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Method and apparatus for OCT-based viscometry

  • US 10,258,238 B2
  • Filed: 01/26/2018
  • Issued: 04/16/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for ascertaining a relative viscosity characterizing a fluid sample, the method comprising:

  • a. illuminating the fluid sample through a scattering membrane adjacent to the fluid with broadband radiation having a fraction bandwidth, at half-maximum, of at least 10%;

    b. detecting scattering from scattering particles within the fluid sample, the scattering particles characterized by a distribution of characteristic dimensions spanning at least two orders of magnitude;

    c. generating a wavelength-resolved detector signal for deriving coherent scatter as a function of depth relative to a specified surface of the scattering membrane at a plurality of temporal delays;

    d. interferometrically deriving at least one of amplitude, phase and intensity of a scattered optical field for a plurality of depths relative to the specified surface;

    e. calculating a mean cross-correlation function for each depth;

    f. fitting the mean cross-correlation function for the plurality of depths to obtain a diffusion coefficient; and

    g. deriving the relative viscosity characterizing the fluid based on the diffusion coefficient.

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