Optical coherence microscopy system having a filter for suppressing a specular light contribution

A dark field optical coherence microscopy system comprising:

• a light source,
• sample holding means for holding a sample,
• an illumination arm having a first optical axis for illumination light,
• a reference arm, the reference arm sharing the first optical axis with the illumination arm for the reference light,
• a detection arm,
• an objective located along the first optical axis of the illumination arm and the reference arm,
• an axicon located in the illumination arm and the reference arm, configured to produce a dome shaped illumination light field from the illumination light and configured to focus the reference light in a center of the axicon,
• a filter arranged in the illumination arm and the reference arm, the filter being transparent to the reference light and retarding the illumination light, or being transparent to the illumination light and retarding the reference light, and
• a filter positioned on the detection arm, the filter having a circular opening configured to suppress specular reflection of the illumination light from the sample holding means.