Quantitative phase reconstruction for orthogonal-scanning differential phase-contrast optical coherence tomography

Area of Science:

• Optical imaging and metrology
• Phase contrast microscopy
• Coherence domain optical methods

Background:

• Quantitative phase imaging is crucial for various scientific and technical applications.
• Traditional phase contrast methods often face limitations in accuracy and directional sensitivity.
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides cross-sectional imaging but quantitative phase retrieval can be challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel differential phase-contrast optical coherence tomography (DPC-OCT) system.
• To enable multi-directional phase gradient sensing for enhanced quantitative phase mapping.
• To validate the system's performance on technical samples.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of DPC-OCT utilizing two transversally separated probing beams.
• Integration of a rotatable Wollaston prism for directional phase sensitivity.
• Application of a 2D mathematical reconstruction algorithm based on regularized shape from shading.

Main Results:

• Successful acquisition of phase gradients in multiple directions.
• Generation of accurate quantitative phase maps from en-face DPC-OCT images.
• Demonstration of the system's efficacy on various technical samples.

Conclusions:

• The presented DPC-OCT system offers accurate quantitative phase mapping capabilities.
• The combination of multi-directional sensing and advanced reconstruction algorithms enhances phase retrieval.
• This technique shows promise for precise metrology and imaging applications.