US 6,441,356 B1Granted

Fiber-coupled, high-speed, angled-dual-axis optical coherence scanning microscopes

AssigneeOptical Biopsy Technologies, Inc.

InventorsMichael J. Mandella, Mark H. Garrett, Gordon S. Kino

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Abstract

This invention provides an angled-dual-axis optical coherence scanning microscope comprising a fiber-coupled, high-speed angled-dual-axis confocal scanning head and a vertical scanning unit. The angled-dual-axis confocal scanning head is configured such that an illumination beam and an observation beam intersect optimally at an angle θ within an object and the scanning is achieved by pivoting the illumination and observation beams jointly using a high-speed scanning element, thereby producing an arc-line scan. The vertical scanning unit causes the angled-dual-axis confocal scanning head to move towards or away from the object. Optical coherence detection is employed to provide temporal gating, thus detecting mostly single-scattered light and preventing multiple-scattered light from dominating the signal when imaging in a scattering medium. By incorporating MEMS scanning mirrors and fiber-optic components, the angled-dual-axis optical coherence scanning microscope can be miniaturized to provide a particularly powerful tool for in vivo medical imaging applications.

Claims85

Dependent claims

An apparatus for performing angled-dual-axis optical coherence scanning microscopy within a sample, comprising:

a) a light-generating means for generating an illumination beam and a reference beam;
b) an angled-dual-axis confocal scanning microscope, comprising:
i) a first optical fiber having first and second ends, from said first end said illumination beam emerges;
ii) a second optical fiber having first and second ends;
iii) an angled-dual-axis focusing means for focusing said illumination beam to an illumination focal volume along an illumination axis within said sample and for receiving an observation beam emanated from an observation focal volume along an observation axis within said sample such that said observation beam is focused onto said first end of said second optical fiber;
and
iv) a scanning means;
wherein said illumination axis and said observation axis intersect at an angle within said sample, such that said illumination focal volume and said observation focal volume intersect at a confocal overlapping volume, and wherein said scanning means is capable of directing said illumination and observation beams in such a way that said illumination axis and said observation axis remain intersecting at said angle and that said confocal overlapping volume moves within said sample;
and
c) a beam-combining means for combining said reference beam and said observation beam, such that coherent interference between said reference beam and said observation beam is produced.

7 more elements

A method for performing angled-dual-axis optical coherence scanning microscopy within a sample, comprising:

a) producing an illumination beam and a reference beam from a light-generating means, wherein said light-generating means has a predetermined coherence length;
b) routing said reference beam along a reference path;
c) transmitting said illumination beam along an illumination path including a first optical fiber;
d) focusing said illumination beam emerging from said first optical fiber to an illumination focal volume along an illumination axis within said sample;
e) receiving an observation beam emanated from an observation focal volume along an observation axis within said sample, wherein said illumination axis and said observation axis intersect at an angle within said sample, such that said illumination focal volume and said observation focal volume intersect at a confocal overlapping volume;
f) focusing said observation beam substantially into a second optical fiber;
g) combining said reference beam and said observation beam such that coherent interference is produced;
and
h) directing said illumination beam and said observation beam in such a way that said illumination axis and said observation axis remain intersecting at said angle and said confocal overlapping volume scans within said sample, while repeating said step g).

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.