Patent ID: 7050208

Claim:
A microscope scanner, for instance a fluorescence scanner, constructed to scan a focused spot over locations on an extended surface, the focused spot produced via an optical path from a focusing lens, the scanner comprising: a wide range positioner having inertia and a simultaneously acting substantially inertia-less deflector that includes a deflector control; the wide range positioner capable of producing relative scanning motion in a scanning direction between the focused spot and the extended surface; the control of the substantially inertia-less deflector adapted to cause the deflector to produce a progressive change in the angle of the optical path from the focusing lens to the surface, the change being within a limited range and in a stabilizing direction that is, substantially, along the same line as, but opposite to, the direction of scanning motion to cause the focused spot to substantially stabilize, for example to stop or dwell, upon a location on the surface during the scanning motion produced by the wide range positioner.