title: Laser sources in direct-view-scanning, tandem-scanning, or nipkow-disk-scanning confocal microscopy.
abstract: Laser sources offer a potentially low-cost means of improving thelight throughput in tandem-scanning confocal microscopy because oftheir high beam directionality. We measure and compare the opticalsectioning characteristics of the tandem-scanning microscope (TSM)employing (i) the traditional choice of incoherent light from a Xearc lamp and (ii) a cited alternative-coherent light from a He-Nelaser source. In general the laser source is found to result inaxial responses with pronounced sidelobes, the sizes and locations ofwhich are extremely sensitive to the alignment of the pinholearray. The implications of these results for practical TSM systemsare discussed.
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Fewer
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hewlett
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: McCabe