Systems and methods for confocal imaging are described. In one implementation, a confocal imaging system (100) includes a light source (110) configured to emit excitation light (10) having one or morewavelengths, a sample holder (180) configured to hold a sample, a two-dimensional (2-D) imaging device (190), and an optical system comprising: a first spatial light modulator (140) and a second spatial light modulator (150), wherein the optical system is configured to (i) collimate the excitation light (10); (ii) apply, using the first spatial light modulator (140), a predetermined phase modulation pattern to the collimated excitation light (12); (iii) use the phase-modulated collimated excitation light (14) as an excitation pattern to illuminate the sample, wherein the excitation pattern islocated at a Fourier plane relative to a focal plane within the sample; (iv) collect emission light (18) from the focal plane within the sample; and (v) direct the collected emission light (20) to the imaging device (190) via the second spatial light modulator (150) such that the focal plane within the sample is conjugate to a pinhole pattern formed by pixels of the second spatial light modulator(150).
展开▼
