Design and performance evaluation of reflection confocal microscopy using acousto-optical deflector and slit detector

We describe the design and the implementation of reflection confocal scanning microscopy (CSM) using an acoustooptical deflector (AOD) for the fast horizontal scan and a galvanometer mirror (GM) for the slow vertical scan. In the beam scanning system it is important to maintain the lateral and the axial performance during scanning operation. We propose a simple method to design a scanning system using the finite ray tracing and the diffraction theory. We define a cost function which contains the effect of aberrations on the performance of microscopy. We construct the designed system and evaluate its performance. The OSLO simulation shows that the performances of CSM are not changed with deflection angle. So we conclude that the beam scanning system is properly designed. In addition, we propose an image formation method and show images obtained with the system.