Increased ranging depth in optical frequency domain imaging by frequency encoding.

A technique for increasing the ranging depth in optical frequency domain imaging utilizing frequency encoding is presented. Ranging depth is enhanced by using two interferometer reference arms with different path lengths and independent modulation frequencies (25 and 50 MHz). With this configuration, the sensitivity decreases by 6 dB over a depth range of 7 mm, approximately a threefold improvement over the conventional optical frequency domain imaging technique. We demonstrate that the reference arm frequency separation, tuning speed, center wavelength, and instantaneous coherence length determine the signal-to-cross-talk ratio.

[1]  S. Yun,et al.  115 kHz tuning repetition rate ultrahigh-speed wavelength-swept semiconductor laser. , 2005, Optics letters.

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

[3]  J. Fujimoto,et al.  Fourier Domain Mode Locking (FDML): A new laser operating regime and applications for optical coherence tomography. , 2006, Optics express.

[4]  A. Fercher,et al.  Full range complex spectral optical coherence tomography technique in eye imaging. , 2002, Optics letters.

[5]  John A. Evans,et al.  Comprehensive volumetric optical microscopy in vivo , 2006, Nature Medicine.

[6]  S. Yun,et al.  Removing the depth-degeneracy in optical frequency domain imaging with frequency shifting. , 2004, Optics express.

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

[8]  B E Bouma,et al.  Elimination of depth degeneracy in optical frequency-domain imaging through polarization-based optical demodulation. , 2006, Optics letters.

[9]  Changhuei Yang,et al.  Instantaneous quadrature low coherence interferometry with 3 x 3 fiber optic couplers , 2003, Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, 2003. CLEO '03..

[10]  S. Yun,et al.  High-speed optical frequency-domain imaging. , 2003, Optics express.

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