title: Dark-field polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography.
abstract: Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a functional OCT providing both structural and birefringent information of the sample, and it has been applied to the studies of various organs having polarization properties. Fiber-based PS-OCT is sensitive to specular reflection from the sample surface, because signal saturation due to the strong specular reflection can make the polarization measurement difficult. We developed a dark-field PS-OCT which can avoid the specular reflection problem. Dark-field PS-OCT was implemented by adapting a hybrid method of Bessel-beam illumination and Gaussian-beam detection, and a PS-OCT method based on passive delay unit (PDU). The new system was characterized in comparison with the conventional Gaussian-beam based method in both polarization components and various samples including the human skin. Dark-field PS-OCT performed as good as the conventional PS-OCT without the specular reflection artifact. Dark-field PS-OCT may be useful in practical situations where the specular reflection is unavoidable.
authors.forename: Yeoreum
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Qingyun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Viet Hoan
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: Won Hyuk
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Taejun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Bumju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sihyung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Wan Kyun
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Chulmin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Ki Hean
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim