Optical imaging apparatus which radiates a low coherence light beam onto a test object, receives optical information from light scattered by the object, and constructs therefrom a cross-sectional image of the object

An optical imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source to generate a low coherence light beam;
• an optical probe which incorporates a sample beam transmitter which includes a single mode fiber to transmit a sample beam containing the low coherence light beam to a test sample and to transmit the sample beam upon being reflected by the test sample;
• a coupler which is detachably connectable to the optical probe via an optical connector and which allows the reflected sample beam and a reference beam containing the low coherence light beam to form an interference fringe:
• a detector which detects the interference fringe;
• an image signal generator to generate image signals on the basis of signals detected by the detector;
• a first transmission time altering unit which alters the transmission time of the reference beam in accordance with a scan range of the optical probe so that the interference between the reflected beam and the reference beam takes place within the scan range in the axial direction with respect to the optical light paths of the sample beam and the reference beam;
• and
• a second transmission time altering unit to alter the transmission time of the reference beam in accordance with a light path length of the sample beam transmitter.

An optical imaging apparatus comprising:

• a light source to generate a low coherence light beam;
• an optical probe which incorporates a sample beam transmitter which includes a single mode fiber to transmit a sample beam containing the low coherence light beam to a test sample and to transmit the sample beam upon being reflected by the test sample;
• a coupler which is detachably connectable to the optical probe via an optical connector and which allows the reflected sample beam and a reference beam containing the low coherence light beam to form an interference fringe;
• a detector which detects the interference fringe;
• an image signal generator to generate image signals on the basis of signals detected by the detector;
• a first transmission time altering unit which alters the transmission time of the reference beam in accordance with a scan range of the optical probe so that the interference between the reflected beam and the reference beam takes place within the scan range in the axial direction with respect to the optical light paths of the sample beam and the reference beam;
• and
• a second transmission time altering unit to alter the total transmission time of the low coherence light beam and the reflected beam in accordance with a light path length of the sample beam transmitter.