The multiplanar imaging microscope with a laser induced thermal lens: A practical case study

The article presents the operation of the first in the world fully functional multi-planar, ready-to-use bright -field microscope equipped with a laser induced thermal lens. Also, for the first time the imaging capabilities of a thermal lens formed in a polymer sample are presented. The microscope objective and the thermal lens are used in a multifocal configuration which allows recording in the same plane the images of objects belonging to different object planes, separated by a distance that exceeds significantly the objective depth-of-field. The thermal lens kinetics response to laser on/off switching as well as the effect of the geometry of illumination light on the microscope multiplanar imaging capability are shown. Multiplanar exemplary images are presented as well.