Fourier domain optical coherence tomography employing a swept multi-wavelength laser and a multi-channel receiver

A method of analyzing a sample using optical coherence tomography (OCT) comprising the steps of:

• generating a light output having plurality of discrete wavelengths;
• scanning each discrete wavelength across a range of optical wavelengths to generate a plurality of scans of different spectral regions in parallel over time;
• splitting the light along a sample and a reference path;
• combining the light received back from both sample and reference paths;
• separating the received light into said different spectral regions;
• simultaneously measuring each of the different spectral regions during the scanning step;
• and
• analyzing the measurements to derive a reflectance distribution along the sample path.

An optical coherence tomography (OCT) system comprising:

• a light source generating light at least ten discrete wavelengths simultaneously, said light source being tunable to scan said plurality of discrete wavelengths across a range of wavelengths to generate a plurality of scans of different spectral regions in parallel over time and wherein the scanning range of each discrete wavelength is at least 1.0 nanometers;
• a beam splitter for dividing the light along a sample and a reference path;
• a detector for receiving light returned from both the sample and the reference paths and having a plurality of channels, each channel arranged to measure light within one of said different spectral regions and to simultaneously generate output signals in response to said discrete scanned wavelengths;
• and
• a processor synchronized with the tuning of the light source for analyzing the generated output signals to derive a reflectance distribution along the sample path.