Surface micromachined scanning confocal microscope

Summary form only given. Confocal scanning microscopy has recently emerged as a significant new technique, which exhibits several advantages over conventional optical microscopy. Because confocal images are devoid of out-of-focus blur it allows noninvasive, optical sectioning of intact specimen. There has been an ongoing effort to reduce the size of the imaging head, to enable its use in endoscopy, CD read heads, and in vivo medical imaging.