Confocal scanning beam laser microscope/macroscope: applications in fluorescence

A new confocal scanning beam laser microscope/macroscope is described that combines the rapid scan of a scanning beam laser microscope with the large specimen capability of a scanning stage microscope. This instrument combines an infinity-corrected confocal scanning laser microscope with a scanning laser macroscope that uses a telecentric f*(Theta) laser scan lens to produce a confocal imaging system with a resolution of 0.25 microns at a field of view of 25 microns and 5 microns at a field of view of 75,000 microns. The frame rate is 5 seconds per frame for a 512 by 512 pixel image, and 25 seconds for a 2048 by 2048 pixel image. Applications in fluorescence are discussed that focus on two important advantages of the instrument over a confocal scanning laser microscope: an extremely wide range of magnification, and the ability to image very large specimens. Examples are presented of fluorescence and reflected-light images of high quality printing, fluorescence images of latent fingerprints, packaging foam, and confocal autofluorescence images of a cricket.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.