Low-noise broadband light generation from optical fibers for use in high-resolution optical coherence tomography.
Broadband light generation from a single-mode optical fiber was developed for high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT). No noise amplification was observed for light broadened by self-phase modulation. The investigation showed that the intensity noise of light broadened by self-phase modulation in a single-mode optical fiber was much lower than that of continuum light from a microstructure fiber (MSF). The spectral width of a femtosecond input laser pulse was successfully broadened by a factor of 11, and a coherence length of 3.7 microm was achieved with this source. The application of light broadened by a single-mode optical fiber and MSF was compared for use in OCT imaging. The results showed that a single-mode fiber with a small core diameter is a useful way to generate low-noise, broadband light for high-resolution OCT imaging.
Wang
Yimin
Y
Beckman Laser Institute and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92612, USA. ywangg@duke.edu
Tomov
Ivan
I
Nelson
J Stuart
JS
Chen
Zhongping
Z
Lim
Hyungsik
H
Wise
Frank
F
D000465:Algorithms; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D055100:Optical Fibers; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods