Optimal disc design for a confocal microscope

A packing algorithm has been developed to optimize the spinning disc design. This algorithm can generate spinning disc designs suitable for use in single-sided confocal microscopes. When even number of spirals is chosen, the symmetrical arrangement of pinholes makes this algorithm suitable in designing spinning discs for tandem scanning confocal microscopes. The algorithm provides the possibility of maximizing pinhole packing density for improved image intensity, and maintains balanced field brightness and equal degree of discrimination on pinhole cross-talk disregarding the location of the viewing field.