Space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography apparatus

Abstract

A space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography apparatus arid system is provided, in one embodiment, the system includes a light source, a reference arm. and a sample arm. The sample arm splits the sampling light into a plurality of sampling beams which may be scanned simultaneously onto a surface of a sample. An optical delay may be introduced into the sampling beams before scanning. A plurality of reflected light signals returned from the sample is collected. In one arrangement, the signals may be combined to produce a single reflected light signal The reflected light sigtial(s) and a reference signal are combined to produce an interference signal comprising data representative of digitized images captured of the actual object, in one embodiment, a single sample arm may be used for scanning and collecting image data. A related method is also provided.

Description

[0001] see related application

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 734,168, filed December 6, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 819,251, filed May 3, 2013; the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein as refer to.

[0003] Statement of Government Interests

[0004] This invention was made with government support under grant R00-EB010071 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). The government has certain rights in this invention. technical field

[0005] The present invention relates to tomography, especially optical coherence tomography. Background technique

[0006] Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel optical imaging technique that enables micron-scale, cross-sectional, and three-dimensional (3D) real-time imaging of biological tissues in situ. OCT acts like an "optical biopsy", and its tissue microstruc...

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