Ultrahigh-speed optical coherence tomography utilizing all-optical 40 MHz swept-source

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Medical Imaging Technology
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a crucial non-invasive imaging modality.
• Achieving higher A-scan rates is essential for real-time imaging and reducing motion artifacts.
• Existing swept-source technologies face limitations in speed and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an ultrahigh-speed OCT system.
• To demonstrate an all-optical swept-source capable of 40 MHz A-scan rates.
• To validate the system's performance for in vivo biological tissue imaging.

Main Methods:

• Development of an inertia-free swept-source using a supercontinuum laser, optical band-pass filter, chirped fiber Bragg grating, and amplifier.
• Characterization of the swept-source for output power (41.2 mW), tuning range (40 nm), and scan linearity (r=0.9996).
• Implementation of the swept-source in an OCT system with a demonstrated sensitivity of 87 dB.

Main Results:

• An A-scan rate of 40 MHz was achieved, significantly advancing OCT speed.
• The swept-source exhibited high output power, broad tuning range, and excellent wavenumber linearity.
• Successful high-speed in vivo imaging of biological tissue was demonstrated.

Conclusions:

• The developed ultrahigh-speed OCT system offers unprecedented imaging speeds.
• The novel all-optical swept-source is a key enabler for high-performance OCT.
• This technology holds significant potential for advanced biomedical imaging applications.