point-scanning confocal microscopy

A microscopy technique which captures images by raster scanning the object with a focused point of laser light. Light emitted by the object passes through a pinhole aperture in a conjugate field plane, helping to block out-of-focus light, and imaged using a point detector, such as a photomultiplier tube.

See also: confocal microscopy , confocal , point detector , point detection , image scanning microscopy

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Introductory Confocal Concepts

A discussion of point scanning and pinhole detection using photomultipliers.