Dual-wedge scanning confocal reflectance microscope

A confocal reflectance microscope has been developed that incorporates a dual-wedge scanner to reduce the size of the device relative to current raster scanning instruments. The scanner is implemented with two prisms that are rotated about the optical axis. Spiral and rosette scans are performed by rotating the prisms in the same or opposite directions, respectively. Experimental measurements show an on-axis lateral resolution of 1.6 mu m and optical sectioning of 4.7 mu m, which compares with a diffraction-limited resolution of 0.8 and 1.9 mu m, respectively. (C) 2007 Optical Society of America.