Rotary mirror array for high-speed optical coherence tomography

We have developed a simple, high-speed, high-duty-cycle, linear optical delay line suitable for optical coherence tomography and optical Doppler tomography. Periodic longitudinal scanning is achieved by use of a tilted mirror array rotating at a constant speed. With a typical motor speed of 4000 rpm, our system has demonstrated a 2-mm axial scanning range, a 2400-Hz repetition rate, 94% duty cycle, and less than 0.1% nonlinear errors. Much higher repetition rates can be readily achieved by use of high-speed motors.     

Rapid scanning all-reflective optical delay line for real-time optical coherence tomography

We describe a dispersion-free high-speed scanning optical delay line that is suitable for real-time optical coherence tomography, in particular, when an ultrabroadband light source is used. The delay line is based on all-reflective optics consisting of two flat and one curved mirrors. We achieve optical path-length scanning by oscillating one of the two flat mirrors with a resonant galvanometer. The delay line is compact and easy to implement. A total scanning depth of 1.50 mm with an 89% duty ratio, a maximal scanning speed of approximately 9.1 m/s, and a 4.1-kHz repetition rate has been demonstrated.     

Real-time dispersion compensation in scanning interferometry

We propose and demonstrate a method of real-time dispersion compensation suitable for scanning interferometry and optical coherence tomography. Static grating tilt in a scanning frequency-domain optical delay line is shown to produce dispersion that is linearly proportional to scan position, and we use this property to achieve depth-dependent dispersion compensation during an interferometric scan through a dispersive sample.     

双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散补偿

光学相干层析成像(OCT)系统的纵向分辨力不仅与光源的带宽有关,而且与系统中两干涉臂间的色散匹配有关。如果色散没有得到精确匹配,将使光学相干层析成像系统的纵向分辨力达不到所预期的理论值。色散问题在超高分辨光学相干层析成像系统中尤为突出。提出了一种基于双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线(RSOD),用于光学相干层析成像系统的色散补偿。该方法中新增的光栅引入了光栅间距这一独立变量,其与常规单光栅快速扫描光学延迟线机构中的光栅离焦量一起,可使光学相干层析成像系统中的群速度色散(GVD)和三阶色散(TOD)同时得到补偿。分析了双光栅快速扫描光学延迟线的色散特性和色散调节原则,并提供了一个典型光学相干层析成像系统中的色散补偿实例。     

Inverse scattering for high-resolution interferometric microscopy

We extend the applicability of inverse scattering for optical coherence tomography (OCT) to the case of high numerical aperture focusing optics. We include the effects of tight focusing so that the approach is applicable to any interferometric microscopy method. The applicability to modalities, such as OCT and optical coherence microscopy, enables computed reconstruction of three-dimensional volumes from en face temporal ranging data. Simulations show that the computed structure outside of the focal plane exhibits spatially invariant resolution on par with the resolution achieved at the focal plane.     

Dual femtosecond laser multiheterodyne optical coherence tomography

A time domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) system without moving parts is described, which is based on multiheterodyning utilizing two mode-locked femtosecond lasers. By synchronizing the two lasers to slightly different repetition rates and coupling to an interferometric OCT setup, we obtain amplitude-modulated beat signals representing the structure of the specimen under investigation. Our system is suitable for biological imaging as well as technical applications. We demonstrate high axial imaging depths of 150 mm with up to 5000 axial scans per second, achieving equivalent path scanning velocities of 750 m/s.     

Fast scanning transmissive delay line for optical coherence tomography

A novel Fourier domain fast scanning optical delay line is proposed in which the walk-off is eliminated by only two passes through a diffraction grating. Working in transmission, the novel delay line is ideal for balanced optical coherence tomography configurations with recirculation of the reference beam. We evaluate theoretically and experimentally its walk-off and dispersion compensation capabilities.     

Double-reflection polygon mirror for high-speed optical coherence microscopy

We report on a high-speed, high-efficiency, high-duty-cycle, path-length-maintaining and linear beam scanner suitable for en face scanning optical coherence microscopy. Fast transverse beam scanning is achieved by use of a double-reflection polygon mirror (DRPM) rotating at a constant speed. With a motor speed of 18,000 rpm and a scanner diameter of 50 mm, the DRPM provides a line rate up to 3 kHz, +/-1.8 degrees scanning range, and 90% duty cycle. A much higher scanning speed and much larger scanning range can be readily achieved by increasing the scanner diameter.     

低相干光断层扫描系统的噪声分析与研究

低相干光断层扫描,是近十几年来发展起来集多种前沿科学和技术为一体的超高精度成像技术。介绍了该技术的理论原理及本实验室建立的基于时域线性调制和光纤迈克耳孙干涉仪的低相干光断层扫描系统并给出了初步的实验结果。重点对光源谱型和参考臂扫描速度不均匀性对系统输出信噪比的影响进行了理论模拟计算和实验研究。通过运用傅里叶频谱的分析方法,从工程设计的角度出发给出了基于实验结果的参量特性分析以及这些特性将会给实际光学相干层析系统测量结果带来的影响,从而获得了低相干光断层扫描系统改进的方法。     

Spatial and temporal coherence effects in interference microscopy and full‐field optical coherence tomography

Low‐coherence optical microscopy or optical coherence microscopy uses light with short coherence length. The well‐known case is: “white‐light interferometry”, which became recently more known as: “optical coherence tomography”. However, when lenses and microscope objectives are used to create interferometric images, in what is known classically as “interference microscopy” or today as “full‐field optical coherence tomography” the spatial coherence starts to play a critical role. In this article the coherence effects in low‐coherence optical microscopy are reviewed. As this technology is becoming increasingly publicized due to its importance in three‐dimensional imaging, particularly of scattering biological media and optical metrology, the understanding of the fundamental physics behind it is essential. The interplay between longitudinal spatial coherence and temporal coherence and the effects associated with them are discussed in detail particularly when high numerical apertures are used. An important conclusion of this study is that a high‐contrast, high‐resolution system for imaging of multilayered samples is the one that uses narrowband illumination and high‐NA objectives with an index‐matching fluid. Such a system, when combined with frequency‐domain operation, can reveal nearly real‐time three‐dimensional images, and is thus competitive with confocal microscopy.     

Multiplexed Optical Fiber Interferometric Sensor System by Synthesis of Optical Coherence Function with Phase Generated Carrier

A novel system for multiplexed optical fiber interferometric sensors is proposed applying the synthesis of optical coherence function with phase generated carriers. The ideal parameters of the laser diode frequency modulation for the phase generated carrier with the synthesis of the optical coherence function are discussed. A basic experimental setup including two interferometric sensors is constructed. The results show that the phase signal from the two sensors can successfully be demultiplexed by scanning the synthesized coherence peak.     

Structured interference optical coherence tomography

We developed a structured interference optical coherence tomography (SIOCT) to enhance the lateral resolution beyond the diffraction limit. A sinusoidal pattern is created on the interferometric beam with the reference intensity temporally modulated. In the Fourier domain, the high spatial frequencies are shifted into the detectable range, which enhances the lateral resolution beyond the diffraction limit by a factor of 2. The lateral resolution of SIOCT was characterized in our study as ～5.5 μm, surpassing the diffraction limit ～9.6 μm as in conventional Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography. SIOCT was demonstrated on phantoms and ex vivo adipose tissues.     

Miniature 10 kHz thermo-optic delay line in silicon

The scanning delay line is a key component of time-domain optical coherence tomography systems. It has evolved since its inception toward higher scan rates and simpler implementation. However, existing approaches still suffer from drawbacks in terms of size, cost, and complexity, and they are not suitable for implementation using integrated optics. In this Letter, we report a rapid scanning delay line based on the thermo-optic effect of silicon at λ = 1.3 μm manufactured around a generic planar lightwave circuit technology. The reported device attained line scan rates of 10 kHz and demonstrated a scan range of 0.95 mm without suffering any observable loss of resolution (15 μm FWHM) owing to depth-dependent chromatic dispersion.     

Polarization Sensitive Spectral Interferometric Optical Coherence Tomography for Biological Samples

A spectral interferometric optical coherence tomography (OCT) system which has polarization sensitivity is developed. This system reduces the mechanical scanning dimension by employing the principle of spectral interferometry, and measures a two dimensional cross-sectional image of biological tissue with one dimensional mechanical scanning. Sixteen OCT images with different polarization conditions are measured, and two dimensional distributions of each element of the Müller matrix of a sample to be measured are calculated.     

Terahertz interferometric synthetic aperture tomography for confocal imaging systems

Terahertz (THz) interferometric synthetic aperture tomography (TISAT) for confocal imaging within extended objects is demonstrated by combining attributes of synthetic aperture radar and optical coherence tomography. Algorithms recently devised for interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy are adapted to account for the diffraction-and defocusing-induced spatially varying THz beam width characteristic of narrow depth of focus, high-resolution confocal imaging. A frequency-swept two-dimensional TISAT confocal imaging instrument rapidly achieves in-focus, diffraction-limited resolution over a depth 12 times larger than the instrument's depth of focus in a manner that may be easily extended to three dimensions and greater depths.     

Full-field swept-source phase microscopy

We present a full-field phase microscopy technique for quantitative nanoscale surface profiling of samples in reflection. This technique utilizes swept-source optical coherence tomography in a full-field common path interferometer for phase-stable cross-sectional acquisition without scanning. Subwavelength variations in surface sample features are measured without interference from spurious reflections by processing the interferometric phase at a selected depth plane, providing a 1.3 nm stability for high signal-to-noise ratio surface features. Nanoscale imaging was demonstrated by measuring the location of receptor sites on a DNA assay biochip and the surface topography of erythrocytes in a blood smear.     

光学相干层析成像色散补偿研究

针对通过增加光源谱宽度来提高光学相干层析成像系统分辨率时样品色散特性的限制作用,分析了色散与光学相干层析成像系统纵向光程分辨率的约束关系.根据物质色散特性,采用数值变换方法对光学相干层析成像相干成像信号进行了色散补偿.实验使用了中心波长1 550 nm 自激发辐射光源和光纤迈克尓逊干涉结构,对水和光学快速扫描延迟线引入的二阶和三阶色散进行了数值补偿并通过相位修正因子来改善补偿效果.确定了一种普适的、快速的数值色散补偿方法.在对水中盖玻片和生物组织和的光学相干层析成像图像的色散补偿实验中取得了良好的效果,证明了方法的可行性.     

Birefringence imaging of human skin by polarization-sensitive spectral interferometric optical coherence tomography

We have developed a spectral interferometric optical coherence tomography (OCT) system with polarization sensitivity that is able to measure a two-dimensional tomographic image by means of one-dimensional mechanical scanning. Our system, which has an axial resolution of 32 mum , calculates the distribution of each element of the Müller matrix of a measured object from 16 OCT images. The OCT system successfully reveals the birefringent nature of human skin tissue.     

Optical detection of indocyanine green encapsulated biocompatible poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid nanoparticles with photothermal optical coherence tomography

We describe a functional imaging paradigm that uses photothermal optical coherence tomography (PT-OCT) to detect indocyanine green (ICG)-encapsulated biocompatible poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles embedded in highly scattering tissue phantoms with high resolution and sensitivity. The ICG-loaded PLGA nanoparticles were fabricated using a modified emulsification solvent diffusion method. With a 20 kHz axial scan rate, PT-OCT based on spectral-domain interferometric configuration at 1310 nm was used to detect phase changes induced by a 808 nm photothermal excitation of ICG-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles. An algorithm based on Fourier transform analysis of differential phase of the spectral interferogram was developed for detecting the depth resolved localized photothermal signal. Excellent contrast difference was observed with PT-OCT between phantoms containing different concentrations of ICG-encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles. This technique has the potential to provide simultaneous structural and molecular-targeted imaging with excellent signal-to-noise for various clinical applications.     

Strained Chirped Fiber Bragg Gratings Based all-fiber Variable Optical Delay Line for Optical Coherence Tomography

We present the novel all-fiber optical delay line that can be realized by exploiting the fundamental distributive reflection characteristics of a chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBG). With the assist of a strained CFBG and a designed fiber stretcher, the proposed delay line could perform the function (such as attainment of variable large enough optical delay without dispersion mismatch) of the conventional optical delay line within the optical fiber. While the strained CFBG produced 3.1 mm optical delay, the pair of CFBGs in the opposite direction can manage dispersion imbalance of the delay line. The use of the PZT-based fiber stretcher can enable depth scanning at a high repetition rate for real-time imaging. The performance of the delay element is demonstrated with measured experimental results. OCT system embedded with the all-fiber variable optical delay line showed the axial resolution of 100 μm and the dynamic range of 50 dB. The implemented system was used for the imaging of a biomedical sample, which proves the utility of the proposed delay element as a promising alternative of optical delay line.