A method for microphotometering microscope specimens, and apparatus for carrying out the method

摘要

A method for microphotometering individual volume elements of a microscope specimen, comprising generating a luminous dot or cursor and progressively illuminating a plurality of part elements in the focal plane of the microscope (30) through the specimen. The mutual position between the specimen and the focal plane is then changed and a plurality of part elements in the focal plane are illuminated. Reflected and/or fluorescent light and transmitted light respectively created by the illumination is collected, detected and stored for generating a three-dimensional image of that part of the specimen composed of the volume elements.;Illumination of multiples of part elements is deflected by deflecting the luminous cursor or by moving the specimen or by both deflecting the cursor and also displacing the specimen.;The change in the relative mutual position between the specimen and the focal plane of the microscope (30) is effected either by displacing the specimen or the objective.;Apparatus for carrying out the method include a specimen table (301), a microscope objective and light source (31, 32, 33). The table (301) or the objective are arranged for stepwise movement along the main axis of the microscope synchronously with punctilinear light scanning of the specimen. The table (301) is arranged for stepwise movement at right angles to the main axis and/or the light source (31, 32, 33) is arranged for deflection over the focal plane through the specimen.