9.4 MHz A-line rate optical coherence tomography at 1300 nm using a wavelength-swept laser based on stretched-pulse active mode-locking

Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 9;10(1):9328. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66322-0.

Abstract

In optical coherence tomography (OCT), high-speed systems based at 1300 nm are among the most broadly used. Here, we present 9.4 MHz A-line rate OCT system at 1300 nm. A wavelength-swept laser based on stretched-pulse active mode locking (SPML) provides a continuous and linear-in-wavenumber sweep from 1240 nm to 1340 nm, and the OCT system using this light source provides a sensitivity of 98 dB and a single-sided 6-dB roll-off depth of 2.5 mm. We present new capabilities of the 9.4 MHz SPML-OCT system in three microscopy applications. First, we demonstrate high quality OCTA imaging at a rate of 1.3 volumes/s. Second, by utilizing its inherent phase stable characteristics, we present wide dynamic range en face Doppler OCT imaging with multiple time intervals ranging from 0.25 ms to 2.0 ms at a rate of 0.53 volumes/s. Third, we demonstrate video-rate 4D microscopic imaging of a beating Xenopus embryo heart at a rate of 30 volumes/s. This high-speed and high-performance OCT system centered at 1300 nm suggests that it can be one of the most promising high-speed OCT platforms enabling a wide range of new scientific research, industrial, and clinical applications at speeds of 10 MHz.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Heart / diagnostic imaging
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional
  • Lasers*
  • Quality Control
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods*
  • Xenopus / embryology