POLARIZATION-SENSITIVE SCANNED FIBER CONFOCAL MICROSCOPE

We describe a polarization-sensitive fiber optic based confocal micros cope. Polarization maintaining single mode fibers are used to illumina te a specimen with linearly polarized light. The orientation of the in cident linearly polarized light is continuously variable using a Senar mont polarization rotator. A polarization-sensitive light detector ena bles the microscope to record the intensity and polarization orientati on of the reflected light. The microscope can thus function as a conve ntional confocal microscope as well as detect rotations of the polariz ation orientation of the incident light by a birefringent specimen. La teral scanning of the microscope focal volume is achieved by moving th e fiber tip in a reciprocal layout. Confocal operation of the system i s demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The theoretical and measured responses of the microscope to a dielectric mirror, glass slide, quarter wave plate, linear polarizer, and calcite crystal are considered. Images of a birefringent specimen are presented. (C) 1996 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.