Patent ID: 6038067
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
A confocal imager comprising:a light source emitting light;light modulating means in optical communication with said light source for producing a spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination consisting of a plurality of discrete illumination sites;beam splitting means receiving said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination for directing said spatially and temporally varying pattern of illumination through imaging optics onto a sample and passing reflected and fluorescent emission light from said sample after return passage through said imaging optics and said beam splitting means;video capturing means receiving said reflected and fluorescent emission light from said imaging optics through said beam splitting means for acquiring a digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light and outputting said digital image; andcomputer means receiving said digital image of said reflected and fluorescent emission light for creating a virtual aperture and synthesizing a composite confocal image of said sample and displaying said confocal image.