Optical coherence tomography technique
First Claim
1. A device for optical coherence tomography, or OCT, the device comprising:
- a light generator adapted to;
generate a series of input pulses of coherent light, each input pulse of the series having an input pulse;
width and an input spectral range; and
change an axial resolution of the device independently of an axial scanning depth of the device by changing the input spectral range;
a single dispersive medium having an input optically coupled to the light generator and an output for output pulses, the dispersive medium being adapted to stretch the input pulse width to an output pulse width of each of the output pulses by chromatic dispersion, the dispersive medium comprising a plurality of taps at different positions along the length of the dispersive medium to provide different dispersion;
an optical coupler adapted to couple the output pulses from the output into a reference arm and into a sample arm, and to superimpose light returning from the reference arm and from the sample arm;
an optical switch adapted to change the axial scanning depth independently of the axial resolution by selectively coupling the light generator to one of the taps as the input or by selectively coupling one of the taps as the output to the optical coupler; and
a detector adapted to detect an intensity of interference of the superimposed light with a temporal resolution of a fraction of the output pulse width.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An optical coherence tomography device comprises a light generator, a dispersive medium, an optical coupler and a detector. The light generator is adapted to generate a series of input pulses of coherent light, each input pulse having an input pulse width. The dispersive medium has an input that is optically coupled to the light generator and an output for output pulses. The dispersive medium is adapted to stretch the input pulse width to an output pulse width of each of the output pulses by chromatic dispersion. The optical coupler is adapted to couple the output pulses into a reference arm and a sample arm. The optical coupler is further adapted to superimpose light returning from the reference arm and the sample arm. The detector is adapted to detect an intensity of interference of the superimposed light with a temporal resolution of a fraction of the output pulse width.
21 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A device for optical coherence tomography, or OCT, the device comprising:
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a light generator adapted to; generate a series of input pulses of coherent light, each input pulse of the series having an input pulse;
width and an input spectral range; andchange an axial resolution of the device independently of an axial scanning depth of the device by changing the input spectral range; a single dispersive medium having an input optically coupled to the light generator and an output for output pulses, the dispersive medium being adapted to stretch the input pulse width to an output pulse width of each of the output pulses by chromatic dispersion, the dispersive medium comprising a plurality of taps at different positions along the length of the dispersive medium to provide different dispersion; an optical coupler adapted to couple the output pulses from the output into a reference arm and into a sample arm, and to superimpose light returning from the reference arm and from the sample arm; an optical switch adapted to change the axial scanning depth independently of the axial resolution by selectively coupling the light generator to one of the taps as the input or by selectively coupling one of the taps as the output to the optical coupler; and a detector adapted to detect an intensity of interference of the superimposed light with a temporal resolution of a fraction of the output pulse width. - 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 of performing optical coherence tomography, or OCT, the method comprising:
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generating by a light generator a series of input pulses of coherent light, each input pulse of the series having an input pulse width and an input spectral range; stretching the input pulse width of each of the input pulses to an output pulse width of output pulses by means of chromatic dispersion in a single dispersive medium, the dispersive medium comprising a plurality of taps at different positions along the length of the dispersive medium to provide different dispersion; changing an axial resolution for the OCT independently of an axial scanning depth for the OCT by changing the input spectral range; changing the axial scanning depth independently of the axial resolution by selectively coupling the light generator to one of the taps as input or by selectively coupling one of the taps as output to an optical coupler; coupling by the optical coupler the output pulses into a reference arm and into a sample arm, and superimposing light returning from the reference arm and from the sample arm; and detecting an intensity of interference of the superimposed light with a temporal resolution of a fraction of the output pulse width. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification