METHOD OF CONFOCAL SCANNING THREE-DIMENSIONAL MICROSCOPY AND CONFOCAL SCANNING TOMOGRAPHIC MICROSCOPE Russian patent published in 1999 - IPC

FIELD: microscopy. SUBSTANCE: essence of invention consists in focusing of radiation from point primary light source with the aid of lens of condenser in point located inside examined three-dimensional object placed on gear for its movement. Image of secondary light source is formed with the use of microobjective. Point diaphragm is employed for spatial filtration of radiation of secondary light source in plane of its image. Detection of radiation of secondary light source, that is, registration of two- dimensional distribution of one of parameters of this radiation is carried out by means of radiation detector manufactured in the form of matrix of photodetectors. Position scanning of examined object or secondary light source is conducted in one scanning plane perpendicular to optical axis passing through point primary and secondary light sources. Forming of image of secondary light source, spatial filtration of its radiation and detection of this radiation are repeated for each scanning position. Registered values of two-dimensional distributions are stored, values in points with same coordinates are chosen from them and parallel projections of examined object are formed and used to reconstruct its tomograms. Proposed method of confocal scanning microscopy makes it possible to obtain data necessary for reconstruction of tomograms of entire three-dimensional object by scanning only in one plane. EFFECT: scanning in one plane only allows data necessary for reconstruction of tomograms of entire three-dimensional object to be obtained. 7 cl, 3 dwg