Process for controlling a laser scanning microscope with a tiltable fine focusing stage

Abstract

A process for displaying three-dimensional point distributions in a laser scanning microscope with a tiltable fine focusing stage, wherein an actual scanned first raster point distribution is compared with a computer generated second raster point distribution, and the first raster points are utilized for display in the second raster point distribution when the raster points in both distributions correspond with one another, while intermediate values are formed from points of the first raster point distribution lying in the vicinity of second raster points when there is no correspondence, wherein the position of these intermediate values corresponds to the position of the second raster points, or a displacement of the X/Y-scanner of the microscope and/or of the stage tilting means is carried out in a particularly advantageous manner with reference to a computer-determined two- or three-dimensional raster point distribution in such a way that the scanned raster points in and/or on an object correspond completely or partially to a predetermined, preferably stored raster point distribution. A tiltable fine focusing stage is also disclosed.

1 . A fine focusing stage for a laser scanning microscope, comprises a motor-adjustable or galvanometer-adjustable tilting tongue, wherein the tilting tongue is articulated at an adjusting portion by at least one flexible tape which is sturdy with respect to tension and is made from glass fiber-reinforced plastic.  
   
   
       2 . A process for displaying three-dimensional point distributions in a laser scanning microscope with a tiltable fine focusing stage, comprising the steps of: 
 comparing an actual scanned first raster point distribution with a computer-generated second raster point distribution;    utilizing the first raster points for display in the second raster point distribution when the raster points in both distributions correspond with one another; and    forming intermediate values from points of the first raster point distribution lying in the vicinity of second raster points when there is no correspondence, wherein the position of these intermediate values corresponds to the position of the second raster points.    
   
   
       3 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       4 . The fine focusing stage of  claim 1  wherein said tape has a thickness of approximately 0.2 nm and a width of approximately 3 nm.