Improved field scanner incorporating parabolic optics. Part 1: simulation.

An unobstructed afocal scanning system design employing two off-axis parabolic reflectors as relay optics between two flat scan mirrors is proposed and investigated using OSLO optical software. It is found that, with a symmetric arrangement of the parabolic reflectors and appropriate selection of the first scan mirror rotational axis, the system provides linear scan lines at the image surface and excellent point spread function results in all scan positions. The design is functionally equivalent to a single-mirror scan engine and superior in every metric to a comparable dimension spherical mirror arrangement. This design is suited to two-dimensional laser scan engines and for confocal and two-photon microscopy in particular.