An optical system includes first and second optical scanners and first and second gradient-index (GRIN) lenses. The first optical scanner is configured to scan a laser beam in a first scanning path and output a first scanned beam. The first GRIN lens is configured to translate the first scanned beam therethrough. The second optical scanner is configured to scan the first scanned beam in a second scanning path and output as second scanned beam. The second scanning path has a scanning trajectory rotated by 90 degrees relative to the first scanning path. The second GRIN lens is configured to translate the second scanned beam therethrough and collect the emitted signal from the imaging target.

A confocal microscope for imaging tissue having an imaging head for capturing optically formed microscopic sectional images of tissue samples, a platform upon which is disposed a linear stage for moving the imaging head along a vertical dimension, and a rotary stage to rotate the linear stage and imaging head about the vertical dimension. A mounting arm couples the imaging head to the linear stage to adjust tilt of the imaging head and to rotate the imaging head about a normal axis perpendicular to an optical axis of an objective lens of the imaging head. In a first mode of operation, the imaging head is positioned to image an ex-vivo or in-vivo tissue sample upon the platform, such as ex-vivo tissue sample mounted upon a movable specimen stage, and in a second mode of operation the imaging head is positioned to image an in-vivo tissue sample beside the platform.

A slit lamp microscope according to an embodiment example includes a scanner and a memory. The scanner is configured to perform application of a scan with slit light to a three dimensional region including a corner angle of a subject’s eye to collect an image group. The memory is configured to store the image group collected by the scanner.

High bandwidth time-and-space resolved scatter phase transition microscopy systems configured to detect melt onset in a wafer being processed by laser annealing systems with ultra-short dwell times and spot size.

An optical probe assembly as a confocal endomicroscope includes an optical focusing stage that focuses an output beam onto a sample and a mirror scanning stage that is movable for scanning the output beam in both a lateral two dimensional plane and an axial direction, using a side-view configuration. The side-view configuration allows for output beam illumination and fluorescent imaging of the sample with greater imaging resolution and improved access to hard to reach tissue within a subject.

An intraoral scanner comprises a light source, a moveable opto-mechanical module, an axial actuator, and an image sensor. The light source is configured to generate light that is to be output onto an object external to the intraoral scanner. The moveable opto-mechanical module comprises integrated projection/imaging optics and an exit pupil, the projection/imaging optics having an optical axis, wherein the projection/imaging optics are entirely integrated into the moveable opto-mechanical module. The axial actuator is coupled to the projection/imaging optics and configured to move the moveable opto-mechanical module comprising an entirety of the projection/imaging optics in the optical axis to achieve a plurality of focus settings. The image sensor is configured to receive reflected light that has been reflected off of the object external to the intraoral scanner for the plurality of focus settings.

A method for operating a point laser-scanning microscope includes scanning a sample with a focused illumination laser beam; recording a plurality of images by detecting elements being configurable to an intensity mode, in which the recorded images are intensity images g.sub.i,j(n) related to photons collected during an entire dwell time of the illumination beam on an individual position n, or to a time-resolved mode, in which the recorded images are time-resolved images g.sub.i,j.sup.t(n, t), the collected photons being discriminated based on their arrival times to individual detecting elements; calculating a fingerprint image a by summing the plurality of intensity images g.sub.i,j(n) over all positions n; estimating shift matrices s.sup.x and s.sup.y from the intensity images g.sub.i,j(n); reconstructing at least one of a time-resolved object function f.sup.t and an intensity object function f; and visualizing at least one of a high-resolution time-resolved image f.sup.t˜ and a high-resolution intensity image f.sup.˜.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for inspecting the ocular fundus that comprises: —an illuminator (1) adapted to provide an illuminating light beam (IL) to illuminate a portion of said biological tissue, said illuminating beam being shaped so that at least a portion of said illuminating beam has a line-shaped section; —one or more lenses (2, 4, 7) to focus said illuminating beam (IL) on said biological tissue, during operation of said apparatus said illuminating beam illuminating a line-shaped region (5B) of said biological tissue; —a scanning assembly (3) adapted to perform optical scans of said biological tissue by cyclically moving the illuminating beam (IL) projected by said illuminator on said biological tissue, along a scanning direction (DS) substantially perpendicular to a main extension direction (AE) of the region (5B) of biological tissue illuminated by said illuminating beam; —acquisition means (6) adapted to receive reflected light (R) from said biological tissue to acquire images of said biological tissue or to allow an observer to observe said biological tissue. Said scanning assembly (3) comprises: —a fixed support (33); —a first oscillating group (31) comprising a first mobile arm (312) and a minor (311) fixed to said mobile arm and adapted to receive said illuminating beam (IL), said first mobile arm being linked with said fixed support through one or more first joints (A1) that allow the rotation of said first mobile arm about a rotation axis (B1); —a second oscillating group (32) comprising a second mobile arm (323) and a first lens (322) and a diaphragm (321) comprising a slot-shaped opening (321A) fixed to said mobile arm and adapted to receive the reflected light (R) from said biological tissue, said second mobile arm being linked with said fixed support through one or more second joints (A2) that allow the rotation of the said first mobile arm about a rotation axis (B1); —mechanical transmission means (34) adapted to mutually link said first and second mobile arm, said mechanical transmission means being configured to synchronize the oscillating movements of said first and second arm.

Ciliary motion in the upper airway is the primary mechanism by which the body transports foreign particulate out of the respiratory system. The ciliary beating frequency (CBF) is often disrupted with the onset of disease. Current imaging of ciliary motion relies on microscopy and high speed cameras, which cannot be easily adapted to in-vivo imaging. M-mode optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is capable of visualization of ciliary activity, but the field of view is limited. The present invention features the development of a spectrally encoded interferometric microscopy (SEIM) system using a phase-resolved Doppler (PRD) algorithm to measure and map the ciliary beating frequency within an on face region. This novel high speed, high resolution system allows for visualization of both temporal and spatial ciliary motion patterns.

An apparatus for OCT-based imaging, a microscopy system and a method for operating a microscopy system, include at least one OCT radiation source and at least one connection device for connecting the apparatus to the microscopy system, an optical connection configured to be established between the OCT radiation source and the light-guide element of the apparatus in a connected state, wherein the microscopy system includes means for detecting a connection state change, and a change-conditional adjustment of the mode of operation of the microscopy system being performable upon the detection of a connection state change.