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A microscope system (10, 10', 10", 10'") includes a laser (18) or light emitting diode (18'") that generates source light having a non-uniform spatial distribution. An optical system includes an objective (40) defining a field of view, and an optical train (22, 22', 22", 22'") configured to convert

A microscope system (10, 10', 10", 10'") includes a laser (18) or light emitting diode (18'") that generates source light having a non-uniform spatial distribution. An optical system includes an objective (40) defining a field of view, and an optical train (22, 22', 22", 22'") configured to convert the source light into an enlarged-diameter collimated light, to spatially homogenize the enlarged-diameter collimated light, and to couple the homogenized enlarged-diameter collimated light into the objective to provide substantially uniform static illumination of the field of view. A camera system (56) is statically optically coupled by the objective with at least most of the field of view.

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Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be: 1. An optical system for imaging a microscope field of view, the optical system comprising: an objective focused on the microscope field of view; and an optical train including one or more stationary optical compon

Having thus described the preferred embodiments, the invention is now claimed to be: 1. An optical system for imaging a microscope field of view, the optical system comprising: an objective focused on the microscope field of view; and an optical train including one or more stationary optical components configured to receive a small diameter laser beam having a non-uniform spatial distribution and to output a corrected spatial distribution to the objective that when focused by the objective at the microscope field of view provides substantially uniform static illumination over substantially the entire microscope field of view, the optical train including: a large-area stationary optical component that improves spatial uniformity of collimated light having a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of the small diameter laser beam, a stationary beam expander disposed before the large-area stationary optical component in the optical train, the stationary beam expander expanding the small diameter laser beam to produce collimated light having a substantially larger diameter suitable for coupling into the large-area stationary optical component, and a stationary beam reducer disposed after the large-area stationary optical component in the optical train, the stationary beam reducer coupling the collimated light into the objective. 2. The optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the large-area stationary optical component comprises: a stationary diffuser. 3. The optical system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the stationary diffuser is a low-angle diffuser having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) less than or about 10��. 4. The optical system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train to substantially reduce a speckle pattern at the field of view. 5. The optical system as set forth in claim 3, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted at least about 30�� respective to an optical path of the optical train. 6. The optical system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train. 7. The optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the large area stationary optical component comprises: a stationary beam homogenizer. 8. The optical system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a camera system for imaging the substantially uniformly statically illuminated microscope field of view, the camera system being statically optically coupled with the entire statically illuminated microscope field of view by at least the objective. 9. An optical system for imaging a microscope field of view, the optical system comprising: an objective focused on the microscope field of view; and an optical train including one or more stationary optical components configured to receive source light having a non-uniform spatial distribution and to output a corrected spatial distribution to the objective that when focused by the objective at the microscope field of view provides substantially uniform static illumination over substantially the entire microscope field of view, the optical train including: a large-area stationary optical component that improves spatial uniformity of collimated light, a stationary collimator disposed before the large-area stationary optical component in the optical train, the stationary collimator converting the source light into collimated light having a diameter suitable for coupling into the large-area stationary optical component, and one or more coupling optical components disposed after the large-area stationary optical component in the optical train, the one or more coupling optical components at least reducing a diameter of the collimated light to couple the collimated light into the objective. 10. The optical system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the large-area stationary optical component comprises: a stationary diffuser that diffuses the non-uniform spatial distribution to improve spatial uniformity. 11. The optical system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the stationary diffuser is a low-angle diffuser having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) less than or about 10��. 12. The optical system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train to substantially reduce a speckle pattern at the field of view. 13. The optical system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted at least about 30�� respective to an optical path of the optical train. 14. The optical system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the stationary diffuser is tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train. 15. The optical system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the large-area stationary optical component comprises: a stationary beam homogenizer that substantially flattens the non-uniform spatial distribution to produce output light having improved spatial uniformity; and at least one other stationary optical component introducing spatial non-uniformity into the spatial distribution that when focused by the objective provides substantially uniform static illumination of the field of view. 16. The optical system as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: a camera system for imaging the substantially uniformly statically illuminated microscope field of view, the camera system being statically optically coupled with the entire statically illuminated microscope field of view by at least the objective. 17. The optical system as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: a laser or semiconductor laser diode generating the source light. 18. The optical system as set forth in claim 9, further comprising: a light emitting diode (LED) generating the source light. 19. A microscope system comprising: a laser, semiconductor laser diode, or light emitting diode generating source light having a non-uniform spatial distribution; an optical system including (i) an objective defining a field of view and (ii) an optical train including one or more stationary optical components configured to receive the source light having the non-uniform spatial distribution and to output a corrected spatial distribution to the objective that when focused by the objective at the field of view provides substantially uniform static illumination over substantially the entire field of view, the optical train including: a stationary beam expander expanding the source light to produce enlarged-diameter collimated light having substantially enlarged diameter compared with the source light, a large-area stationary optical component disposed after the stationary beam expander in the optical train that improves spatial uniformity of the enlarged-diameter collimated light, and a stationary beam reducer disposed after the large-area stationary optical component in the optical train, the stationary beam reducer coupling the enlarged-diameter collimated light into the objective; and a camera system statically optically coupled by the objective with at least most of the field of view. 20. The microscope system as set forth in claim 19, further comprising: a test tube having a light-transmissive wall; and a float disposed in the test tube, an annular gap between the float and an inner wall of the test tube arranged to coincide with the field of view. 21. The microscope system as set forth in claim 20, wherein the large-area stationary optical component comprises: a diffuser that diffuses the enlarged-diameter collimated light to spatially homogenize the enlarged-diameter collimated light. 22. The microscope system as set forth in claim 21, wherein the diffuser is arranged tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train. 23. The microscope system as set forth in claim 19, further comprising: an x-y translation stage for supporting an associated microscope slide. 24. The microscope system as set forth in claim 23, wherein the large-area stationary optical component comprises: a low-angle diffuser having a full width at half maximum (FWHM) less than or about 10�� that diffuses the enlarged-diameter collimated light to spatially homogenize the enlarged-diameter collimated light. 25. The microscope system as set forth in claim 24, wherein the diffuser is arranged tilted respective to an optical path of the optical train.