Confocal scanning microscope having optical and scanning systems which provide a handheld imaging head

摘要

A confocal microscope having a scanning head in the form of a hand piece (102) which may be placed at selected locations on the body of a patient. A laser beam is scanned in orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) directions by scanners (128, 130) which drive scan mirrors (128a, 130a), which are closely adjacent to each other The optics include an objective lens (138) and a single telescope lens (132, 134). The telescope provides sufficient magnification to overfill the entrance pupil of the objective lens (138) over the entire scan angle produced by the scan mirrors (128a, 130a). The telescope images (has a focus) in the beam path between the mirrors of the scanners, thereby limiting the distance over the entrance pupil of the objective as the beam executes the scan angle. Scanner (128) represents pulse driven resonant scanner (7) which is pulse driven. The pulse duration is controlled to vary the scan angle and obtain dynamic, electronic image zooming without changing the positional relationship of the telescope lenses.