point-scanning

An imaging technique where a light source is raster scanned across a sample and synchronized with a point detector to build an image. This is the basic mechanism used in point-scanning confocal microscopy.

Synonyms: spot-scanning

See also: scanning, point-scanning confocal microscopy, point detector

Learn more:

Introductory Confocal Concepts

A discussion of point scanning and pinhole detection using photomultipliers.