Comparison of speckle reduction using polarization diversity and frequency compounding in optical coherence tomography

We present a novel OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) instrument which enables us to detect two orthogonal polarization states at two different wavelengths simultaneously. We have used this instrument to demonstrate, study, and compare the properties of speckle averaging using frequency compounding and polarization diversity separately and in combination. Reductions in speckle contrast obtained by measurements are compared to theoretical values and results from computer simulations of OCT signals.

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