Optical Mapping Apparatus with Optimized OCT Configuration

Abstract

OCT apparatus includes an interferometer, having an input beam splitter and a 50/50 output splitter. The splitting ratio of the input splitter may be optimized depending on the source power of light source and on the mismatch of the balanced receiver. The input splitter is a plate beam-splitter to minimize the stray reflected light in the interferometer and allow sequential operation of the apparatus in the OCT or in the confocal regime. The switching between the two regimes may be at will, or synchronous with the en-face scanning which results in quasi-simultaneous OCT/confocal imaging or in alternatives frames, confocal and OCT. By using polarization sensitive elements, two channels are provided in each regime, OCT and confocal. The two confocal polarization sensitive channels may allow adjustments of compensators prior to OCT measurements or OCT imaging.

1 . Apparatus for optical coherence tomography, wherein an optical beam is transferred through interface optics to an object to be scanned, and is reflected back therefrom for analysis, said apparatus comprising a source of low coherence or adjustable coherence light, an OCT interferometer, and image display means; 
 said interferometer comprising an output beam splitter having object beam and a reference beam input ports, first and second photodetectors, and an input beam splitter having object beam and reference beam output ports;    wherein said output beam splitter combines an object beam and a reference beam at its respective object beam and reference beam inputs, and is terminated at said first and second photodetectors so as to implement balance detection;    wherein said input splitter transfers 1−γ of light input to it from said light source to the respective object beam output port, and the remainder γ of the input light by cross transmission to reference path at its respective reference beam output port;    wherein the light from the reference beam output port of said input splitter is directed to the reference beam input port of said output beam splitter;    wherein light reflected and scattered back from said object is output from the object beam output port of said input splitter and is reinjected into the object beam output port of said input splitter and is cross transmitted to said object beam input port of said output splitter;    wherein said output splitter has a substantially 50/50 coupling ratio; and    wherein the splitting ratio ε=(1−γ)/γ of said input splitter may be optimized depending on the source power P S  of said light source and a mismatch in the operation of the balance detection.    
     
     
         2 - 51 . (canceled)