Abstract: A scanner for an endoscope comprising: a scanning mechanism comprising a light transmitter and arranged to move the light transmitter to perform a scan; a lens system arranged to optically couple the light transmitter to a target during a scan; a first housing which houses at least a first portion of the lens system; a second housing which houses at least the fiber scanning mechanism; and a bendable joint joining the first and second housings such that in a scanning configuration the bendable joint joins the first and second housings so that optical elements in the first and second housings are aligned at a working separation, the bendable joint arranged to bend in response to insertion forces applied to the scanner during insertion of the scanner and revert to the scanning configuration in the absence of insertion forces.

Abstract: A scanner for an endoscope comprising: a scanning mechanism comprising a light transmitter and arranged to move the light transmitter to perform a scan; a lens system arranged to optically couple the light transmitter to a target during a scan; a first housing which houses at least a first portion of the lens system; a second housing which houses at least the fibre scanning mechanism; and a bendable joint joining the first and second housings such that in a scanning configuration the bendable joint joins the first and second housings so that optical elements in the first and second housings are aligned at a working separation, the bendable joint arranged to bend in response to insertion forces applied to the scanner during insertion of the scanner and revert to the scanning configuration in the absence of insertion forces.

Abstract: The present invention provides a confocal endoscope, microscope or endomicroscope including a light source of coherent light for illuminating a sample, a beam splitter and light receiving means, wherein an incident beam of light from the light source is directed onto the beam splitter and hence onto the sample, and light returning from the sample and incident on the beam splitter is deviated or displaced by the beam splitter by a small angle or distance relative to the incident beam, and received by the light receiving means located to receive the returning light and near the light source. The invention also a method for performing confocal endoscopy or microscopy including illuminating a sample by means of an incident or excitatory beam of coherent light, and deviating or displacing light returning from the sample by a small angle or distance relative to the incident beam.

Abstract: A microscope, endoscope or optical coherence tomograph, comprising a light source, a flexible light transmitter (18) for receiving and transmitting light from the light source, an optical element (20) with a forward end (30) for receiving the light from the light transmitter (18) and a rear wall (26) having an internal surface for reflecting the light laterally, and an external sleeve (14) enclosing the optical element (20) and transparent to the light in at least a region of the sleeve where the light is directed by the internal surface (26). The internal surface (26) has an optical figure suitable for focussing the light to an observational field (28) external to the sleeve (14). A confocal configuration may be used.

Abstract: A scanning method and apparatus, the apparatus comprising a fork with first and second forwardly extending tines and a rearwardly extending counterweight member, a mount for supporting the fork at a point between the tines and the counterweight member, and a drive for effecting relative vibration between the tines to provide a fast scan and for driving the fork to provide a slow scan transverse to the fast scan.

Abstract: A scanning apparatus and method, the apparatus comprising a light transmitter, a mount for supporting the light transmitter located remotely from its exit tip, a drive for driving the light transmitter to vibrate resonantly in a first direction and to vibrate non-resonantly in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, and a synchronizer for synchronizing vibration of the light transmitter in the first and second directions so that the exit tip of the light transmitter executes a scan pattern. The drive applies a driving force to the light transmitter between the mount and the exit tip.

Abstract: The invention provides a confocal microscope or endoscope, having a source of coherent light for illuminating a sample, and an imaging optical fibre bundle (82) for receiving return light, whereby the fibre bundle (82) provides a return channel for fluorescent return light (78). The optical fibre bundle (82) preferably preserves, between entry and exit ends of the bundle, the relative spatial coordinates of the cores of individual fibres constituting the bundle.

Abstract: A scanning method and apparatus, the apparatus comprising a fork with first and second forwardly extending tines and a rearwardly extending counterweight member, a mount for supporting the fork at a point between the tines and the counterweight member, and a drive for effecting relative vibration between the tines to provide a fast scan and for driving the fork to provide a slow scan transverse to the fast scan.

Abstract: The invention provides a scanning microscope comprising: optical fiber for transmitting a light beam to an exit end of the optical fiber proximate light focusing optics, the light focusing optics focusing the light emerging from the exit end to illuminate a point observation field on or within an object to be examined; and a scanner mounted in an optical head casing with the light focusing optics, to cause the illuminated point observation filed to scan over a two-dimensional cross-section of the object such that an image of the object emanated light over the cross-section is constructible.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for image sharpening in confocal microscopy or endoscopy observation, the method comprising: collecting true confocal return light from an observational field of an object; focussing the true confocal return light into a core of a fiber wave-guide; collecting near confocal return light from a volume partially overlapping the observational field; focussing the near confocal return light so as to be transmitted principally in a cladding of the fiber wave-guide; separately detecting the true confocal return light and the near confocal return light to produce a true confocal output signal and a near confocal output signal; and adjusting the true confocal output signal on the basis of the near confocal output signal to substantially eliminate from the true confocal output signal a component due to the near confocal output signal; whereby the effective volume of the observational field is reduced and the resolution is effectively increased.

Abstract: A confocal imaging system using optical fibers is provided which has a flexible near confocal optical transmission means having a light collection end adjacent to a light collection of the confocal optical transmission means and adapted to transmit only near confocal light emerging from points in the object located within a range of distances above and below the focal plane, in such a manner that a selected portion of the near confocal light emerging from greater than any selected distance within the range is substantially separable from the remainder. The system also has variable selection means to exclude from detection the selected portion.