Scanning confocal microscope including a single fibre for transmitting light to and receiving light from an object

A scanning confocal epi-illumination microscope comprising:

• a light source for supply of a light beam;
• a light condenser for condensing light from said beam onto an object to illuminate a point observational field on or within the object and for receiving light emanating from that point obserational field on or within the object;
• a detector for detecting object emanated light received by the light condenser;
• optical transmission means for transmitting the light beam from the light source to the condenser and for transmitting the object emanated light received by the light condenser to the detector;
• and
• scanning means operable to cause relative movement between the object and the point observational field such that the point observational field traverses the object in a scanning pattern;
• said optical transmission means comprising flexible single mode optical transmitter means for transmitting the light beam between the light source and the condenser and a light separator means for separating the object emanated light from the light beam for application to said detector.