Patent ID: 8577445
Filing Date: 2013-11-05
Classification: A61B,G02B

Abstract:
1. A miniature confocal optical head for a confocal imaging system, or for an endoscopic confocal imaging system, said head comprising: a point source for producing an excitation beam; an optical system comprising a first optical device and a second optical device capable of causing said excitation beam to converge at an excitation point situated in a subsurface plane in a specimen, said plane being perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical head, wherein the optical head has a diameter less than or equal to 3 mm and a length of 30 mm; and a scanning mechanism for scanning said excitation point so as to describe a field of view between 100×100 micrometers and 240×240 micrometers in said subsurface plane in two perpendicular scanning directions, wherein the scanning mechanism comprises a rapid line scanning device and a slow column scanning device, wherein at least one of the rapid line scanning device and the slow column scanning device comprises a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) capable of moving at least one of the first optical device and the second optical device in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis.