Apparatus, methods and storage medium for performing polarization-based quadrature demodulation in optical coherence tomography
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a first structural arrangement which includes a radiation generator source providing a particular radiation, a coupler and a beam splitter, the beam splitter splitting the particular radiation into a first optical electro-magnetic radiation which is to a sample and a second optical electro-magnetic radiation to a reference, wherein the source causes the particular radiation to have a spectrum which changes over time;
an optical second structural arrangement which includes a polarization beam combiner that combines a first polarization component of a third radiation based on the first radiation and a second polarization component of a fourth radiation based on the second radiation with one another, wherein the polarization beam combiner is part of a configuration which ensures that the first and second polarization components are at least approximately orthogonal to one another;
a third arrangement which includes a first optical detector that detects a first optical signal derived from a first interference between a first set of the first and second polarization components to generate a first digital signal, wherein the third arrangement includes a second optical detector that detects a second optical signal derived from a second interference between a second set of the first and second polarization components to generate a second digital signal; and
a fourth arrangement which includes a computer that modifies at least one of the first digital signal or the second digital signal based on particular data such that the first and second digital signals are in a quadrature relationship with one another.
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Abstract
Apparatus, method and storage medium which can provide at least one first electro-magnetic radiation to a sample and at least one second electromagnetic radiation to a reference, such that the first and/or second electromagnetic radiations have a spectrum which changes over time. In addition, a first polarization component of at least one third radiation associated with the first radiation can be combined with a second polarization component of at least one fourth radiation associated with the second radiation with one another. The first and second polarizations may be specifically controlled to be at least approximately orthogonal to one another.
574 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a first structural arrangement which includes a radiation generator source providing a particular radiation, a coupler and a beam splitter, the beam splitter splitting the particular radiation into a first optical electro-magnetic radiation which is to a sample and a second optical electro-magnetic radiation to a reference, wherein the source causes the particular radiation to have a spectrum which changes over time; an optical second structural arrangement which includes a polarization beam combiner that combines a first polarization component of a third radiation based on the first radiation and a second polarization component of a fourth radiation based on the second radiation with one another, wherein the polarization beam combiner is part of a configuration which ensures that the first and second polarization components are at least approximately orthogonal to one another; a third arrangement which includes a first optical detector that detects a first optical signal derived from a first interference between a first set of the first and second polarization components to generate a first digital signal, wherein the third arrangement includes a second optical detector that detects a second optical signal derived from a second interference between a second set of the first and second polarization components to generate a second digital signal; and a fourth arrangement which includes a computer that modifies at least one of the first digital signal or the second digital signal based on particular data such that the first and second digital signals are in a quadrature relationship with one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method, comprising:
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providing a first optical electro-magnetic radiation to a sample and a second optical electro-magnetic radiation to a reference, wherein at least one of the electro-magnetic radiation or the second electro-magnetic radiation has a spectrum which changes over time; combining a first polarization component of a third radiation based on the first radiation and a second polarization component of a fourth radiation based on the second radiation with one another; providing a configuration to ensure that the first and second polarization components are at least approximately orthogonal to one another; and detecting first optical signal derived from a first interference between a first set of the first and second polarization components to generate a first digital signal; detecting a second optical signal derived from a second interference between a second set of the first and second polarization components to generate a second digital signal; and modifying at least one of the first digital signal or the second digital signal based on particular data such that the first and second digital signals are in a quadrature relationship with one another. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A non-transitory storage medium which has software provided thereon, wherein the software, when executed, configures a computer to perform the steps comprising:
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controlling a first optical electro-magnetic radiation to be provided to a sample and a second optical electro-magnetic radiation to be provided to a reference, wherein a radiation generator source causes at least one of the first electro-magnetic radiation or the second electro-magnetic radiation to have a spectrum which changes over time; determining information associated with a combination of a first polarization component of a third radiation based on the first radiation and a second polarization component of a fourth radiation based on the second radiation with one another; and ensuring that the first and second polarization components are at least approximately orthogonal to one another; detecting first optical signal derived from a first interference between a first set of the first and second polarization components to generate a first digital signal; detecting a second optical signal derived from a second interference between a second set of the first and second polarization components to generate a second digital signal; and modifying at least one of the first digital signal or the second digital signal based on particular data such that the first and second digital signals are in a quadrature relationship with one another.
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Specification