Swept mode-hopping laser system, methods, and devices for frequency-domain optical coherence tomography

摘要

In part, the invention relates to frequency-domain optical coherence tomography system. The system includes a tunable laser comprising a laser output for transmitting laser light and a laser cavity having a length L, a gain element disposed within the laser cavity; a tunable wavelength selective element disposed within the laser cavity; a reference reflector disposed outside of the laser cavity; an interferometer in optical communication with the laser output and the reference reflector, wherein the interferometer is configured to transmit a portion of the laser light to a sample and combine light scattered from the sample with light scattered from the reference reflector; and a detector in optical communication with the interferometer that receives the combination of light scattered from the sample and the light scattered from the reference reflector and transforms the combination of light into an electronic signal comprising measurement data with respect to the sample.

主权项

1. A frequency-domain optical coherence tomography system comprising:
a first interferometer in optical communication with a tunable laser; a coupler in optical communication with the tunable laser; a synchronous clock generator comprising a frequency multiplier configured to generate a sample clock comprising sample pulses in response to an interval between mode transition signals of the tunable laser, wherein one or more sample pulses have an edge aligned with a center of an interval between a mode hop of the tunable laser; and an analog-to-digital converter that samples and digitizes interference signals in response to the sample clock, the interference signals generated by the first interferometer in response to light from the tunable laser and light received from an optical coherence tomography probe.