Wide-field high-speed space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography using an integrated photonic device

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Photonics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Traditional optical coherence tomography (OCT) faces speed limitations for certain applications.
• Space-division multiplexing optical coherence tomography (SDM-OCT) offers parallel imaging for increased speed.
• Previous SDM-OCT prototypes relied on labor-intensive fiber optic assembly, limiting scalability and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a high-speed SDM-OCT system utilizing an integrated photonic chip.
• To overcome the manufacturing challenges and cost issues associated with previous SDM-OCT prototypes.
• To demonstrate the system's capability for rapid and wide-field OCT imaging.

Main Methods:

• An integrated photonic chip was designed and fabricated, incorporating a three-layer cascade of 1 × 2 splitters.
• The photonic chip splits incident light into 8 parallel imaging channels with precise optical delays.
• The chip-based SDM-OCT system was tested for imaging speed and field of view.

Main Results:

• The integrated photonic chip enabled reliable manufacturing with high precision and low cost.
• The system achieved high-speed imaging at approximately 1 second per volume for ex vivo porcine eyes.
• Wide-field imaging of approximately 18.0 × 14.3 mm² was demonstrated for in vivo human fingers.

Conclusions:

• Integrated photonic chip technology significantly enhances the practicality and performance of SDM-OCT.
• The developed system provides a robust and cost-effective solution for high-speed, wide-field OCT imaging.
• This advancement paves the way for broader clinical and research applications of SDM-OCT.