Patent ID: 7286224

Claim:
A scanning imager for imaging a sample, the imager including: an imager stage that supports the sample; a light path having a proximate input aperture viewing the sample on the imager stage and a distal output aperture a plurality of scanning radiation sources, each arranged in a fixed relative position to the input aperture, groups of one or more of the scanning radiation sources, in alternating turns with the remaining scanning radiation sources, scanning a radiation beam on the sample within a viewing area of the input aperture, the radiation beam interacting with the sample to produce light signals that are received by the input aperture and transmitted via the light path to the output aperture; a rotating polygon scanner having two or more reflective surfaces, wherein the plurality of radiation sources is arranged so that each reflective surface scans, in alternating turn, radiation from at least two of the scanning radiation sources over a selected area of the sample, thereby increasing the number of scans for each revolution of the rotating polygon scanner; a photodetector system arranged to detect the light signals received from the output aperture respective to each group of the scanning radiation sources; and a processor that processes the light signal detected by the photodetector respective to each group of the scanning radiation sources.