Split-field microscope

Claim 2

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing plano-parallel optical elements of an isotropic material, said elements removable from the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 3

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said fiRst and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing plano-parallel optical elements of an anisotropic material, said elements rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 4

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said fiRst and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing plano-parallel optical elements of an anisotropic material, said elements rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 5

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing a plano-parallel optical element of an anisotropic material and an optical lens of an isotropic material, said plano-parallel optical element rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 6

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing a plano-parallel optical element of an anisotropic material and an optical lens of an isotropic material, said plano-parallel optical element rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 7

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing an optical lens of an anisotropic mAterial, said optical lens rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 8

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing an optical lens of an anisotropic mAterial, said optical lens rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the said same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 9

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing a plano-parallel isotropic plate and an isotropic lens, said plano-parallel isotropic plate removable from the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 10

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing a plano-parallel isotropic plate and an isotropic lens, said plano-parallel isotropic plate removable from the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the same plane, axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 11

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing at least one isotropic lens and an anisotropic crystalline lens, said isotropic lens removable from the beam path and said anisotropic crystalline lens rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the same plane, Axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 12

In a split-field microscope having a central prism with a beam splitter, a first objective with a first aiming axis, a second parallel disposed objective with a second aiming axis, a common illuminating device producing an illuminating beam along an optical axis for both object fields, said objectives having a variable spacing of their optical axes, both forming images of said object fields, which are contained in the same plane, and an eyepiece, the improvement comprising the combination of: a. said beam splitter comprising a polarizing beam splitter in said central prism along said optical axis for the simultaneous or alternative illumination of both said object fields by means of a rotatable polarizer; b. first means deflecting a first polarized portion of said illuminating beam in the direction of said first objective; c. second means deflecting a second polarized portion of said illuminating beam in a direction toward said second objective; d. a first quarter-wave plate disposed in said first polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a first object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the first object field and a first imaging partial beam passes backwards; e. a second quarter-wave plate disposed in said second polarized portion between said polarizing beam splitter and a second object field through which said illuminating beam passes to the second object field and a second imaging partial beam passes backwards; and f. an image-producing optical system connected between said polarizing beam splitter and said eyepiece in the direction of said first and second imaging partial beams, said optical system containing at least one isotropic lens and an anisotropic crystalline lens, said isotropic lens removable from the beam path and said anisotropic crystalline lens rotatable in the beam path, said optical system reproducing said images of said object fields of the same plane, Axially offset on the viewing side.

Claim 13

The split-field microscope according to claim 1, wherein said eyepiece has two lenses in spaced relationship along said optical axis and a linearly polarizing optical element is provided along said optical axis after said polarizing beam splitter, between said two lenses.

Claim 14

The split-field microscope according to claim 7, wherein said polarizing optical element comprises at least two polarizing foils arranged side by side and oriented at right angles to each other with respect to their transmission directions.

Claim 15

The split-field microscope according to claim 7, wherein a device for changing of the said polarizing optical element is provided comprising a first polarizing optical element consisting of two polarizing foils arranged side by side and oriented at right angles to each other with respect to their transmission directions and a second polarizing optical element consisting of one polarizing foil.

Claim 16

The split-field microscope according to claim 7, wherein a drive is provided for the continuous rotation of the polarizing optical component.

Claim 17

The split-field microscope according to claim 1, wherein means are provided for varying the relative distances between the central axis of said central prism containing said polarizing beam splitter and said aiming axes of the objectives, said means for varying comprising a first structural unit, which contains a shifting lens, a first beam-bending component, said first objective and said first quarter-wave plate, means for rotating by 180* said first structural unit together with a first pentaprism, said pentaprism arranged between said central prism and said first structural unit, in the direction toward said central prism, and a second structural unit, which contains a second beam-bending component, said second objective and said second quarter-wave plate, means for rotating by 180* said second structural unit together with a second pentaprism, in the direction toward said central prism, said second pentaprism connected with a compensating prism and arranged between said central prism and said second structural unit.

Claim 18

The split-field microscope according to claim 1, wherein each objective forms, together with a forwardly associated beam-bending component and a quarter-wave plate connected thereafter, a structural unit; and each of said two structural units is disposed with variable orientation about the central axis of the polarized illuminating beam leaving the respective beam-bending component.

Claim 19

The split-field microscope according to claim 1, wherein a marker diaphragm is provided in the illuminating beam path, said marker diaphragm is insertable in an illuminating field stop, which is arranged between an aperture diaphragm and a lens of said objective.