Abstract: A laser scanner is disclosed which is especially adapted as a label reader for point-of-sale data processingsystems. The scanner produces a polyphase scan pattern. The scanning beam is vertically deflected as a sinuosoidal function of time by an oscillatory mirror and is horizontally deflected as a sawtooth function of time by a rotary multifaceted mirror. The return light signal follows an optical path including the rotary multifaceted mirror which causes "derotation" of the image before it impinges upon the receiving photodetector. Additionally, the ambient or background light is reduced by providing an optical slit in the receiving optics so that the vertical deflection is accommodated.