Automated polarization control

A method for controlling an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device or system having an interference optical system that operates to generate interference light and one or more interference patterns from a light that has been split into a first light with which an object or sample has been irradiated and a second reference light, having a first detector and a second detector, having at least one polarization control processor (PCP) that operates to perform automated polarization control, perform balanced detection and achieve polarization diversity, having an optical receiver that operates to receive the combined or recombined interference light and split the light into two signals based on a predetermined ratio or a 50/50 ratio, wherein the two split signals go through polarization controls and wherein the optical receiver further splits the two signals each into two signals for a total of four signals, and at least one processor that operates to perform OCT data acquisition for imaging, the method comprising:

• transmitting two of the four signals of the optical receiver to the first detector such that the first detector outputs a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal, where the first and second signals of the first detector are transmitted to the at least one polarization control processor, and transmitting the other two of the four signals of the optical receiver to the second detector such that the second detector outputs a fourth signal, a fifth signal, and a sixth signal, where the fourth and fifth signals of the second detector are transmitted to the at least one polarization control processor,
• transmitting the third signal from the first detector and the sixth signal from the second detector to the at least one processor for performing OCT data acquisition for imaging, and
• transmitting the first, second, fourth, and fifth signals to the at least one polarization control processor such that the at least one polarization control processor uses the first, second, fourth, and fifth signals to generate a polarization error signal and/or at least one additional signal, the polarization error signal and/or the at least one additional signal being used by the at least one polarization control processor to perform automated or motorized polarization control, balanced detection, and polarization diversity such that the OCT device or system has increased or optimized signal-to-noise ratio and improved image quality.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling an optical coherence tomography (OCT) device or system having an interference optical system that operates to generate interference light and one or more interference patterns from a light that has been split into a first light with which an object or sample has been irradiated and a second reference light, and having a first detector and a second detector, having at least one polarization control processor (PCP) that operates to perform automated polarization control, perform balanced detection and achieve polarization diversity, having an optical receiver that operates to receive the combined or recombined interference light and split the light into two signals based on a predetermined ratio or a 50/50 ratio, wherein the two split signals go through polarization controls and wherein the optical receiver further splits the two signals each into two signals for a total of four signals, and at least one processor that operates to perform OCT data acquisition for imaging, the method comprising:

• transmitting two of the four signals of the optical receiver to the first detector such that the first detector outputs a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal, where the first and second signals of the first detector are transmitted to the at least one polarization control processor, and transmitting the other two of the four signals of the optical receiver to the second detector such that the second detector outputs a fourth signal, a fifth signal, and a sixth signal, where the fourth and fifth signals of the second detector are transmitted to the at least one polarization control processor,
• transmitting the third signal from the first detector and the sixth signal from the second detector to the at least one processor for performing OCT data acquisition for imaging, and
• transmitting the first, second, fourth, and fifth signals to the at least one polarization control processor such that the at least one polarization control processor uses the first, second, fourth, and fifth signals to generate a polarization error signal and/or at least one additional signal, the polarization error signal and/or the at least one additional signal being used by the at least one polarization control processor to perform automated or motorized polarization control, balanced detection, and polarization diversity such that the OCT device or system has increased or optimized signal-to-noise ratio and improved image quality.