20090147354 | PROJECTION DEVICE FOR PATTERNED ILLUMINATION AND MICROSCOPY - A projection and detector device that attaches externally to the photo-port of a conventional widefield microscope. The device includes a light source interface for receiving of illumination from a light source, the illumination defining an illumination path. A pattern mask is located within the illumination path for projecting one or a plurality of objects, structures or patterns onto the object plane of the optical microscope. The pattern mask may be used with structured illumination microscopy (SIM) wherein the device projects a moving striped optical grid pattern or Ronchi Ruling onto the object plane in either fluorescence or reflected brightfield imaging. The pattern mask may also be used with a mechanical or digital diaphragm, or a DLP, in specialized techniques such as Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP), fluorescence photoactivation and targeted illumination. The device without an inserted pattern mask may also be used in deconvolution microscopy. A computer linked with a charged coupled device (CCD) camera may be used to capture images for storage and further post-processing. | 06-11-2009 |