raster scanning

A scanning mode used in point-scanning confocal microscopy, where the excitation beam is in a unidirectional pattern across the field of view, sampling the signal at discrete intervals to realize a virtual pixel. Once the signal along a line is acquired, the scanning position is stepped along the opposite lateral axis for acquisition of the next line.

Related MicroscopyU Article

Resonant Scanning in Laser Confocal Microscopy

In order to acquire images on the faster timescales often required by live-cell imaging, laser scanning confocal microscopes must be re-engineered to incorporate advanced scanning scenarios that enable the beam to be raster-scanned across the specimen at higher speeds. To overcome the inherently slow speed of traditional confocal microscopes, several manufacturers have introduced instruments equipped with resonant scanning mirrors that are capable of gathering images at 30 frames per second or higher, including Nikon's A1R HD25 system.