Full-field optical coherence tomography by achromatic phase shifting with a rotating polarizer

Appl Opt. 2005 Mar 10;44(8):1387-92. doi: 10.1364/ao.44.001387.

Abstract

We demonstrate two-dimensional detection optical coherence tomography (OCT) using achromatic phase shifting with a rotating polarizer. This phase shifting, which experiences a light beam with a cyclic change in its polarization state, is, in principle, independent of wavelength. We simulated the wavelength dependence of an achromatic phase shifter using Jones calculus and found that the achromatic region exceeded 145 nm when the deviation of the phase retardation was less than +/- 0.5 degrees. Using the achromatic phase shifter and a conventional phase-shift calculation method, we obtained en face OCT images of an onion at different depths. This method is effective to enhance the quality of OCT with an ultrabroad-spectrum light source.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Image Enhancement / instrumentation*
  • Image Enhancement / methods
  • Microscopy, Interference / instrumentation*
  • Microscopy, Interference / methods
  • Onions / cytology*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / instrumentation*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods