Spectral optical coherence tomography
AssigneeOPTOPOL Technology Sp. z o.o.
InventorsMaciej Wojtkowski, Maciej Szkulmowski, Tomasz Bajraszewski
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for generating a scannable optical delay for a beam of light and an apparatus for Fourier domain optical coherence tomography having said apparatus for generating a scannable optical delay in its reference arm (15). The light beam is directed to a pivotably driven mirror (10) from where it is reflected to a fixed mirror (12), and from there back retro reflected along the reference arm (5). Lens optics (9) are provided to ensure accurate optical alignment in several pivot positions of the pivotably driven mirror (10).
Claims11
Apparatus for generating a scannable optical delay for a beam of light comprising
- first mirror optics (10) providing a pivotably driven mirror facing the incoming beam of light and
- second mirror optics (12) arranged for reflecting the beam of light reflected by the first mirror optics (10) so that the beam of light hits the first mirror optics (10) again,
- first lens optics (9a) arranged for focusing the incoming beam of light on the pivotably driven mirror and
- second lens optics (9b) located between the first and second mirror optics and arranged for collimating the beam of light reflected by the mirror of said first mirror optics (10) in more than one pivot positions of said pivotably driven mirror,
- characterized in that
- the first lens optics (9a) and second lens optics (9b) have the same focal lengths and are positioned in parallel, and the optical elements of the apparatus are arranged such that
- i) the beam of light does not pass through or reflect off of a dispersive element of the apparatus on the path between said first mirror optics (10) and said second mirror optics (12), and
- ii) the optical delay changes with the variation of the pivot position of the rotatable mirror (10).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.