Computational 3D resolution enhancement for optical coherence tomography with a narrowband visible light source

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Optical Imaging
• Microscopy

Background:

• Spectral estimation optical coherence tomography (SE-OCT) offers improved axial resolution and computational depth of field (DOF) extension.
• Combining SE-OCT with advanced techniques can further enhance imaging capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate high 3D resolution over a large depth range using SE-OCT combined with interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy (ISAM) and computational adaptive optics (CAO).
• To evaluate the feasibility of using cost-effective visible light super-luminescent diodes (SLDs) for high spatial resolution OCT.

Main Methods:

• Phase-preserving SE-OCT was implemented to improve axial resolution.
• Interferometric synthetic aperture microscopy (ISAM) was integrated to enhance lateral resolution and extend DOF.
• Computational adaptive optics (CAO) was applied to correct residual aberrations.

Main Results:

• SE-OCT achieved up to a five-fold improvement in axial resolution (from 8 µm to 1.5 µm).
• The combination with ISAM provided sub-micron lateral resolution over a 400 µm axial range (16x conventional DOF).
• CAO successfully removed aberrations, yielding high-quality images.

Conclusions:

• Phase-preserving SE-OCT is accurate for coherent post-processing.
• This approach enables the use of affordable visible light SLDs for high-resolution OCT.
• The combined SE-OCT, ISAM, and CAO system offers significant advancements in OCT imaging capabilities.