Patent ID: 8047985

Claim:
A confocal endoscope or microscope for imaging a sample, comprising: a light source of coherent light for illuminating the sample; a beam splitter for deviating the path of a beam of light by an amount dependent on one or more beam parameters selected from the group consisting of polarization and wavelength; a light condenser located optically between said beam splitter and said sample; and a light receiver for receiving returned coherent light from said light source and for forming an image of the sample thereon, (1) wherein an incident beam of coherent light from said light source is directed onto said beam splitter and hence onto said light condenser, then focussed onto said sample by said light condenser as coherent light, and (2) wherein light returning from said sample and incident on said beam splitter is deviated by said beam splitter such that said returning light has a path upon emerging from said beam splitter that diverges from a path of said incident beam immediately before impinging said beam splitter by an angle that is small relative to 90° and is then received by said light receiver, said light receiver located to receive said returning light and near said light source; wherein said light source and said light receiver is on a single mount and said mount is moveable for scanning said light source.