APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FOCI ARRAY SCANNING THROUGH AN ADJUSTING REFRACTIVE MEDIUM

摘要

A method and apparatus for performing foci array scanning using at least one adjustable or tilting medium is disclosed. The medium can be controllably tilted in order to translate a beam of electromagnetic radiation perpendicularly to its propagation, and upon exiting the medium, will propagate in the original, incoming direction. This allows the apparatus that emits the radiation, such as a laser, to remain stationary and still scan a 2D array. Additionally, the reflected fluorescence light undergoes the opposite shift to “reverse” the scanning shift and bring the beamlets back in line with a lenselet array. So the collection fibers can remain static and collect light from different spots on the sample from during the scan.

主权项

1. An apparatus for translating an array of light beams, comprising:
a refractive medium having first and second parallel opposed surfaces and having a preselected index of refraction, said refractive medium being movably mounted to allow adjustment of an angle of incidence of an array of light beams on said first surface of said refractive medium, wherein the array of light beams has a direction of propagation, wherein for a given index of refraction and a given angle of incidence of each light beam from the array of light beams on the said first surface, each beam of light, upon exiting said second surface, is translated a known amount laterally, and parallel to, each beam's direction of propagation independently of a location of contact between the array of light beams and refractive medium.