Multiple-wavelength partial coherence interferometry

We report on the possibility to reduce the coherence length and therefore improve the longitudinal resolution of partial coherence interferometry by an incoherent superposition of two spectrally displaced superluminescent diodes. If the object under investigation is dispersive, this resolution is limited due to a broadening of the detected signals. We demonstrate this group dispersion effect in water. In addition, two spectrally displaced diodes can also be used to measure the group refractive index and the group dispersion of ocular components. FIrst results of in vivo measurements in the cornea, the lens and along the axial length of human eyes are reported.

[1]  Wolfgang Drexler,et al.  Biometric investigation of changes in the anterior eye segment during accommodation , 1997, Vision Research.

[2]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Measurement of the anterior structures of the human eye by partial coherence interferometry , 1995, Other Conferences.

[3]  Emil Wolf,et al.  CHAPTER X – INTERFERENCE AND DIFFRACTION WITH PARTIALLY COHERENT LIGHT , 1980 .

[4]  C K Hitzenberger,et al.  Measurement of the axial length of cataract eyes by laser Doppler interferometry. , 1993, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[5]  A. Fercher,et al.  In vivo optical coherence tomography. , 1993, American journal of ophthalmology.

[6]  Harald Sattmann,et al.  Measurement of the thickness of fundus layers by partial coherence tomography , 1995 .

[7]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Micron‐resolution ranging of cornea anterior chamber by optical reflectometry , 1991, Lasers in surgery and medicine.

[8]  C K Hitzenberger,et al.  Optical measurement of the axial eye length by laser Doppler interferometry. , 1991, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[9]  B K Pierscionek,et al.  The refractive index along the optic axis of the bovine lens , 1995, Eye.

[10]  B K Pierscionek,et al.  Surface refractive index of the eye lens determined with an optic fiber sensor. , 1993, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[11]  Adolf Friedrich Fercher,et al.  Ophthalmic Laser Interferometry , 1986, Other Conferences.

[12]  K. Takada,et al.  New measurement system for fault location in optical waveguide devices based on an interferometric technique. , 1987, Applied optics.

[13]  D. Davies,et al.  Optical coherence-domain reflectometry: a new optical evaluation technique. , 1987, Optics letters.

[14]  E A Swanson,et al.  Quantification of nerve fiber layer thickness in normal and glaucomatous eyes using optical coherence tomography. , 1995, Archives of ophthalmology.