# US 2014/0152997 A1 · Integrated Dual Swept Source for OCT Medical Imaging

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- Number: US 2014/0152997 A1
- Document ID: US20140152997A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/175,158
- Filed: 2014-02-07
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-12-28
- Assignees: Axsun Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Axsun Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Goldberg; Dale C. Flanders; Walid A. Atia; Bartley C. Johnson; Mark E. Kuznetsov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140152997A1

## CPC

- G01B 9/02091: Tomographic interferometers, e.g. based on optical coherence
- A61B 5/0066: {Optical coherence imaging}
- G01N 21/4795: {spatially resolved investigating of object in scattering medium (in vivo A61B)}
- H01S 5/141: {using a wavelength selective device, e.g. a grating or etalon (H01S5/146 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/0075: {by spectroscopy, i.e. measuring spectra, e.g. Raman spectroscopy, infrared absorption spectroscopy (A61B5/0071 takes precedence)}
- H01S 5/02216: Butterfly-type, i.e. with electrode pins extending horizontally from the housings
- H01S 5/02251: using optical fibres
- H01S 5/02325: Mechanically integrated components on mount members or optical micro-benches
- H01S 5/4012: {Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms}
- H01S 5/4062: {with an external cavity or using internal filters, e.g. Talbot filters}
- H01S 5/4068: {with lateral coupling by axially offset or by merging waveguides, e.g. Y-couplers}
- G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- H01S: DEVICES USING THE PROCESS OF LIGHT AMPLIFICATION BY STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION [LASER] TO AMPLIFY OR GENERATE LIGHT; DEVICES USING STIMULATED EMISSION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION IN WAVE RANGES OTHER THAN OPTICAL

## Abstract

An optical coherence analysis system comprising: a first swept source that generates a first optical signal that is tuned over a first spectral scan band, a second swept source that generates a second optical signal that is tuned over a second spectral scan band, a combiner for combining the first optical signal and the second optical signal for form a combined optical signal, an interferometer for dividing the combined optical signal between a reference arm leading to a reference reflector and a sample arm leading to a sample, and a detector system for detecting an interference signal generated from the combined optical signal from the reference arm and from the sample arm. In embodiments, the swept sources are tunable lasers that have shared laser cavities.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An optical coherence analysis system comprising:
a first swept source that generates a first optical signal that is tuned over a first spectral scan band;
a second swept source that generates a second optical signal that is tuned over a second spectral scan band;
a combiner for combining the first optical signal and the second optical signal for form a combined optical signal;
an interferometer for dividing the combined optical signal between a reference arm leading to a reference reflector and a sample arm leading to a sample;
a multi channel k-clock system for detecting the first optical signal and the second optical signal to generate clock signals; and
a detector system for detecting an interference signal generated from the combined optical signal from the reference arm and from the sample arm;
an analog to digital converter system that samples the interference signal and also receives the clock signals.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi channel k-clock system receives the combined optical signal and separately detects the first optical signal to generate a first clock and the second optical signal to generate a second clock as the clock signals.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the combined optical signal is coupled into a spectrally filtering element.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spectrally filtering element is an etalon.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optical bench, on which the first swept source, second swept source and the multi channel k-clock system are implemented.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi channel k-clock system comprises a first detector for detecting the first optical signal and a second detector for detecting the second optical signal.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the multi channel k-clock system comprises a beam splitter for dividing the first optical signal from the second optical signal.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

A system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the beam splitter is a WDM filter.

### Claim 9

An optical coherence analysis method comprising:
generating a first optical signal that is tuned over a first spectral scan band;
generating a second optical signal that is tuned over a second spectral scan band;
combining the first optical signal and the second optical signal for form a combined optical signal;
dividing the combined optical signal between a reference arm leading to a reference reflector and a sample arm leading to a sample;
detecting the first optical signal and the second optical signal to generate clock signals; and
processing an interference signal generated from the combined optical signal from the reference arm and from the sample arm in response to the clock signals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising separately detecting the first optical signal to generate a first clock and the second optical signal to generate a second clock as the clock signals.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the combined optical signal is coupled into a spectrally filtering element.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the spectrally filtering element is an etalon.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

A method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising generating the first optical signals, the second optical signals, and the clock signals on an optical bench.

### Claim 14 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising detecting the first optical signal and the second detector with separate detectors.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

A method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising dividing the first optical signal from the second optical signal prior to detection by the separate detectors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

A method as claimed in claim 15, further comprising the first optical signal from the second optical signal with a WDM filter.