System, apparatus and method for utilizing optical dispersion for fourier-domain optical coherence tomography

• US 9,668,652 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2014
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation (Mass General Brigham, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vakoc, Benjamin, Siddiqui, Meena, Tozburun, Serhat
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG T
• Application Number:
  US14/907,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20160157721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0075 by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy A61B5/0071 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02004 using frequency scans
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02005 using discrete frequency stepping or switching
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02007 Two or more frequencies or sources used for interferometric measurement using only beat G01B9/02003
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02008 by using a frequency comb
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02014 by using pulsed light
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02044 Imaging in the frequency domain, e.g. by using a spectrometer
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 9/02091 Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 2301/04 Gain spectral shaping, flattening
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0057 Temporal shaping, e.g. pulse compression, frequency chirping soliton generation and propagation G02F1/3513, H01S3/063 and H01S3/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06725 Fibre characterized by a specific dispersion, e.g. for pulse shaping in soliton lasers or for dispersion compensating [DCF]
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/06791 Fibre ring lasers fibre laser gyrometers G01C19/72
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/08004 incorporating a dispersive element, e.g. a prism for wavelength selection H01S3/0811, H01S3/08022 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/0811 incorporating a dispersive element, e.g. a prism for wavelength selection
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1062 using a controlled passive interferometer, e.g. a Fabry-Perot etalon
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/1109 Active mode locking
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/50 Amplifier structures not provided for in groups H01S5/02 - H01S5/30

Abstract

An apparatus can be provided which can include a laser arrangement which can be configured to provide a laser radiation, and can include an optical cavity. The optical cavity can include a dispersive optical first arrangement which can be configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation. Such cavity can also include an active optical modulator second arrangement which can be configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation. The optical cavity can further include a dispersive optical third arrangement which can be configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation. For example, actions by the first, second and third arrangements can cause a spectral filtering of the fourth electro-magnetic radiation(s) relative to the first electro-magnetic radiation(s). The laser radiation can be associated with the fourth radiation(s), and a wavelength of the laser radiation can be controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a laser arrangement which is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity which comprises;

a dispersive optical first arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation,

an active optical modulator second arrangement which is separate from the dispersive optical first arrangement, and configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation, and

a dispersive optical third arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause a spectral filtering of the at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation relative to the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the laser radiation is associated with the at least one fourth radiation, and wherein a wavelength of the laser radiation is controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second arrangement is at least one of an amplitude modulator, a phase modulator or a polarization modulator.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical cavity includes a fixed periodic spectral filter arrangement.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the fixed periodic spectral filter arrangement includes a Fabry-Perot etalon filter.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser radiation has a wavelength that changes over time.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause the wavelength to change at a rate that is faster than 80 nm/microsec.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause the wavelength to change in discrete steps.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the discrete steps are shorter than 100 nsec.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a generator which is configured to control or drive the second arrangement.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the generator includes at least one of a pulse generator, a pattern generator or a waveform generator.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a laser arrangement which is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity which comprises;

a dispersive optical first arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation,

an active optical modulator second arrangement which is configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation, and

a dispersive optical third arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause a spectral filtering of the at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation relative to the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the laser radiation is associated with the at least one fourth radiation, and wherein a wavelength of the laser radiation is controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements, and

wherein at least one of the first arrangement or the third arrangement includes a further active optical modulator arrangement that is different from the second arrangement.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a laser arrangement which is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity which comprises;

a dispersive optical first arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation,

an active optical modulator second arrangement which is configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation, and

a dispersive optical third arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause a spectral filtering of the at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation relative to the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the laser radiation is associated with the at least one fourth radiation, and wherein a wavelength of the laser radiation is controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements, and

wherein an induced dispersion caused by the third arrangement is approximately equal in magnitude and opposite in sign to an induced dispersion caused the first arrangement over an operating optical bandwidth of the laser arrangement.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

a laser arrangement which is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity which comprises;

a dispersive optical first arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation,

an active optical modulator second arrangement which is configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation,

a dispersive optical third arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation; and

at least one optical amplifier arrangement which is configured to amplify at least one of the first radiation, the second radiation, the third radiation or the laser radiation,

wherein actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause a spectral filtering of the at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation relative to the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the laser radiation is associated with the at least one fourth radiation, and wherein a wavelength of the laser radiation is controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a laser arrangement which is configured to provide a laser radiation, and including an optical cavity which comprises;

a dispersive optical first arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one first electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one second electro-magnetic radiation,

an active optical modulator second arrangement which is configured to receive and modulate the at least one second radiation so as to provide at least one third electro-magnetic radiation, and

a dispersive optical third arrangement which is configured to receive and disperse at least one third electro-magnetic radiation so as to provide at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation,

wherein actions by the first, second and third arrangements cause a spectral filtering of the at least one fourth electro-magnetic radiation relative to the at least one first electro-magnetic radiation, wherein the laser radiation is associated with the at least one fourth radiation, and wherein a wavelength of the laser radiation is controlled by the spectral filtering caused by the actions by the first, second and third arrangements, and

wherein an optical amplifier arrangement includes at least one of a semiconductor amplifier, a Raman amplifier, a parametric optical amplifier, or a fiber amplifier.