A Real-Time Confocal Scanning Optical Microscope

A new type of real-time confocal scanning optical microscope, with the same measured resolution as a conventional confocal scanning optical microscope, is described. The system uses a rotating Nipkow disk with 150,000 pinholes etched in it, to yield a 640 frame/sec, 7000-line image. The transverse definition is of the order of 0.3 μm, and the 3 dB range resolution, with a 0.8 N.A. objective lens, is better than 0.75 μm.