Optical Coherence Tomography Using Polarization Information

• US 20160313112A1
• Filed: 04/21/2016
• Published: 10/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tomey Corporation
• Original Assignee: Tomey Corporation
• Inventors: Yamanari, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 9,995,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0025 characterised by electronic signal processing, e.g. eye models
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/35 Mechanical variable delay line
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2290/70 Using polarization in the interferometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02004 using frequency scans
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02027 Two or more interferometric channels or interferometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02075 of particular errors
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02083 characterised by particular signal processing and presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence

Abstract

The optical coherence tomography includes a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: vectorize the Jones matrix and then convert the vectorized Jones matrix into an expanded matrix; calculate at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the expanded matrix by performing an eigenvalue decomposition to the expanded matrix; and estimate the polarization characteristic of the subject by using at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the Jones matrix acquired based on the at least eigenvalue and the at least eigenvector of the expanded matrix.

Claims

1. A polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomographic device (PS-OCT) configured to acquire a Jones matrix that expresses a polarization characteristic of a subject, the polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomographic device comprising a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to:

vectorize the Jones matrix and then convert the vectorized Jones matrix into an expanded matrix;

calculate at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the expanded matrix by performing an eigenvalue decomposition to the expanded matrix; and

estimate the polarization characteristic of the subject by using at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the Jones matrix acquired based on the at least eigenvalue and the at least eigenvector of the expanded matrix.

2. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to estimate at least one of a phase retardation, a diattenuation, and an optic axis of a birefringence of the subject by using the at least eigenvalue and the at least eigenvector of the Jones matrix acquired based on the at least eigenvalue and the at least eigenvector of the expanded matrix.

3. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 2, wherein

the processor is configured to vectorize the Jones matrix by using a complete basis set such as a Pauli matrix or a lexicographic order matrix.

4. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 3, wherein

the processor is configured to expand the vectorized Jones matrix to at least one of a 4×

4 coherence matrix and a 4×

4 covariance matrix.

5. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 4, wherein

the processor is configured to develop the at least eigenvalue of the expanded matrix by diagonalizing the at least one of the 4×

4 coherence matrix and the 4×

4 covariance matrix.

6. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to vectorize the Jones matrix by using a complete basis set such as a Pauli matrix or a lexicographic order matrix.

7. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 1, wherein

the processor is configured to expand the vectorized Jones matrix to at least one of a 4×

4 coherence matrix and a 4×

4 covariance matrix.

8. The optical coherence tomographic device as in claim 7, wherein

the processor is configured to develop the at least eigenvalue of the expanded matrix by diagonalizing the at least one of the 4×

4 coherence matrix and the 4×

4 covariance matrix.

9. A polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomographic device (PS-OCT) configured to acquire at least a Jones matrix that expresses a polarization characteristic of a subject, the polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomographic device comprising a processor,

wherein the processor is configured to:

vectorize the Jones matrix and then convert the vectorized Jones matrix into an expanded matrix;

calculate at least an eigenvalue and at least an eigenvector of the expanded matrix by performing an eigenvalue decomposition to the expanded matrix; and

calculate a von Neumann entropy that expresses a degree of randomness of the polarization characteristic of the subject by using the eigenvalues of the expanded matrix.