Confocal imaging methods and apparatus

A method of obtaining an image of a sample, comprising

• (a) contacting at least a first portion of a sample with excitation radiation under conditions wherein radiation is emanated from said first portion;
• (b) directing said radiation emanated from said first portion to form a rectangular image of said first portion at a rectangular detector array;
• and
• (c) scanning said sample region in a scan-axis dimension, thereby repeating steps (a) and (b) to form a rectangular image of a second portion of said sample at said rectangular detector array,
• wherein the shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array and the shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said images are in said scan-axis dimension, and
• wherein said shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array is short enough to achieve confocality in a single axis of said rectangular detector array, wherein said single axis is said shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array.

A method of configuring a scanner to achieve confocality in a single axis, comprising,

• (a) providing an apparatus comprising
• (i) a radiation source positioned to send excitation radiation to at least a portion of a sample region;
• (ii) a rectangular detector array;
• (iii) imaging optics positioned to direct a rectangular image of said portion to said rectangular detector array;
• and
• (iv) a scanning device configured to scan said sample region in a scan-axis dimension, whereby the portion of said sample region that forms a rectangular image at said rectangular detector array is changed,
• wherein the shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array and the shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said image are in said scan-axis dimension;
• and
• (b) positioning said rectangular detector array or said imaging optics to restrict said shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array to be short enough to achieve confocality in a single axis of said rectangular detector array, wherein said single axis is said shorter of the two rectangular dimensions for said rectangular detector array.