Confocal Image Properties of a Confocal Scanning Laser Visible Light FT-Raman Microscope

Abstract

The confocal Raman microscope is an instrument designed for acquisition of high-contrast volumetric Raman spectral images of three-dimensional chemical structures. Little effort, however, has gone into the investigation of the spatial imaging properties of this class of confocal microscope. In this paper we present experimental results, obtained with a confocal scanning laser visible light FT-Raman microscope we built, that demonstrates the high depth resolution and enhanced Raman image contrast intrinsic to the confocal Raman microscope design. We explore these microscope properties through a combination of experimental measurement and theory based on a paraxial wave diffraction model.