Simultaneous measurement of group refractive index and thickness of optical samples using optical coherence tomography.
Optical coherence tomography (OCT), based on a Michelson interferometer and utilizing low coherence light as the optical source, is a novel technique for the noninvasive imaging of optical scattering media. A simple OCT scheme based on a 3 x 3 fiber coupler is presented for the simultaneous measurement of the refractive index and thickness of optical samples. The proposed system enables the refractive index and thickness to be determined without any prior knowledge of the sample parameters and is characterized by a simple and compact configuration, a straightforward measurement procedure, and a low cost. The feasibility of the proposed approach is demonstrated experimentally using BK7 and B270 optical glass samples.
Cheng
Hsu-Chih
HC
Department of Electro-Optics Engineering, National Formosa University, Yunlin, Taiwan. chenghc@nfu.edu.tw
Liu
Yi-Cheng
YC
D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012031:Refractometry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000295:instrumentation*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000295:instrumentation*