Techniques for high-speed volumetric sampling

A method of operating a multiplexing module, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of laser pulses from a pulsed laser source;
• directing the plurality of laser pulses into a first re-imaging cavity;
• splitting each laser pulse into a plurality of beamlets;
• introducing a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, such that the plurality of beamlets associated with a respective laser pulse of the plurality of laser pulses is distributed equally across a pulse repetition period associated with the pulsed laser source;
• changing a divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse to cause each beamlet to focus on a different axial plane;
• outputting the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse from the first re-imaging cavity into a second re-imaging cavity;
• splitting the plurality of beamlets output by the first re-imaging cavity into a plurality of second beamlets for each respective laser pulse;
• introducing a delay and a lateral offset between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets;
• increasing the divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of second beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse;
• and
• outputting the plurality of second beamlets from the second re-imaging cavity.

A method of operating a multiplexing module, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of laser pulses from a pulsed laser source;
• directing the plurality of laser pulses into a first re-imaging cavity;
• splitting each laser pulse into a plurality of beamlets;
• introducing a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, such that the plurality of beamlets associated with a respective laser pulse of the plurality of laser pulses is distributed equally across a pulse repetition period associated with the pulsed laser source;
• changing a divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse to cause each beamlet of the plurality of beamlets to cause each beamlet to focus on a different lateral position of a sample;
• outputting the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse from the first re-imaging cavity into a second re-imaging cavity;
• splitting the plurality of beamlets output by the first re-imaging cavity into a plurality of second beamlets for each respective laser pulse;
• introducing a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets;
• increasing the divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of second beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse;
• and
• outputting the plurality of second beamlets from the second re-imaging cavity.

A method of operating a multiplexing module comprising a re-imaging cavity, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of laser pulses from a pulsed laser source;
• splitting each laser pulse into a plurality of beamlets, wherein splitting each laser pulse further comprises:
• rotating a plane of polarization of each laser pulse by passing the laser pulse through an electro optical modulator (EOM);
• directing the laser pulse around the multiplexing module to a half-wave plate (HWP);
• passing each laser pulse through a half-wave plate (HWP) to change the plane of polarization of the laser pulse by a fixed amount such that a chosen portion of the laser pulse can pass through a polarized beam splitter (PSB);
• and
• directing the laser pulse to the PSB to cause a first portion of the laser pulse to pass through the PSB and exit the multiplexing module as a beamlet of the plurality of beamlets and a second portion of the laser pulse which is directed back into the re-imaging cavity;
• introducing a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, such that the plurality of beamlets associated with a respective laser pulse of the plurality of laser pulses is distributed equally across a pulse repetition period associated with the pulsed laser source;
• changing a divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse to introduce a distinguishing feature between each beamlet of the plurality of beamlets to cause each beamlet to focus on a different axial plane or lateral position of a sample;
• and
• outputting the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse.

A method of operating a multiplexing module, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of laser pulses from a pulsed laser source;
• splitting each laser pulse into a plurality of beamlets;
• focusing the plurality of beamlets onto a first knife edge (KE) mirror that is vertically oriented which directs the plurality of beamlets into a re-imaging cavity of the multiplexing module to cause the plurality of beamlets to make a round trip of the multiplexing module;
• introducing a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, such that the plurality of beamlets associated with a respective laser pulse of the plurality of laser pulses is distributed equally across a pulse repetition period associated with the pulsed laser source;
• changing a divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse to introduce a distinguishing feature between each beamlet of the plurality of beamlets to cause each beamlet to focus on a different axial plane or lateral position of a sample;
• and
• outputting the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse.

A multiplexing module comprising:

• a first lens disposed in a first cavity of the multiplexing module configured for receiving a plurality of laser pulses from a pulsed laser source and for directing the plurality of laser pulses into the first cavity;
• a beam splitter disposed in the first cavity configured to:
• split each laser pulse into a plurality of beamlets,
• introduce a delay between each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, such that the plurality of beamlets associated with a respective laser pulse of the plurality of laser pulses is distributed equally across a pulse repetition period associated with the pulsed laser source, and
• adjust a pulse energy of each laser pulse by a selected amount for each adjacent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets, the beam splitter having a splitting ratio configured to cause the pulse energy to be adjusted by the selected amount;
• and
• a mirror for changing a divergence of each subsequent beamlet of the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse to introduce a distinguishing feature between each beamlet of the plurality of beamlets to cause each beamlet to focus on a different axial plane or lateral position of a sample;
• wherein the beam splitter outputs the plurality of beamlets associated with each respective laser pulse from the first cavity.