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Abstract

A scanning optical microscope apparatus includes a laser light source, an objective lens for condensing a laser beam emitted from the laser light source on a specimen, a scanning device for relatively scanning the specimen with a condensed laser spot, an imaging optical system for imaging light emanating from the specimen, a confocal stop placed at the focal point of the imaging optical system, and a plurality of photodetectors for detecting the light from the specimen, passing through the confocal stop. In this case, the scanning optical microscope apparatus includes a spectrum decomposing device for spatially decomposing a light beam passing through the confocal stop into a wavelength spectrum, and an array of light-deflecting microelements arranged, at least, in a direction of spectral decomposition and receiving and deflecting a part of the light beam decomposed into the spectrum toward any of the plurality of photodetectors. Each of the light-deflecting microelements has a plurality of deflection angles at which the light beam is selectively received by any of the plurality of photodetectors so that one of the plurality of deflection angles can be selected at will.

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First Claim