title: Paired-angle-rotation scanning optical coherence tomography forward-imaging probe.
abstract: We report a novel forward-imaging optical coherence tomography (OCT), needle-probe paired-angle-rotation scanning OCT (PARS-OCT) probe. The probe uses two rotating angled gradient-index lenses to scan the output OCT probe beam over a wide angular arc (approximately 19 degrees half-angle) of the region forward of the probe. Among other advantages, this probe design is readily amenable to miniaturization and is capable of a variety of scan modes, including volumetric scans. To demonstrate the advantages of the probe design, we have constructed a prototype probe with an outer diameter of 1.65 mm and employed it to acquire four OCT images, with a 45 degrees angle between adjacent images, of the gill structure of a Xenopus laevis tadpole. The system sensitivity was measured to be 93 dB by using the prototype probe with an illumination power of 450 microW on the sample. Moreover, the axial and the lateral resolutions of the probe are 9.3 and 10.3-12.5 microm, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, California 91125, USA. jigang@caltech.edu
authors.forename: Jigang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conry
authors.forename: Chunhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zahid
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yaqoob
authors.forename: Changhuei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D004301:Doppler Effect; D004581:Electronics; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008904:Miniaturization; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D014159:Transducers