title: Submicrometer axial resolution optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) with unprecedented submicrometer axial resolution achieved by use of a photonic crystal fiber in combination with a compact sub-10-fs Ti:sapphire laser (Femtolasers Produktions) is demonstrated for what the authors believe is the first time. The emission spectrum ranges from 550 to 950 nm (lambda(c)=725 nm , P(out)=27 mW) , resulting in a free-space axial OCT resolution of ~0.75 mum , corresponding to ~0.5 mum in biological tissue. Submicrometer-resolution OCT is demonstrated in vitro on human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells HT-29. This novel light source has great potential for development of spectroscopic OCT because its spectrum covers the absorption bands of several biological chromophores.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Povazay
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bizheva
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unterhuber
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hermann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sattmann
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fercher
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Drexler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Apolonski
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wadsworth
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: P St J
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vetterlein
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scherzer