Differential interference contrast microscope and microscopic image processing system using the same

摘要

A differential interference contrast microscope including an illuminating light source, a polarizer for converting an illumination light ray into a linearly polarized light, a polarized light separating unit for dividing the linearly polarized light ray into two linearly polarized light rays having mutually orthogonal vibrating directions, an illuminating optical system, for projecting the two linearly polarized light rays onto an object under inspection, a polarized light combining unit for combining the two linearly polarized light rays on a same optical path via an inspecting optical system, an analyzer for forming a differential interference contrast image on an imaging plane. The polarized light separating unit is constructed such that an amount of wavefront shear between the two linearly polarized light rays on the object can be changed, and the polarized light combining unit is arranged between the object and the analyzer at such a position that the two linearly polarized light rays propagate in parallel with each other and is constructed such that the two linearly polarized light rays can be combined with each other in accordance with the shear amount of wavefront introduced by the polarized light separating unit.