Scanner will not initialize
Galvo driver boards, scanner position feedback and the controller to scan head cable are the usual suspects. A system that errors on startup and never scans is often electronics, not optics.
Confocal service / Scan head errors
Confocal scanner errors, scan head and detector faults
Scanner will not initialize, galvo or resonant scanner errors, dim or noisy detector channels, poor sectioning. Tell us the system and the error, and we will narrow it down before anyone travels.
NationwideOn-site service anywhere in the US, or on our bench in Newport, RI
Free assessmentNo charge to review the symptom and quote the work
30-day warrantyOn the parts and labor we install
Fully insuredLiability and equipment coverage, COI on request
What usually causes it
The scan head is where the lasers, scanners, pinhole and detectors meet, so several things can look alike.
Dim, noisy or dead channel
PMT and GaAsP detectors age, high voltage supplies fail, and dichroics and emission filters degrade. One bad channel with the others healthy points at the detector path.
Poor sectioning or blurry images
Pinhole misalignment, a shifted scan path or a laser launch that moved. The system works but the images are not what they used to be.
Resonant scanner faults
Resonant scanners on fast systems lose amplitude or will not lock. Usually a driver or scanner replacement.
Intermittent errors
Loose connectors, failing power supplies and overheating boards cause errors that come and go. Note what you were doing when it happened.
What we do
Scan head work is alignment and electronics together. We bring reference systems and test slides.
- Run the service software to isolate scanner, detector and controller faults
- Repair or replace galvo and resonant scanner assemblies and driver boards
- Replace PMT and GaAsP detectors and high voltage supplies, then balance the channels
- Realign the pinhole and scan path and verify sectioning with a test slide
- Replace degraded dichroics and emission filters
- Written report with the measurements taken
What to send for a fast quote
Anything you do not know, we will find on the first call.
- Confocal model and stand
- The exact error text or a photo of the error window
- Which channels are affected and whether it is all the time or intermittent
- A recent image that shows the problem, if the system still scans
- Whether anything changed recently: a move, a software reinstall, a power outage
How a service call runs
The same four steps whether it is a down laser or an annual PM.
Tell us the symptom
An engineer, not a call center, reviews your request and asks the few questions that narrow it down.
Get an estimate
You get an advance estimate, refined with scope, parts and lead time once the system is evaluated. You approve before work starts.
We do the work
On site in your lab, or crated and repaired on our bench. Lasers measured, optics cleaned, scan path aligned.
Report and warranty
A written service report with the measurements taken, plus 30 days of coverage on parts and labor.
Zeiss LSM scan head?
Scan head and detector repair is covered under our all-inclusive Zeiss LSM contracts, with access to spare parts and working reference systems for discontinued models.
Questions labs ask us
The scanner errors on startup and never scans. Is the scan head dead?
Usually not. Galvo driver boards, cables and the controller fail more often than the scanner itself. We isolate it with the service software before replacing parts.
One channel is much dimmer than the others. Is it the laser or the detector?
If the laser line reaches the sample at normal power, it is the detector path: PMT, high voltage supply, dichroic or filter. We measure both so you only pay for the part that failed.
Images are blurry and sectioning is poor but there are no errors. Can that be fixed?
Yes. That is usually pinhole or scan path alignment, which we verify with a test slide and correct on site.
Do you have scan head parts for discontinued Zeiss LSM models?
We have access to Zeiss LSM spare parts and working reference systems for models Zeiss no longer supports, so repairs do not stall on discontinued parts.
Request a free service assessment
Tell us the manufacturer, model and what the system is doing. An engineer reviews every request.
No obligation and no charge for the assessment.