System, Method, and Product for Scanning of Biological Materials

1) A scanning system, comprising:

• one or more optical elements constructed and arranged to direct a excitation beam at a probe array;
• one or more detectors constructed and arranged to receive reflected intensity data responsive to the excitation beam, wherein the reflected intensity data is responsive, at least in part, to a focusing distance between an optical element and the probe array;
• a transport frame constructed and arranged to adjust the focusing distance in a first direction with respect to the probe array;
• an auto-focuser constructed and arranged to determine a best plane of focus based, at least in part, upon one or more characteristics of the reflected intensity data as received at two or more focusing distances;
• and wherein:
• the one or more detectors are further constructed and arranged to receive a plurality of pixel intensity values based, at least in part, upon detected emissions from a plurality of probe features disposed on the probe array at the best plane of focus;
• and
• the system further comprises an image generator constructed and arranged to associate each of the pixel intensity values with one or more image pixel positions of a probe array based, at least in part, upon one or more position correction values.