Method and apparatus for three-dimensional spectrally encoded imaging

A method for obtaining three-dimensional information associated with a specimen, comprising:

• receiving at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample arm which includes the specimen based on a transversely spectrally encoded electro-magnetic radiation provided to the specimen;
• receiving at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference arm based on a first path length and a second path length thereof which are different from one another;
• generating interference information based on the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• and
• providing the three-dimensional information associated with the specimen as a function of the interference information.

An apparatus for providing three-dimensional imaging information associated with at least one portion of a sample, comprising:

• at least one first arrangement configured to provide at least two wavelengths of at least one particular electro-magnetic radiation provided on the portion of the sample, and to determine, using each of the at least two wavelengths, at least one respective transverse location of a plurality of transverse location of the at least one portion;
• at least one second arrangement configured to obtain a relative phase between at least one first electro-magnetic radiation electro-magnetic radiation being returned from a sample and at least one second electro-magnetic radiation returned from a reference to determine a relative depth location of the portion;
• and
• at least one third arrangement configured to provide the information of the portion based on the transverse location and the relative depth location.

An apparatus for obtaining three-dimensional information associated with a specimen, comprising:

• at least one first arrangement configured to receive:
• at least one first electro-magnetic radiation from a sample arm which includes the specimen based on a transversely spectrally encoded electro-magnetic radiation provided to the specimen, and
• at least one second electro-magnetic radiation from a reference arm based on a first path length and a second path length thereof which are different from one another;
• at least one second arrangement configured to generate interference information based on the first and second electro-magnetic radiations;
• and
• at least one third arrangement configured to provide the three-dimensional information associated with the specimen as a function of the interference information.