High performance wavelength-swept laser with mode-locking technique for optical coherence tomography

We demonstrate a Fourier-domain mode-locked wavelength-swept laser that uses a polygon-based narrowband optical scanning filter and a high-efficiency semiconductor optical amplifier. Peak and average output powers of 98 mW and 71 mW have been achieved, respectively, without an external amplifier, while the wavelength was swept continuously from 1247 nm to 1360 nm. A unidirectional wavelength sweeping rate of 7452 nm/ms (65.95 kHz repetition rate) was achieved by using a 72 facet polygon scanner with a rotation rate of 916 revolutions per second. The instantaneous linewidth of this laser is 0.09 nm, which corresponds to a coherence length of 16 mm. This laser is most suitable for optical coherence tomography applications.     

超短时延测量DFB激光器的动态线宽

激光器调谐过程中的动态线宽是非常重要的参数, 然而, 当前各种测量方法得到的都是激光器稳定状态下的静态线宽. 本文提出一种对干涉拍信号进行基于局部均值分解的时频分析进而获取激光动态线宽的方法, 通过仿真信号验证了这种时频分析方法提取瞬时相位噪声的有效性; 构建实验系统, 利用10cm路径差产生约0.5ns的超短时延, 提取相位噪声的时频分布, 首次得到了分布反馈半导体激光器在脉冲工作模式下的动态线宽. 关键词： 超短时延 动态线宽 局部均值分解 时频分布     

激光光源线宽对外差探测性能的影响

本文根据统计理论分析了激光线宽对外差探测结果的影响, 并讨论了激光线宽对杨氏干涉条纹对比度的影响. 本文基于解析结果做了数值仿真, 所得结果表明激光线宽增加时, 外差探测方式仍可以检测到中频信号, 但在线宽较大时, 受噪声影响无法准确地提取到中频频率. 为验证理论分析结果, 使用线宽为1 MHz的激光光源进行了8.1 km外场实验, 实验结果与数值分析结论一致, 即不会因为线宽增加而无法检测到中频信号. 文中所得结论对于外差探测光源的选择有重要指导意义, 因此根据测量目标的特性和测量要求, 可按照文中结论评估光源的线宽指标.     

时域光学相干层析系统噪音分析和实验研究

本文从理论和实验上分析了存在拍频噪音时时域光学相干层析系统的噪音特性,给出了拍频噪音的具体估算方法.建立了描述一般时域光学相干层析系统实际噪音的简化模型,并给出了测量和寻找平衡探测光学相干层析系统最佳工作状态的方法.理论计算表明,平衡探测光学相干层析系统的信噪比受限于拍频噪音,理想情况下,最大信噪比可达100 dB左右|同时实验表明,如果实际的系统不能完全消除冗余噪音,其信噪比可能要比理论值小10~20 dB.本文的主要结果将可直接用于时域光学相干层析系统工作状态的测试和诊断当中,对频域光学相干层析系统噪音性能的分析和优化也将有所裨益.     

基于受激辐射信号的谱域光学相干层析分子成像方法

鉴于不同生理病理状态下组织复折射率实部的变化不大,传统光学相干层析(OCT)成像技术在分子特异性识别上存在先天不足.为此,本文提出了基于受激辐射信号的OCT成像方法,可在实现传统散射成像的同时,实现基于受激辐射信号的分子成像.在超高分辨率谱域OCT系统的基础上,通过增设光谱分光与调制抽运光支路,建立了基于单宽谱光源的抽运探测谱域OCT系统,详细推导了调制抽运下受激辐射信号的获取与成像公式.利用搭建的抽运探测谱域OCT系统,实现了瞬态受激辐射信号的相干探测.基于同时获取的受激辐射OCT信号和传统OCT信号,成功重构了氮化物粉末构建样品的基于受激辐射信号的分子对比OCT图像.     

Submicrometer axial resolution optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) with unprecedented submicrometer axial resolution achieved by use of a photonic crystal fiber in combination with a compact sub-10-fs Ti:sapphire laser (Femtolasers Produktions) is demonstrated for what the authors believe is the first time. The emission spectrum ranges from 550 to 950 nm (lambda(c)=725 nm , P(out)=27 mW) , resulting in a free-space axial OCT resolution of ~0.75 mum , corresponding to ~0.5 mum in biological tissue. Submicrometer-resolution OCT is demonstrated in vitro on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells HT-29. This novel light source has great potential for development of spectroscopic OCT because its spectrum covers the absorption bands of several biological chromophores.     

利用变迹术和相干门相结合实现光学相干层析成像术轴向超分辨

光学相十层析成像（光学相干层析成像术）的轴向分辨力由光源带宽和探测光束的聚焦条件共同决定。提高光学相干层析成像术轴向分辨力的方法主要基于带宽光源技术。提出了一种将变迹术与光学相十层析成像术相干门有机结合的方法来提高其轴向分辨力。通过适当形式的光瞳滤波器．使光学相干层析成像术系统轴向响应的主瓣宽度缩小到相干门之内,而其旁瓣则处于相干门之外．不对相干成像产生有效贡献。这样．就能在光源带宽不变的条件下,有效提高光学相十层析成像术的轴向分辨力,避免了采用宽带光源所带来的费用昂贵和系统复杂等缺陷。     

Resonance fluorescence of gamma radiation under conditions of coherent mixing of Mössbauer sublevels

A method is proposed for calculating the resonance fluorescence spectrum of coherent gamma radiation with a finite linewidth under conditions when the sublevels of the ground nuclear state are coupled through a strong field. The spectrum line shape is substantially affected by both the coherent effects induced in the system by a strong field and the finite gamma-radiation width. The results obtained earlier and in this work give impetus to experimental investigations into the coherence of a quantum system and quantum interference of Mössbauer gamma transitions through the excitation of coherent magnetization dynamics or an optical subsystem in solids.     

可调谐半导体激光器的瞬时光谱测量方法研究

可调谐半导体激光器在调谐过程中的瞬时光谱特性,如瞬时的波长、调谐率、功率、线型和线宽等参数影响着以激光器为光源的光学测量和光相干通信系统的精度。然而,能够同时测量这些瞬变参数的技术至今未见报道。提出了一个基于时频分析的测量半导体激光器在调谐过程中瞬时光谱参数的方法,利用一个短时延外差测量系统,利用激光器瞬时光谱参数与差拍信号瞬时参数的关系,最终获得了半导体激光器在连续电流调谐过程中的瞬时光谱。测量系统采用了10 cm光程差的Mach-Zehnder干涉仪,调谐电流是幅度为20~120 mA、频率是1 kHz的锯齿波,差拍信号可视为直流信号、载波信号与噪声的叠加,按照短时延相干光测量原理,差拍信号中的直流分量幅度的大小反映了激光器输出光信号的功率;载波信号是一种多项式相位信号,由其频率可以推算激光器输出光谱的中心频率或波长;噪声信号则与激光器输出光谱的线型和线宽相关,通过对噪声信号进行时频分析,可以获知激光器在连续电流调谐过程中每一时刻或每个电流下的瞬时线型、线宽。采用了趋势局部均值分解方法对差拍信号进行了准确分离,并对分离信号分别进行处理,同时获知了半导体激光器在调谐过程中的瞬时输出光功率、光波长、调谐率及线型、线宽。在去掉弛豫部分后截取的整周期差拍信号对应的调谐电流60~115 mA变化范围内,半导体激光器(FRL15DDR0A31-18950, Furukawa)瞬时输出光功率变化范围是5.16~10.6 mW,瞬时光波长变化范围为1 579.2~1 579.6 nm;激光器的瞬时调谐率在0.004 8~0.011 5 nm·mA-1范围内单调变化;线宽是852.55~954.95 kHz,呈非线性随机分布。基于短时延、局部均值分解和时频分析方法的瞬时光谱参数测量系统可以准确得到各瞬时光谱参数,测量结果与激光器的静特性相符,且测量系统结构简单,使我们更深入地理解激光器的工作原理,具有广阔的应用前景。     

基于时变功率谱的激光器调谐瞬时线宽测量方法研究

半导体激光器的线宽通常采用激光外差测量技术,通过差拍信号的功率谱密度函数来确定,受傅里叶变换方法的限制,得到的均是在一定时间段内的静态平均线宽。为了获得半导体激光器在电流调谐过程中的瞬时线宽特性,提出了利用时变功率谱获知调谐瞬时线宽的相干和非相干测量方法,并分别进行了理论分析和实验验证。首先对半导体激光器输出光信号及差拍信号进行了时间-频率域下的数学描述,确定了时变功率谱与调谐瞬时线宽的关系;其次,针对差拍信号的趋向性特征,提出了趋势局部均值分解方法,并研究了利用分解出的乘积函数建立差拍信号及激光器输出光信号的时变功率谱的方法;最后利用非相干和相干测量法分别获得了分布反馈式半导体激光器在50~51及50~100 mA锯齿波电流调谐过程中的瞬时线宽。     

Coherent noise compensation in Spectral-Domain optical coherence tomography

An efficient technique for the separation of and compensation for coherent noise in spectral optical coherence tomography with parallel spectrum detection is proposed and validated. The coherent noise is separated during one exposure by modulating the mutual delay of the signal and reference waves by a certain law. It is shown that the influence of internal motions in an object on the quality of the coherent noise separation can be reduced by the modulation frequency increasing. The technique has been numerically and experimentally validated with the help of an optical coherence tomography (OCT) setup with a radiation source operating at a wavelength of 1277 nm and a width of the recorded spectrum of about 100 nm.     

光源对相干层析系统特性的影响

在分析相干层析系统成像机理的基础上，从理论上研究了光源对系统成像特性的影响，在考虑干涉条纹的强度用概率函数处理的条件下，由分析得出相干层析成像系统相当于一个复振幅的线性空间不变系统，从而给出相干函数和光源的功率谱密度之间的关系。通过对使用不同光源的系统相干传递函数比较，得出了采用具有较大线宽的低相干光源，系统的空间分辨率更好，可使测量更精确的结论。本文的工作为光学相干层析成像系统的优化设计提供了理论依据。     

Fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography

A fiber-optic-bundle-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe method is presented. The experimental results demonstrate this multimode optical fiber-bundle-based OCT system can achieve a lateral resolution of 12 microm and an axial resolution of 10 microm with a superluminescent diode source. This novel OCT imaging approach eliminates any moving parts in the probe and has a primary advantage for use in extremely compact and safe OCT endoscopes for imaging internal organs and great potential to be combined with confocal endoscopic microscopy.     

Multiple Backscattering Effects in Optical Coherence Tomography Images of Layered Turbid Media

We study the influence of multiple backscattering on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images or pulsed-sounding images of layered turbid media. A method for calculating the signal of various orders of backscattering is proposed. The retarding effects of OCT-signal dropping are analyzed. The contrast attenuation of an image of a layered medium due to multiple backscattering is examined. The blurring effect of an image of the back boundary of a scattering layer, caused by a delay of multiply scattered photons compared with single-scattered ones, is studied theoretically and experimentally using an OCT device.     

Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT), an extension of conventional OCT, is demonstrated for performing cross-sectional tomographic and spectroscopic imaging. Information on the spectral content of backscattered light is obtained by detection and processing of the interferometric OCT signal. This method allows the spectrum of backscattered light to be measured over the entire available optical bandwidth simultaneously in a single measurement. Specific spectral features can be extracted by use of digital signal processing without changing the measurement apparatus. An ultrabroadband femtosecond Ti:Al(2)O(3) laser was used to achieve spectroscopic imaging over the wavelength range from 650 to 1000 nm in a simple model as well as in vivo in the Xenopus laevis (African frog) tadpole. Multidimensional spectroscopic data are displayed by use of a novel hue-saturation false-color mapping.     

Advantages of Adaptive Speckle Filtering Prior to Application of Iterative Deconvolution Methods for Optical Coherent Tomography Imaging

The axial resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) is closely related to the light source spectrum width. Unfortunately, most basic sources providing the required power for decent OCT image have narrow spectra, which generate a resolution loss. Assuming the OCT system is linear shift-invariant, we can consider the system output as the convolution of the theoretical signal with a system impulse response due to this spectrum narrowness. It becomes then possible to enhance this resolution through iterative deconvolution methods (IDM). However those methods have a significant drawback, as they usually significantly enhance speckle, which is another consequence of the source spectrum narrowness. To compensate this, we rely on preliminary speckle filtering, and especially the adaptative ones, which allow tackling the speckle without blurring the image. We first studied enhancement proposed by most popular IDMs on OCT images, and then the effect of preliminary adaptive speckle filtering (ASF) by different common adaptive methods. Then, among those methods, we combined Frost filter and Richardson-Lucy deconvolution in the appropriated way; this way we both enhanced resolution by 2 and reduced speckle (raising CNR from 0.7 to 1.3)     

Frequency drift and instantaneous linewidth broadening of phase-section tuned SG-DBR laser

We experimentally investigate the spectral dynamics of a phase-section tuned sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector (SG-DBR) laser by using optical heterodyne method. The measured time-resolved spectra of the beat signal illustrate that the beat signal suffers from both frequency drift and instantaneous spectrum broadening, which indicates that the wavelengths of the lightwaves experience drift and jitter. We study the variation of frequency drift and instantaneous linewidth broadening with applied voltages. It is helpful in selection of optimum operating conditions and design of experimental setup. Experimental results demonstrate that the pulse-waveform can be used to reduce the frequency drift by shorting the beating time.     

Optical coherence tomography (Review)

The basic principles and possibilities of optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a method for the investigation of pathologies in medical diagnostics are outlined. We discuss the OCT method limitations and issues related to the need for improving the resolution of optical tomographs. The prospects are considered for developing the OCT methods based on probing with diffraction-free light beams.     

Near-infrared dyes as contrast-enhancing agents for spectroscopic optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of biological tissues often have low contrast. Spectroscopic optical coherence tomography (SOCT) methods have been developed to enhance contrast but remain limited because most tissues are not spectrally active in the frequency bands of laser sources commonly used in OCT. Near-infrared (NIR) dyes with absorption spectra features within the OCT source spectrum can be used for enhancing contrast in this situation. We introduce and demonstrate the use of NIR dyes as contrast agents for SOCT. Contrast-enhanced images are compared with fluorescence microscopy, demonstrating a link between SOCT and fluorescence imaging.     

Ultrathin fiber probes with extended depth of focus for optical coherence tomography

We report on a novel scheme for extending the depth of focus (DOF) of ultrathin (125 μm diameter) fiber probes for optical coherence tomography (OCT) using a simple phase mask consisting of graded-index (GRIN) fiber. The technique is compatible with existing all-in-fiber probe fabrication techniques, and our simulations show that it can provide a DOF gain of ~2 at a modest ~5 dB reduction of peak sensitivity. In a prototype device using commercially available GRIN fiber, a DOF gain of 1.55 is obtained, validated by beam profiling and OCT imaging.