Digital calibration method to enable depth-resolved all-fiber polarization sensitive optical coherence tomography...

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Optical Imaging
• Coherent Tomography

Background:

• Conventional fiber-based polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PSOCT) systems often require complex setups for generating specific input polarization states.
• Pre-adjustment procedures or additional modules are typically needed, limiting system flexibility and user-friendliness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a fully integrated, all-fiber PSOCT system capable of depth-resolved birefringent imaging.
• To eliminate the need for pre-defined input polarization states and simplify experimental procedures.
• To compensate for polarization state changes and polarization mode dispersion (PMD) introduced by optical fibers.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a discrete differential geometry (DDG)-based polarization state tracing (PST) method.
• Employed geometric rotations and transformations in Stokes space for polarization analysis.
• Implemented a calibration target for compensating fiber-induced polarization changes.
• Performed digital compensation for polarization mode dispersion (PMD).

Main Results:

• Achieved depth-resolved birefringent imaging with an arbitrary single input polarization state.
• Successfully compensated for polarization state changes and PMD introduced by optical fibers.
• Demonstrated the system's performance through imaging of a plastic phantom and in vivo skin.

Conclusions:

• The proposed all-fiber PSOCT system offers a simplified, flexible, and user-friendly approach to birefringent imaging.
• The DDG-based PST method effectively mitigates challenges associated with optical fibers in PSOCT.
• The system provides accurate depth-resolved PSOCT imaging results, suitable for various applications.