Confocal compact scanning optical microscope based on compact disc technology.

A compact scanning optical microscope (SOM) based on the optics and the mechanics of a compact disc (CD) player has been constructed. The low weight and compact construction of a CD player offer the possibility of scanning the entire microscope with respect to a stationary object. The compact scanning optical microscope is capable of measuring object-induced amplitude and phase changes of the light and is equipped with automatic focusing. The laser in the CD player is replaced by the endface of a single-mode fiber. The end face of the fiber acts both as the emitting source and as a point detector. Thus confocal detection is obtained without the problem of positioning a point detector with respect to a point source.