Wavelength-encoded tomography based on optical temporal Fourier transform

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4893948· OSTI ID:22311010

Zhang, Chi; Wong, Kenneth K. Y., ^[1]

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1. Photonic Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road (Hong Kong)

We propose and demonstrate a technique called wavelength-encoded tomography (WET) for non-invasive optical cross-sectional imaging, particularly beneficial in biological system. The WET utilizes time-lens to perform the optical Fourier transform, and the time-to-wavelength conversion generates a wavelength-encoded image of optical scattering from internal microstructures, analogous to the interferometery-based imaging such as optical coherence tomography. Optical Fourier transform, in principle, comes with twice as good axial resolution over the electrical Fourier transform, and will greatly simplify the digital signal processing after the data acquisition. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, a 150 -μm (ideally 36 μm) resolution is achieved based on a 7.5-nm bandwidth swept-pump, using a conventional optical spectrum analyzer. This approach can potentially achieve up to 100-MHz or even higher frame rate with some proven ultrafast spectrum analyzer. We believe that this technique is innovative towards the next-generation ultrafast optical tomographic imaging application.

• OSTI ID: 22311010
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 105; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CONVERSION
DATA ACQUISITION
FOURIER TRANSFORMATION
MICROSTRUCTURE
RESOLUTION
SCATTERING
SPECTRA
TOMOGRAPHY
WAVELENGTHS