Method for correcting a control of an optical scanner in a device for imaging a sample by scanning and the device for performing the method

A laser scanning microscope with correctable scanning control, comprising:

• an illumination device (10) for illuminating a reference sample (2;
• 2′) having at least two imageable, predefined structures therein, illumination from the illumination device defining an illumination beam path from the illumination device to the reference sample,
• detection means (7) for obtaining at least parts of an image of the reference sample (2;
• 2′) by detecting detection radiation from the reference sample (2;
• 2′) propagating along an imaging beam path from the reference sample (2;
• 2′) to the detection means (7), and for outputting detection signals,
• an optical scanner (14) arranged in at least one of the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path, the scanner having at a transfer function, and the scanner having at least one parameter used for at least one of control and regulation thereof, the scanner comprising:
• beam deflecting means for guiding a beam path section of at least one of the illumination beam path and the imaging beam path, and
• controller means (8) having an input for detecting signals output by the at least one detection means (7), the controller means generating control signals corresponding to a predefined target test movement, determining from an image of the reference sample (2;
• 2′) obtained from the detection means (7) deviations of the actual positions of the predefined structures (36) from predefined target positions, and correcting at least one of the at least one parameter and the transfer function as a function of the deviations to reduce a deviation in the actual position of at least one of the structures (36) from the target position, and
• a drive for driving the beam deflecting means in response to the control signals generated by the controller means.