A microscope system for determining optical properties of a specimen includes
a
source of polarized light, a detector for detecting the intensity of light incident
thereon, an optical path extending from the source to the detector, a condenser
for providing light from the source to the specimen, an objective for receiving
light from the specimen, a support for mounting the specimen, a sectored variable
retarder mounted in the optical path, and a polarized light analyzer mounted in
the path between the sectored variable retarder and the detector. The variable
retarder has a multiple sectors. Each sector is individually addressable by a control
signal that affects the light retardation characteristics of the sector.
