded in the transparent plate 37, the transparent plate 3
Instead of 7, half mirrors may be used to function also as the mirrors 38 and 39. With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate the uneven illumination of the transmitted illumination. Further, the mirrors 38 and 39 may be attached to the upper surface of the transparent plate 37.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to. Note that FIG. 10 shows only the essential parts of the fifth embodiment, and the structures of the microscope main body and the illumination optical system are the same as in the first embodiment.

In this embodiment, similarly to the fourth embodiment, the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36 are arranged between the condenser lens 23 and the sample surface 10 so as to sandwich the observation optical axis, and the beam splitter 35 and the mirror are arranged. A half mirror 37 ′ is arranged between 36 and the condenser lens 23. Reflection type diffractive optical elements 41 and 42 are formed on the half mirror 37 ′ at the incident positions of the light beams from the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36.

In the present embodiment configured as described above, the coherent light from the coherent light source is split into two light beams by the beam splitter 35, and the beam splitter 35
The light beam that has passed through is incident on the reflective diffractive optical element 42 via the mirror 36, and the light beam reflected by the beam splitter 35 is incident on the reflective diffractive optical element 41. The light beams incident on the respective reflection type diffractive optical elements 41, 42 are diffracted and deflected, and are incident on the same region of the sample surface 10 at an angle θ smaller than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2 to form interference fringes. The spacing of the interference fringes can be adjusted by changing the angles and positions of the beam splitter 35 and the mirror 36, and can be used as a microscale.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the sample surface 10
The beam splitter 35, the mirror 36, and the reflective diffractive optical element 4 in the illumination light flux between the condenser lens 23 and
Since 1 and 42 are arranged, the coherent light incident at an angle larger than the numerical aperture of the objective lens 2 can be made incident on the sample surface 10 at an angle smaller than the same numerical aperture, and a sample image under transmission illumination observation can be obtained. It can be measured on a micro scale using interference fringes.

The reflection type diffractive optical element may be formed on the entire surface of the half mirror 37 '. The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0059]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the size and movement amount of an object to be observed under a microscope can be measured with a fixed reference regardless of the magnification of the optical system. It is possible to provide a measuring microscope which is easy to synthesize and separate.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a measurement microscope according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a transmitted illumination optical system included in the measurement microscope according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of an observation image by the measuring microscope of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a measurement microscope according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a modification of the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a measurement microscope according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a measurement microscope according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a main part of a measurement microscope according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Microscope stage, 2 ... Objective lens, 4 ... Eyepiece lens, 5 ... Imaging lens, 6 ... TV camera, 11 ... Coherent light source, 12 ... Beam splitter, 14 ... First mirror, 15 ... Second mirror, 16 ... Shutter, 23 ...
Condenser lens, 25a to 25d ... Optical fiber, 3
0, 41, 42 ... Diffractive optical element.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Kazuo Shimizu 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An image of an object to be observed is formed on a predetermined image plane by guiding a light flux from the object to be observed entering from an objective lens to an imaging optical system, and a microscale is superposed on the image of the object to be observed. A measuring microscope for forming an observation image, wherein interference fringes formed by a plurality of coherent light beams are formed on the surface of the observed object, and the interference fringes are used as the microscale. 2. An image of an object to be observed is formed on a predetermined image forming plane by guiding a light flux from the object to be observed entering from an objective lens to an image forming optical system, and a microscale is superposed on the image of the object to be observed. In a measurement microscope that forms an observation image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, a plurality of optical fibers that guide the coherent light emitted from the coherent light source to a plurality of locations facing the observed object surface, and the observed object surface And a fiber holding means for holding the exit side end face of each optical fiber toward the observed object surface so that the optical axis of the optical fiber forms a predetermined angle with respect to the perpendicular line of the measurement microscope. . 3. An image of an object to be observed is formed on a predetermined image forming plane by guiding a light flux from the object to be observed entering from an objective lens to an image forming optical system, and a microscale is superposed on the image of the object to be observed. In a measurement microscope that forms an observation image, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, and coherent light emitted from the coherent light source is guided to a plurality of locations facing the observed object surface, and the coherent light is directed to the observed object surface. And a diffractive optical system which is provided in the light guiding optical system and exerts a diffracting action on the coherent light guided to the observed object surface so as to reduce the incident angle. A measuring microscope comprising an element. 4. An object to be observed is illuminated by an illumination optical system having a condenser lens arranged to face the objective lens,
By guiding the light flux from the object to be observed, which is incident from the objective lens, to the imaging optical system, an object image to be observed is formed on a predetermined image forming surface, and an observed image in which a microscale is superposed on the object image to be observed is formed. In the measurement microscope, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, an optical branching element that is disposed between the condenser lens and the object to be observed, and branches the coherent light incident from the coherent light source into a plurality of pieces, the condenser lens, and the A measuring microscope, comprising: a plurality of mirrors arranged between the object to be observed and causing a plurality of coherent light beams branched by the light splitting element to enter the surface of the object to be observed at a predetermined angle. 5. An object to be observed is illuminated by an illumination optical system having a condenser lens arranged to face the objective lens,
By guiding the light flux from the object to be observed, which is incident from the objective lens, to the imaging optical system, an object image to be observed is formed on a predetermined image forming surface, and an observed image in which a microscale is superposed on the object image to be observed is formed. In a measuring microscope, a coherent light source that emits coherent light, is disposed between the condenser lens and the object to be observed, and the coherent light incident from the coherent light source is directed to the condenser lens side at a predetermined angle with respect to the observation optical axis. A half mirror that reflects and transmits a part of coherent light, is disposed between the condenser lens and the object to be observed, and transmits coherent light that has passed through the half mirror to the condenser lens side with respect to an observation optical axis. A mirror that reflects at the same angle as the half mirror, and coherent light reflected by the half mirror and And a diffractive optical element that causes coherent light reflected by the mirror to enter the same location on the observed object surface. 6. The measuring microscope according to claim 1, further comprising an optical path opening / closing unit that opens / closes an optical path of the coherent light. 7. The power source for supplying power to the coherent light source can be turned on and off.
~ The measuring microscope according to claim 5.