Phase correction using programmable phase modulator (PPM) in optical coherence tomography

PurposeAdaptive optics is used in optical coherence tomography (OCT) in order to improve lateral resolution based on aberration correction.MethodsExperiments were performed to compensate higher order aberrations based on wavefront sensing and correction scheme using adaptive optics. The device utilized for compensation is parallel-aligned nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator (PAL-SLM), PPM X7550 series. Wavefront of light at the sample path was measured by using OCT for aberration correction. Since the phase information can be obtained from interferogram therefore no additional optics is used. The performance of this device is evaluated for the correction of linear tilt aberration. Further experiments were performed to correct cylindrical aberration for reflective and scattering surfaces using a simplistic method which construct phase map using OCT. This method incorporates the PAL-SLM’s transfer function for the compensation of higher order aberration.ResultsThe RMS of phase variation of cylindrical aberration without and with adaptive optics for reflective and scattering surface is reduced from 4.1 to 0.8 and 3.46 to 2.44, respectively. Metal grid sample is used to verify the lateral resolution improvement with adaptive optics.ConclusionsArbitrary aberration can be corrected by using PPM. Purely reflective and scattering samples indicate the performance of OCT with adaptive optics. 25 mm separation of metal lines became distinguishable after correcting aberration by adaptive optics.

[1]  J. W. Hardy,et al.  Active optics: A new technology for the control of light , 1978, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[2]  R. Noll.  Zernike polynomials and atmospheric turbulence , 1976 .

[3]  P Artal,et al.  Dynamics of the eye's wave aberration. , 2001, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[4]  Max Born,et al.  Principles of optics - electromagnetic theory of propagation, interference and diffraction of light (7. ed.) , 1999 .

[5]  K. Creath.  V Phase-Measurement Interferometry Techniques , 1988 .

[6]  D. Williams,et al.  Monochromatic aberrations of the human eye in a large population. , 2001, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[7]  G. T. Reid,et al.  Interferogram Analysis: Digital Fringe Pattern Measurement Techniques , 1994 .

[8]  T. Hebert,et al.  Adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy. , 2002, Optics express.

[9]  Austin Roorda,et al.  Adaptive optics retinal imaging: emerging clinical applications. , 2010, Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry.

[10]  J. Schwiegerling,et al.  Using Corneal Height Maps and Polynomial Decomposition to Determine Corneal Aberrations , 1997, Optometry and vision science : official publication of the American Academy of Optometry.

[11]  Junzhong Liang,et al.  Aberrations and retinal image quality of the normal human eye. , 1997, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[12]  James C. Wyant.  Book Rvw: Interferogram Analysis: Digital Fringe Pattern Measurement Techniques. By David W. Robinson and Graeme T. Reid , 1993 .

[13]  David Williams.  Imaging single cells in the living retina , 2011, Vision Research.

[14]  Robert K. Tyson.  Principles of Adaptive Optics , 1991 .

[15]  Joseph M. Schmitt,et al.  Optical coherence tomography (OCT): a review , 1999 .

[16]  David A Atchison,et al.  Recent advances in representation of monochromatic aberrations of human eyes , 2004, Clinical & experimental optometry.

[17]  Johnathan M. Bardsley,et al.  Wavefront Reconstruction Methods for Adaptive Optics Systems on Ground-Based Telescopes , 2008, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl..

[18]  Warren D. Smith,et al.  Modern Optical Engineering: The Design of Optical Systems, Fourth Edition , 1966 .

[19]  W. T. Welford,et al.  Aberrations of optical systems , 1986 .

[20]  Matthias Born,et al.  Principles of Optics: Electromagnetic Theory of Propa-gation, Interference and Di raction of Light , 1999 .

[21]  M. A. Oldfield,et al.  Natural demodulation of two-dimensional fringe patterns. I. General background of the spiral phase quadrature transform. , 2001, Journal of the Optical Society of America. A, Optics, image science, and vision.

[22]  M. Ficocelli,et al.  Online tuning for retinal imaging adaptive optics systems , 2006, 2006 American Control Conference.