A scanning
system for
confocal scanning of an object, comprising a
light source (1), imaging
optics (4) for focusing the light (5) radiated from the
light source (1) onto the object (6) to be scanned, and further comprising an
image detector (10) for detecting the light (7) from an
object point (6′) backscattered from the object (6) and passing through the same imaging
optics (4). Means (11) for varying the length of the
optical path are disposed in the
optical path between the
aperture array (3) and the object (6), by which means the optical distance of the
image plane can be modified in a specific manner, and means are provided to influence the light (5) radiated by the
light source onto the object (6) and / or the light (7) reflected from the object (6) and impinging on the sensor (10), in at least one of its characteristics, during an
exposure period (tB1) for acquiring an image, and, during said
exposure period (tB1), a profile holds which states a specific relationship between the characteristic of the light (5, 7) and the optical distance of the
image plane from the imaging
optics (4), and means (10) are provided which provide a measured value dependent on the characteristics of the light of the trajectory of observation (7) over the
exposure period (tB1), a height coordinate (Zs) of the object (6) being reconstructable from the measured value achieved during said
exposure period (tB1) and a reference value.