PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light detection device, a light detection method, a microscope, and an endoscope for performing heterodyne detection of desired light to be detected with high sensitivity and by high SN ratio.SOLUTION: The light detection device has: local light generating means 10 which includes a mode-locked wavelength swept laser and generates local light optical multiplexing means 20 for multiplying the local light generated by the local light generating means 10 and the detected light and photo-electric conversion means 30 for generating a beat signal of the local light and the detected light by performing photo-electric conversion of light outputted by the optical multiplexing means 20. On the basis of an output of the photo-electric conversion means 30, heterodyne detection of the detected light is performed.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】所望の被検出光を高感度かつ高SN比でヘテロダイン検出できる光検出装置および光検出方法、並びに、顕微鏡および内視鏡を提供する。【解決手段】モード同期波長掃引レーザを含み、局発光を発生する局発光発生手段10と、局発光発生手段10から発生される局発光と被検出光とを合波する光合波手段20と、光合波手段20から出力される光を光電変換して局発光と被検出光とのビート信号を生成する光電変換手段30とを有し、光電変換手段30の出力に基づいて被検出光をヘテロダイン検出する。【選択図】図1
