Single input state polarization sensitive swept source optical coherence tomography based on an all single mode fiber interferometer

We present a newly developed single mode fiber based swept source polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography system using a single input state at 1040 nm. Two non-polarizing fiber based beam splitters are combined to form a Mach-Zehnder interferometer, while two polarizing beam splitters are used to obtain a polarization sensitive detection. Both types of beam splitters solely feature conventional single mode fibers. Polarization control paddles are used to set and maintain the polarization states in the fibers of the interferometer and detection unit. By use of a special paddle alignment scheme we are able to eliminate any bulk optic wave plates and polarization maintaining fibers in the interferometer and detection paths while preserving the advantages of a single input state system that illuminates the sample with circularly polarized light. To demonstrate the capabilities of our system, we performed retinal measurements on healthy human volunteers.

[1]  Xiang-Run Huang,et al.  Analytical model of scanning laser polarimetry for retinal nerve fiber layer assessment. , 2002, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[2]  Gretchen A. Stevens,et al.  Causes of vision loss worldwide, 1990-2010: a systematic analysis. , 2013, The Lancet. Global health.

[3]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography of melanin provides intrinsic contrast based on depolarization , 2012, Biomedical optics express.

[4]  A. Fercher,et al.  Measurement of intraocular distances by backscattering spectral interferometry , 1995 .

[5]  D. Stifter,et al.  Beyond biomedicine: a review of alternative applications and developments for optical coherence tomography , 2007 .

[6]  Kunihiko Washio.  Standards for Safe Use of Lasers , 2007 .

[7]  C. Hitzenberger,et al.  High speed spectral domain polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography of the human retina. , 2005, Optics express.

[8]  U. Schmidt-Erfurth,et al.  Polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography in the human eye , 2011, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research.

[9]  B E Bouma,et al.  High-speed polarization sensitive optical frequency domain imaging with frequency multiplexing. , 2008, Optics express.

[10]  R. Weinreb,et al.  Spatially resolved birefringence of the retinal nerve fiber layer assessed with a retinal laser ellipsometer. , 1992, Applied optics.

[11]  Barry Cense,et al.  Henle fiber layer phase retardation measured with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2013, Biomedical optics express.

[12]  Mark C. Pierce,et al.  In vivo depth-resolved birefringence measurements of the human retinal nerve fiber layer by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography , 2002 .

[13]  W. Drexler,et al.  In vivo retinal optical coherence tomography at 1040 nm - enhanced penetration into the choroid. , 2005, Optics express.

[14]  Christoph K. Hitzenberger,et al.  Large-field high-speed polarization sensitive spectral domain OCT and its applications in ophthalmology , 2012, Biomedical optics express.

[15]  Michael Pircher,et al.  Corneal birefringence compensation for polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography of the human retina. , 2007, Journal of biomedical optics.

[16]  Changhuei Yang,et al.  Sensitivity advantage of swept source and Fourier domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics express.

[17]  Wen-Chuan Kuo,et al.  All fiber optics circular-state swept source polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography , 2013, Journal of biomedical optics.

[18]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Imaging of polarization properties of human retina in vivo with phase resolved transversal PS-OCT. , 2004, Optics express.

[19]  J. Nelson,et al.  Characterization of fluid flow velocity by optical Doppler tomography. , 1995, Optics letters.

[20]  J. Nelson,et al.  High-speed fiber based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography of in vivo human skin. , 2000, Optics letters.

[21]  M. Brezinski.  Optical Coherence Tomography: Principles and Applications , 2006 .

[22]  A. Fercher,et al.  Measurement and imaging of birefringence and optic axis orientation by phase resolved polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2001, Optics express.

[23]  C. Hitzenberger,et al.  Polarization maintaining fiber based ultra-high resolution spectral domain polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2009, Optics express.

[24]  U. Schmidt-Erfurth,et al.  Retinal pigment epithelium segmentation by polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2008, Optics express.

[25]  A D Négrel,et al.  Global data on blindness. , 1995, Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

[26]  S. Yun,et al.  Real-time fiber-based multi-functional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography at 1.3 microm. , 2005, Optics express.

[27]  Zhongping Chen,et al.  Optical Doppler tomographic imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media. , 1997, Optics letters.

[28]  Barry Cense,et al.  Thickness and birefringence of healthy retinal nerve fiber layer tissue measured with polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2004, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[29]  J. Izatt,et al.  In vivo bidirectional color Doppler flow imaging of picoliter blood volumes using optical coherence tomography. , 1997, Optics letters.

[30]  Michael Pircher,et al.  High-Speed Retinal Imaging with Polarization-Sensitive OCT at 1040 nm , 2012, Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry.

[31]  Matthias Bolz,et al.  Lesion size detection in geographic atrophy by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography and correlation to conventional imaging techniques. , 2013, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[32]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Optical coherence tomography using a frequency-tunable optical source. , 1997, Optics letters.

[33]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Optical Coherence Tomography , 1991 .

[34]  Wolfgang Drexler,et al.  State-of-the-art retinal optical coherence tomography , 2008, Progress in Retinal and Eye Research.

[35]  Birgit Sander,et al.  Optical coherence tomography—current technology and applications in clinical and biomedical research , 2011, Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry.

[36]  M. V. van Gemert,et al.  Two-dimensional birefringence imaging in biological tissue using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography , 1997, European Conference on Biomedical Optics.

[37]  Toyohiko Yatagai,et al.  Phase retardation measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer by polarization-sensitive spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and scanning laser polarimetry. , 2008, Journal of biomedical optics.

[38]  A. Fercher,et al.  Performance of fourier domain vs. time domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics express.

[39]  A. Kampik,et al.  Multi-MHz retinal OCT. , 2013, Biomedical optics express.

[40]  Y. Yasuno,et al.  Polarization-sensitive swept-source optical coherence tomography with continuous source polarization modulation. , 2008, Optics express.

[41]  G. Ripandelli,et al.  Optical coherence tomography. , 1998, Seminars in ophthalmology.

[42]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Polarization-sensitive low-coherence reflectometer for birefringence characterization and ranging , 1992 .

[43]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Segmentation and quantification of retinal lesions in age-related macular degeneration using polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2010, Journal of biomedical optics.

[44]  B. Bouma,et al.  Improved signal-to-noise ratio in spectral-domain compared with time-domain optical coherence tomography. , 2003, Optics letters.

[45]  Christian Ahlers,et al.  Performance of automated drusen detection by polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography. , 2011, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[46]  T. Milner,et al.  Polarization-maintaining fiber-based optical low-coherence reflectometer for characterization and ranging of birefringence. , 2003, Optics letters.